Massachusetts · Hiking

Great Hay Trail

Great Hay TrailPhoto: Pintsmasher, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
round trip
115 ft
climb
34 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Great Hay Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Massachusetts, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and set about 0.6 miles from the town of Seabrook. The route is roughly 2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 115 feet, and the high point reaches about 34 feet. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.23 miles in, where the grade reaches about 5 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Woods Hole Golf Club show July and August highs around 79°F with lows near 64°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s to low 40s. The trip takes about half an hour, so it works well as a quick outing. For more time on foot, Long River Trail lies about 3 miles away, and The Cape Cod Way is about 8 miles off. The Shining Sea Bikeway, a gravel biking route, is about 7 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Great Hay Trail

    Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      39° / 25°

    2. Feb

      40° / 25°

    3. Mar

      45° / 30°

    4. Apr

      55° / 39°

    5. May

      64° / 48°

    6. Jun

      72° / 58°

    7. Jul

      79° / 64°

    8. Aug

      79° / 64°

    9. Sep

      73° / 59°

    10. Oct

      62° / 49°

    11. Nov

      53° / 40°

    12. Dec

      45° / 32°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Woods Hole Golf Club, MA, 9.2 mi away at 80 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive