Universal Access
The following is a list of land bank properties whose land management plans provide varying levels of universal access. This typically entails a designated parking space(s); minimal grade change on a designated trail area; hardened or mostly level surface; and short distances to a bench, boardwalk, view point, or other place of interest. Please use this document in conjunction with the land bank website or a land bank map and/or the TrailsMV app, to locate trailheads and parking access points.
Note: The difficulty rating primarily takes into account trail grade, trail surface, and distances.
- Blackwater Pond Reservation
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: Trail surface is grass along pond-edge
- Points of Interest: Pond-edge benches, fishing pier, and causeway boardwalk with pond views
- Benches: 2
- Caleb’s Pond Preserve
Difficulty rating: Easy
Trail: Trail surface is compacted crushed native stone dust
Points of Interest: Pond - an easily traversed trail that ends at a bench with expansive
views of Caleb’s Pond
Benches: 1 - Chappy Point Beach
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: Direct access to beach from Chappy Point trailhead and two wooden dune walks
- Points of Interest: Beach access and harbor viewing
- Benches: 1
- Cove Meadow Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: Park at trailhead on Jeffers Lane next to cemetery. Short grass trail to bench
- Points of Interest: Expansive views of bayside meadows.
- Benches: 1
- Doug’s Cove Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: 400’ of level shell path along Lagoon Pond and salt marshes
- Points of Interest: Views along Lagoon Pond beach and salt marsh.
- Benches: 0
- Farm Pond Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: Access off South Circuit Avenue for 200’ mixed surface trail to boardwalks and viewing platform. Access from Oak Bluffs school for native surface woodland trails with minimal grade change
- Points of Interest: Views of Farm Pond, meadow, woodland, and various boardwalks for coastal wetland viewing
- Benches: 1
- Gay Head Moraine
- Difficulty rating: Difficult
- Trail: Park at lower UA trailhead. Trail is packed gravel and grass for 1000’
- Points of Interest: Views of stream, meadow and glacial erratic.
- Benches: 1
- Great Rock Bight Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Difficult
- Trail: 1,200’ of semi-hardened trail and 100’ of raised boardwalk
- Points of Interest: Marl Pond loop offers views of a large vernal pool and upland woodland.
- Benches: 1
- Hillman’s Point Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: 250’ of hardened trail and 150’ of raised boardwalk
- Points of Interest: Offers shoreline access from boardwalk platform and views of Lake Tashmoo
- Benches: 0
- James Pond Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Easy
Trail: Trail surface is compacted crushed native stone dust that leads to a viewing platform with a built-in bench - Points of Interest: Pond- an easily traversed trail that ends at a viewing platform with expansive views of James Pond and the Vineyard Sound
- Benches: 1
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- North Neck Highlands Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: 200’ of hardened trail, located on the east side of the North Neck Road, to bench and viewing platform
- Points of Interest: Viewing platform with bench offers pond views.
- Benches: 1
- Old County Arboretum
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: Level access to paved State Forest bike path
- Points of Interest: Meadow viewing along paved State Forest bicycle path.
- Benches: 0
- Peaked Hill Reservation
- Difficulty rating: Difficult
- Trail: 1 UA parking space located on Radar Hill off Middle Road leads to 400’ hardened trail. Pasture Road trailhead has walking access on old road with small sections of grade for 1,000’ to Peaked Hill summit
- Points of Interest: Panoramic views of the south shore and remnants of old military bunkers. Access from Pasture Road trailhead offers glacial erratic viewing and expansive views at summit of Peaked Hill
- Benches: 4
- Pecoy Point Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: 1,000’ of hardened trail and 150’ of raised boardwalk
- Points of Interest: Views of old farmfield, salt marsh, small pond, and Sengekontacket Pond
- Benches: 1
- Pennywise Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: 350’ of hardened trail and level meadow walking
- Points of Interest: Views of frost bottom and grassland restoration project
- Benches: 1
- Poucha Pond Reservation
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: 200’ of hardened trail to meadow overlook
- Points of Interest: Expansive views of Poucha Pond and distant Nantucket Island
- Benches: 1
- Priester’s Pond Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: 300’ of hardened trail
- Points of Interest: Intimate views of historical freshwater pond and surrounding environment
- Benches: 1
- Short Cove Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: Park in the universal access trailhead at end of road appearing as dashed yellow line on property map. Follow trail along cove.
- Points of Interest: Short Cove and Tisbury Great Pond
- Benches:
- Southern Woodlands Reservation
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: Park in trailhead off County Road or at Featherstone Farm. Trail from County Road trailhead is solid and wide. Trail from Featherstone Farm to views of field is mostly grass.
- Points of Interest: Views from high side of sloping field and walking in shady woodlands
- Benches: 0
- Sweetened Water Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Easy
- Trail: Accessible from bicycle path with 300’ of hardened trail through meadow to pond
- Points of Interest: Peaceful views of meadow and Beetle Pond
- Benches: 1
- Three Ponds Reservation
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: Park where indicated on property map and follow trail to Handy Homestead
- Points of Interest: Handy Homestead, fields, and coastal woodlands
- Benches: 1
- Trade Wind Fields Preserve
- Difficulty rating: Moderate
- Trail: 1,200’ of hardened trail through oak-pitch pine woodland.
- Points of Interest: Trail arrives at viewing area with benches offering wide views of grassland
- Benches: 3
