Yes, There is Hiking on Martha's Vineyard

[Fisher Cat]

We don't like to vacation anywhere that lacks elevation gain. This year our annual August-Septrember NH trip was forsaken to spend a week with my wife's family on Martha's Vineyard, celebrating her folks' 40th anniversary (we return to NH in October thank goodness). Our first hike was Menemsha Hills. We quickly found our first glacial erratic of the day:

Top elevation for the day was Prospect Mt, with a staggering elevation of 308 ft. After quickly setting up base camp......OK, that's overboard. Here's the view:

There was nothing to be seen, normally one could see both the Atlantic and Vineyard Sound. Since we would be doing a loop, we could return. While hiking, we found that to our amusement, we had not stood on the top of the highest elevation on the Island, missing the true peak nearby on another trustee reservation, which beat our ascent by another 3 feet. To console ourselves, we justified our hike by ascending the same 2nd highest peak of Prospect Mt again on the leg out. I'm sure that balances out somewhere. We saw lots of oak, of varying varities, high blueberry (tons of them!), beach plum. The oak leaves are frosted in brown, but we heard conflicting reasons for this, such as "sudden oak death" and the high quantity of salt in the air.

Our last hike was out to the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah. Truly a wonderful spot! Please note: these are tribal lands, only the tribe members living on the reservation land are allowed to climb upon and harvest the multicolored clays found in the area. There are more photos in the link below, but suffice to say, we stuck around for a beautiful sunset:

Here are a few more pics:

http://fishercat.smugmug.com/Other/Marthas-Vineyard-Sept-11-18/19114903_XhBqW5#1489898147_tC3gfpr

Happy & safe trails to all, and see ya back home in NH soon!

 

[MichaelJ]

What? You missed Peaked Hill? For shame! You'll just have to go back.

It's not often that you get to a high point by parking only 10' lower than it, then hiking down and up around 50'.

 

[bjc]

Nice sunset photo !

I've never been to MV, but have hiked around on Block Island in RI. It's obviously very different from the mountains, but still a very enjoyable way to spend a day hiking.

 

[Fisher Cat]

What? You missed Peaked Hill? For shame! You'll just have to go back.

It's not often that you get to a high point by parking only 10' lower than it, then hiking down and up around 50'.

Our sentiments exactly, already thinkin about next year. Did some hikin at Long Point Refuge too, awesome waves there when you get out to the beach.

 

[MichaelJ]

There's great kayaking down there ... the Vineyard Haven Lagoon is a good start for that, being big, sheltered, and not deep. Wind's Up is a good rental place. Even better, if it's near high tide, is Sengeckontacket Pond, the sheltered lagoon west of State Beach. It's much more pristine, surrounded partially by wildlife sanctuary, and it's a blast to paddle up through the marshes (thus watch the tide). You can reserve in advance with Island Spirit Kayak, they set up a portable kiosk by the northern of the two beach bridges. You can also take the ferry over to Chappaquiddick and put in at the Dyke Bridge to paddle Cape Poge Bay and Pocha Pond, which is also surrounded by wildlife sanctuary and really beautiful.

As for cycling, there are designated routes all over the island, but if you're looking to get off the pavement, there's everything from fire roads to single track in the state forest and around the airport. There's even a real 18-hole disc golf course.

And of course, many, many options for ice cream. I do love the Vineyard!

 

[Fisher Cat]

Yea, if you take a membership with the Trustees Org, you can save a lot when it comes to accessing the properties. We did do kayaking at Cape Poge, and I do believe that upon our return, in addition to hiking, we plan on a lot more kayaking.

Mad Martha's has some of the best ice cream, and the native corn from the Morning Glory Farm was some of the best I've ever had.

 

[MichaelJ]

If you find yourself in Oak Bluffs, on Circuit Ave within 100' of each other you can compare and contrast Carousel, Mad Martha's, and the Chocolate Factory's ice cream. All the more reason to hike, bike, and kayak away those calories!