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There are so many stunning locations for hiking on Martha’s Vineyard it is easy to run out of superlatives to conjure up the incredible natural beauty of the landscapes to which you will be treated. But the Squibnocket Pond Reservation in Aquinnah is something on a different level ecologically that should not be missed on your next Martha’s Vineyard vacation. The property is jointly owned by the MV Land Bank and Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation and was purchased in 2021 from Caroline Kennedy.
There are two trails that wind their way through the changing vistas and flora. The North trail takes you from State Road to the edge of Squibnocket Pond and to where Herring Creek drains into Menemsha Pond. Eventually the north trail will extend to Witch Pond (aka Black Pond) and include a kayak launch on Squibnocket Pond. The South trail is a longer trail and winds its way to a mile of un-spoilt beach. I took the opportunity to hike the South trail on its first week of opening to the public – ever the trail blazer (if you’ll pardon the pun!).
The trailhead for the South trail is located on Moshup Trail and there are 11 parking spots that need to be booked in advance via the MV Land Bank website. The initial trail takes you through a woodland of black oak, white oak, inkberry, cedar, sassafras and pine. You’ll also pass a beautiful copse of 5 or 6 beetlebung (aka tupelo) trees and a very cool red maple that, despite being split in two, continues to happily grow. The path then forks with the left fork heading toward the beach and the right fork taking you past Lake Luther and up to the top of the dunes to look out toward Nomans Island. Eventually this right fork will also feed down onto the beach but for the moment you need to take the left fork in order to get to the beach.
Taking the left fork, once through the woodland you burst out into heathland with beach heather, ferns, scrubland and fresh water wetlands with views across to Squibnocket and Lily Pond. A wooded boardwalk takes you above the wetlands and beach heather and leads out to the dunes. There are stairs that take you down over the dune to a mile of pristine beach with crashing waves to add to the magic. To the east, white sand takes you down to the edges of Squibnocket Pond and to the west the beach is strewn with rocks and pebbles as you walk toward the majesty of Zach’s Cliffs. On the day I went the east end of the beach was restricted to protect nesting piping plovers so I enjoyed a walk up the beach to Zach’s Cliffs watching the herring gulls floating on the warm updraughts.
Walking back I was accompanied by eastern towhees, catbirds, a tufted titmouse, drifting herring gulls and a lone osprey.
This is a hike that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone wanting to experience the different landscapes of the Vineyard and to see ecologically rare plant species. There are 34 rare or endangered species across the property. Spectacular!
Safe travels,
Simon
