Head of the Meadow Beach

Split between town and National Seashore sections. Feels remote and wild — you can walk for miles. Less crowded than the Eastham and Wellfleet ocean beaches.

Head of the Meadow is the quietest of the Outer Cape Atlantic beaches and arguably the most beautiful — a long stretch of National Seashore sand at the seaward end of a glacial outwash valley in North Truro, with high green dunes behind, a wide hard-pack sand strand at low tide, and excellent surf casting. The beach has two access points: the National Seashore lot to the south (paid daily fee or pass) and the town lot to the north (Truro sticker only). Both share the same dramatic stretch of sand. The bike path that connects the two lots — the Head of the Meadow Bike Trail — runs along the back of the dunes through pitch pine and bayberry, and it's worth riding to a more secluded section. The swimming is true Atlantic — cold, with real surf — and lifeguards are stationed at the National Seashore section. Walk a quarter mile north or south of the lifeguard zone and you'll likely have a half-mile of beach essentially to yourself.