56page

54 BACKPACKER 03.2014 GARDEN PARTY: COREOPSIS FLOWERS CARPET THE CARRIZO PLAIN IN APRIL. IN ANY SEASON, Sandy Neck is a rare find for Cape Cod, with five backcountry campsites nestled among 1,500 acres of sea- side wilds uncut by roads or houses. And because the crush of summer visitors and ORVers doesn’t arrive until Memorial Day, spring hikers can claim the peninsula for themselves. Managed by the city of Barnstable, Sandy Neck Beach Park preserves 6 miles of golden coast bordered by pristine dunes and the Great Marshes, where diamondback terrapins take shelter year-round. April temperatures can approach 32°F at night, but spring’s mild afternoons and scarcity of biting bugs (the notorious greenhead flies arrive in July) call for short sleeves. To disappear into Sandy Neck’s splendor, pack a day’s drinking water (you’ll find no pota- ble sources, but your site comes with a full 5-gallon jug). Park at the Gatehouse and follow the Marsh Trail east through gnarled Boston, MA SANDY NECK BEACH PARK Savor oceanside solitude. YOUR TRIP YOUR TOWN