Riding to the beach at Duxbury - Duxbury - Massachusetts - New England


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	Riding to the beach at Duxbury


Helmet		Gloves
Safety lights		First aid kit
Sunglasses		Windbreaker
Fleece		Backpack
Repair kit		Water
Snacks

Directions

From Boston, take I-93 south

Take route 3 south, then exit 11 for

Duxbury/Pembroke and route 14 east

Follow signs for route 14 east as you drive

through several intersections and forks

In Duxbury, the road ends at an intersection

with a white pole stump in the middle (and a

white house facing the road). Turn right on

Washington Street and drive for less than a

mile until you reach the center of Duxbury,

with a bakery and the Post Office on

the left

Park on Washington Street or on the right

side of Beaverbrook Lane, a small road on

the right facing the Post Office

Good to know in advance

Buy a road map to get oriented more easily:

Rubel BikeMaps "Eastern Massachusetts" -

$4.95 in most New England bookstores

Restrooms at the beach side of the
causeway (year-round) and at Brant Rock (seasonal)

Because of the short stretches of sandy

roads around the beach, mountain bikes or

hybrid bikes are a good choice on this ride

Etiquette

Biking can be dangerous – always wear a

helmet (mandatory under 12) and make

safety your priority

Bring your trash with you and leave no

trace where you stop

Overall rating:


	Difficulty:		2/5

	Time from Boston:		1 hour

	Duration:		Half day

	Cost:		Free

	Main activity:		Biking

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Have a question about this destination?

Located about an hour south of the city, Duxbury is arguably one of the nicest beaches around Boston. This relatively short biking loop allows you to go to the beach without the magic beach sticker that limits access to the beach parking, and to ride through the nice countryside further inland.

This loop takes about 2 hours with short stops, but is better enjoyed by combining it with a half-day or a day at the beach. Combining both and adding an ice cream at Farfar's on the way back is sure to make a nice summer day outside. This ride is also great in spring or fall, when the cooler weather is compensated by solitude on the barrier beach and a much lighter road traffic.

The ride is essentially flat, except for about 2 miles on route 3A, where the road becomes hilly with several short climbs. The wind at the beach can be surprisingly strong and cool even on summer days, so it is a good idea to pack a fleece or a windproof jacket in your bag.

Here are the detailed directions:
	From Duxbury, take back Washington Street (where you came from) and continue straight at the white pole intersection, follow the shore as the road becomes Powder Point Avenue
	At the next intersection, turn right on King Caesar Road
	You will ride past a small promontory on the right with a stone memorial to Ezra Weston - a nice place for a snack under the trees above the water
	Continue on King Caesar Road, that winds up and down through luxurious mansions
	When you reach the water, take the causeway to ride over Duxbury Bay and reach the barrier beach
	There are several access paths to the beach at this first parking lot. As usual, people concentrate around these paths on the beach, but you will find plenty of space if you walk a few hundred yards on the right
	The loop continue on the left; ride to the end of the lot and take the sandy road (sign "Warning - soft sand - Four wheel drive vehicles only")
	Continue past the next parking lot (with further access to the beach) until you reach a good road again, Gurnet Road; for a while you will ride along the Duxbury Bay marshes
	At the stop sign, turn right on Bay Street
	At the next major intersection, turn left and ride about 0.2 miles to reach Route 139. if you need snacks, restrooms or if you just like the ambience of small seaside resorts, you can turn right on route 139 to reach Brant Rock in less than a mile; otherwise turn left on route 139 to continue the loop
	The stretch on route 139 up to Webster Street can see heavy traffic in summer; ride safely
	After the intersection with Webster Street, the road narrows and traffic lightens up again
	Turn left at the intersection with route 3A
	Turn left on George Street when you reach route 14 East (sign for Historic Duxbury on the left); in less than a mile you ride past Farfar's on the left – a nice stop to enjoy an ice cream before heading home
	Continue on route 14 until you reach the ocean and the intersection with the white pole stump; turn right to go back to your car in Duxbury.

Because of summer traffic on route 139, it is better not to bring kids with their own bikes on this loop; to keep the whole family happy, you can still do the first part of the loop from Duxbury to the beach with them, and head back the same way at the end of the day. Narrow and shady roads, light traffic, and the thrill of riding on the causeway over the water, will make even this short trip a nice experience for the younger riders.