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Easy0.5 miBrewster

Stony Brook Herring Run & Grist Mill Walk

CCC VisitedVerified Jun 25, 2026

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What is Stony Brook Herring Run & Grist Mill Walk like?

A short, historically rich walk along Stony Brook past the restored 1873 Grist Mill, where herring (alewives) migrate upstream from Cape Cod Bay to freshwater ponds each spring. Footpaths line both sides of the brook, with a footbridge offering viewing platforms over the fish ladder weirs. Best visited mid-March through early May during the herring run, but scenic year-round.

Plan your walk

Stony Brook Herring Run & Grist Mill Walk

Directions to the trailhead

830 Stony Brook Road, Brewster, MA 02631

Check conditions before you go. Trail details from Town of Brewster, Brewster Conservation Trust Trail Guide (opens in a new tab)

When should you go?

Best time to go

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What’s the trail like?

Length: 0.5 mi
Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Mixed
Dogs: Allowed (leashed)
Kids: Kid-friendly
Accessible: Not noted
Views: Water
Good for: Walking, Birding

What should you know before you go?

Parking

Street parking on both sides of Stony Brook Road near the Grist Mill. Limited spaces.

Dogs

Allowed (leashed)

Managed by

Town of Brewster

What you'll see

Water views, Bird sanctuary, Kid-friendly

Where is the trailhead?

830 Stony Brook Road, Brewster, MA 02631.

Get directions

Get directions Open in Google Maps

Where else can you walk in Brewster?

Easy
Cape Cod Rail Trail (Brewster)
Paved · Massachusetts DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation)
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a paved, multi-use path running about 25 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet along a former railroad bed. Its Brewster stretch passes forests, cranberry bogs and ponds, and in East Brewster it connects to the 8 miles of paved trails inside Nickerson State Park. Flat and fully paved, it is ideal for family biking, walking, jogging and wheelchair use.
CCC Visited · Verified 2026-10-06
Where to park on the Cape Cod Rail Trail
See details
Easy · 0.4 mi
Drummer Boy Park Loop Trail
Paved · Town of Brewster Recreation
A universally accessible 0.4-mile paved loop through a 17-acre historic park anchored by a restored 1795 smock windmill. The path offers open views across Quivett Creek salt marshes and Cape Cod Bay in the distance. Free admission makes this a relaxed stop for all ages. Home to summer craft fairs and Sunday evening band concerts.
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25
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Moderate · 2.5 mi
Punkhorn Parklands – Eagle Point to Seymour Pond Trail
Natural trail · Town of Brewster Conservation
The premier long walk in the Punkhorn Parklands — over 800 acres of Town-owned conservation land in West Brewster. This route winds through oak and pitch pine forest past Upper Mill Pond and Seymour Pond, with sweeping views from Eagle Point. Multiple intersecting trails allow shorter loops from the Run Hill Road parking area. A rare quiet inland wilderness on the Outer Cape.
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25
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Easy · 1.5 mi
Namskaket Creek Beach Walk
Sand · Town of Orleans / Orleans Conservation Trust
A 1.5-mile round-trip beach walk from Skaket Beach across soft tidal sand to Namskaket Creek, a 200-acre saltmarsh straddling Orleans and Brewster. One of the most ecologically significant tidal corridors on the inner Cape, rich with shorebirds, herons, and migratory waterfowl. Part of the emerging Cape Cod Sea Path multi-town coastal route.
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25
See details
Moderate
Nickerson State Park Trails
Mixed · Massachusetts DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation)
Nickerson State Park covers roughly 1,900 acres of pine and oak forest dotted with eight freshwater kettle ponds. About 8 miles of paved bike paths wind through the woods past Cliff Pond, Flax Pond and Little Cliff Pond, connecting directly to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The park also has natural hiking trails and singletrack, plus swimming, fishing and over 400 campsites. A premier spot for biking, hiking and birding in Brewster.
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-19
See details
Moderate
Punkhorn Parklands
Natural trail · Town of Brewster (Conservation)
Punkhorn Parklands is a town conservation area of roughly 800 acres in West Brewster, preserved through a series of land acquisitions in the mid-1980s. A large network of trails winds through woodlands, meadows, marshes, ponds and former cranberry bogs, with opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, birding, fishing and paddling. One of the largest and wildest open spaces on the Lower Cape.
Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-19
See details

Every Brewster trail Trails across the Cape

Directions

What is Stony Brook Herring Run & Grist Mill Walk like?

Where else can you walk in Brewster?

Easy

Cape Cod Rail Trail (Brewster)

Paved · Massachusetts DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation)

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a paved, multi-use path running about 25 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet along a former railroad bed. Its Brewster stretch passes forests, cranberry bogs and ponds, and in East Brewster it connects to the 8 miles of paved trails inside Nickerson State Park. Flat and fully paved, it is ideal for family biking, walking, jogging and wheelchair use.

CCC Visited · Verified 2026-10-06

Where to park on the Cape Cod Rail Trail

See details

Easy · 0.4 mi

Drummer Boy Park Loop Trail

Paved · Town of Brewster Recreation

A universally accessible 0.4-mile paved loop through a 17-acre historic park anchored by a restored 1795 smock windmill. The path offers open views across Quivett Creek salt marshes and Cape Cod Bay in the distance. Free admission makes this a relaxed stop for all ages. Home to summer craft fairs and Sunday evening band concerts.

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25

See details

Moderate · 2.5 mi

Punkhorn Parklands – Eagle Point to Seymour Pond Trail

Natural trail · Town of Brewster Conservation

The premier long walk in the Punkhorn Parklands — over 800 acres of Town-owned conservation land in West Brewster. This route winds through oak and pitch pine forest past Upper Mill Pond and Seymour Pond, with sweeping views from Eagle Point. Multiple intersecting trails allow shorter loops from the Run Hill Road parking area. A rare quiet inland wilderness on the Outer Cape.

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25

See details

Easy · 1.5 mi

Namskaket Creek Beach Walk

Sand · Town of Orleans / Orleans Conservation Trust

A 1.5-mile round-trip beach walk from Skaket Beach across soft tidal sand to Namskaket Creek, a 200-acre saltmarsh straddling Orleans and Brewster. One of the most ecologically significant tidal corridors on the inner Cape, rich with shorebirds, herons, and migratory waterfowl. Part of the emerging Cape Cod Sea Path multi-town coastal route.

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-25

See details

Moderate

Nickerson State Park Trails

Mixed · Massachusetts DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation)

Nickerson State Park covers roughly 1,900 acres of pine and oak forest dotted with eight freshwater kettle ponds. About 8 miles of paved bike paths wind through the woods past Cliff Pond, Flax Pond and Little Cliff Pond, connecting directly to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The park also has natural hiking trails and singletrack, plus swimming, fishing and over 400 campsites. A premier spot for biking, hiking and birding in Brewster.

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-19

See details

Moderate

Punkhorn Parklands

Natural trail · Town of Brewster (Conservation)

Punkhorn Parklands is a town conservation area of roughly 800 acres in West Brewster, preserved through a series of land acquisitions in the mid-1980s. A large network of trails winds through woodlands, meadows, marshes, ponds and former cranberry bogs, with opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, birding, fishing and paddling. One of the largest and wildest open spaces on the Lower Cape.

Listed & Verified · Verified 2026-06-19

See details