Photo: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0Shining Sea Bikeway
Cape Cod's original rail trail, from cranberry bogs to ocean views
Part of the MassTrails 10
Ten signature shared-use trails across Massachusetts, selected by MassDOT and DCR for 2026. Complete them all to earn the Trail Master badge — plus 50 bonus entries in the Shift Your Summer sweepstakes (June 15 – August 15). Complete all 0 routes to earn the Trail Master badge.
This roam covers 8.8 miles of Massachusetts' first rail trail, which traces 10.7 miles from North Falmouth to Woods Hole along the Cape's glacial coast. Named for Katharine Lee Bates' iconic poem, the trail passes cranberry bogs, salt marshes, and beaches with views of Martha's Vineyard.
Numbered pins are the roam's stops; gold rings are bonus stops. Check in at each stop in the Shift app to complete the roam.
The route
Visit 3 of 5 stops to complete this roam
Wings Pond & Cranberry Bog
Starting point
An 1860s cranberry bog landscape with a scenic pond overlook
Learn more →Bourne Farm
A 49-acre working farm with a rare stone cattle tunnel, one of only a few remaining in Massachusetts
Learn more →Route: Shining Sea Bikeway — protected bike lane (4.1 mi)
Route: Shining Sea Bikeway — protected bike lane (2.4 mi)
Falmouth Beach
A waterfront stretch with views across Vineyard Sound to Martha's Vineyard
Learn more →Route: Shining Sea Bikeway — protected bike lane (2 mi)
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Final stop
Home to the Ocean Science Discovery Center, the world's leading ocean research institute
Learn more →Bonus stops nearby
Optional detours worth the extra steps.
Monument to Katharine Lee Bates
Memorial to the Falmouth-born author of America the Beautiful
Learn more →Nobska Lighthouse
An 1876 lighthouse overlooking the junction of Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay
Learn more →How it works
A roam is a guided, self-paced adventure you follow in the free Shift app.
Follow the route
Open this roam in the Shift app and follow the turn-by-turn route at your own pace.
Check in at each stop
The app detects when you arrive and checks you in automatically. No scanning, no codes.
Earn the Shining Sea badge
Complete the roam to earn the Shining Sea badge and 10 XP. Finish all 0 routes in the MassTrails 10 for a bonus badge.