1 / 4

EasyAquinnah

Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop)

CCC VisitedVerified Oct 5, 2026

Saved places stay in your account, on any device.

What is Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop) like?

A short easy year-round loop through coastal heathland with lighthouse and cliff views down to Moshup Beach. (Local note: AllTrails ~0.9 mi, 4.6 stars — easy, family-friendly, scenic)

Plan your walk

Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop)

Directions to the trailhead

Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah, MA 02535

Check conditions before you go. Trail details from MV Land Bank (opens in a new tab)

When should you go?

Best time to go

Checking today’s weather and sun times…

Now57°FClear

Wind14 mphFrom the W

Weather and sun times from Open-Meteo for the nearest part of the Cape.

What’s the trail like?

Length: Not noted
Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Mixed
Dogs: Not allowed
Kids: Not noted
Accessible: Not noted
Views: Not noted
Good for: Hiking, Walking, Beach walk

What should you know before you go?

Parking

Municipal lot at Aquinnah Circle (~$35/day seasonal)

Dogs

Not allowed

Managed by

MV Land Bank / Sheriff's Meadow

What you'll see

Beach walk

Where is the trailhead?

Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah, MA 02535.

Get directions

Get directions Open in Google Maps

Where else can you walk in Aquinnah?

Easy · 0.8 mi
Gay Head Cliffs Overlook & Headlands Loop
Mixed · Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) / Town of Aquinnah
A short scenic walk from the Aquinnah cliffs overlook area along the bluff edge, taking in the dramatic multicolored clay cliffs and the Elizabeth Islands beyond. The loop connects the parking area, viewing platforms, and the short headlands path toward the Gay Head Lighthouse. Sunrise and sunset views are world-class.
CCC Visited · Verified 2026-10-05
See details
Easy · 0.2 mi
Gay Head Lighthouse
Gay Head Light crowns the dramatic clay cliffs of Aquinnah at Martha's Vineyard's westernmost point — a brick tower first lit in 1799 and famously moved back from the eroding bluff in 2015. It's a short stroll from the Aquinnah Circle shops and overlook, and one of the island's premier sunset perches above the Atlantic.
CCC Visited · Verified 2026-06-27
See details
Moderate
Moshup Trail (scenic route)
Paved · Town of Aquinnah / Land Bank
A 3.6-mile scenic road from State Rd to Gay Head Light, popular for cycling and walking above the cliffs. (Local note: Cyclists recommend the Lobsterville + Lighthouse loop via Moshup Trail to avoid busy South Rd)
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-22
See details

Every Aquinnah trail Trails across the Cape

Directions

EasyAquinnah

Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop)

CCC VisitedVerified Oct 5, 2026

Saved places stay in your account, on any device.

What is Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop) like?

A short easy year-round loop through coastal heathland with lighthouse and cliff views down to Moshup Beach. (Local note: AllTrails ~0.9 mi, 4.6 stars — easy, family-friendly, scenic)

Plan your walk

Aquinnah Headlands Preserve (South Head Loop)

Directions to the trailhead

Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah, MA 02535

Check conditions before you go. Trail details from MV Land Bank (opens in a new tab)

When should you go?

Best time to go

Checking today’s weather and sun times…

Now57°FClear

Wind14 mphFrom the W

Weather and sun times from Open-Meteo for the nearest part of the Cape.

What’s the trail like?

Length: Not noted
Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Mixed
Dogs: Not allowed
Kids: Not noted
Accessible: Not noted
Views: Not noted
Good for: Hiking, Walking, Beach walk

What should you know before you go?

Parking

Municipal lot at Aquinnah Circle (~$35/day seasonal)

Dogs

Not allowed

Managed by

MV Land Bank / Sheriff's Meadow

What you'll see

Beach walk

Where is the trailhead?

Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah, MA 02535.

Get directions

Get directions Open in Google Maps

Where else can you walk in Aquinnah?

Easy · 0.8 mi

Gay Head Cliffs Overlook & Headlands Loop

Mixed · Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) / Town of Aquinnah

A short scenic walk from the Aquinnah cliffs overlook area along the bluff edge, taking in the dramatic multicolored clay cliffs and the Elizabeth Islands beyond. The loop connects the parking area, viewing platforms, and the short headlands path toward the Gay Head Lighthouse. Sunrise and sunset views are world-class.

CCC Visited · Verified 2026-10-05

See details

Easy · 0.2 mi

Gay Head Lighthouse

Gay Head Light crowns the dramatic clay cliffs of Aquinnah at Martha's Vineyard's westernmost point — a brick tower first lit in 1799 and famously moved back from the eroding bluff in 2015. It's a short stroll from the Aquinnah Circle shops and overlook, and one of the island's premier sunset perches above the Atlantic.

CCC Visited · Verified 2026-06-27

See details

Moderate

Moshup Trail (scenic route)

Paved · Town of Aquinnah / Land Bank

A 3.6-mile scenic road from State Rd to Gay Head Light, popular for cycling and walking above the cliffs. (Local note: Cyclists recommend the Lobsterville + Lighthouse loop via Moshup Trail to avoid busy South Rd)

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-22

See details