Provincetown
Dune
Tours
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by President John F.
Kennedy in 1961 and
managed by the National
Park Service. Since its
founding, the National Park
Service has implemented
numerous programs to
protect the dunes from
erosion. One initiative
involves planting beach
grasses in areas hardest hit
by wind, waves, and
weather, such as Race Point
and Herring Cove beaches in
Provincetown.
The root s
ystems of these
grasses form a mesh beneath
the sand, stabilizing the
dunes. The grasses
themselves withstand wind,
water, and drought while
adding a delicate beauty to
the landscape. As they bend
in strong winds, their tips
brush the sand, sometimes
carving circular patterns
around the stems—a
phenomenon that earned
them the nickname
"compass grass."
During tours, visitors ride in
SUVs through the Peaked
Hill Bar
s Historic District
Sand Dunes, which span over
1,900 acres in Provincetown
and Truro. Guides share the
dunes' history, ecology, and
current conservation efforts
by the National Seashore
and local groups to protect
the landscape and its 450
animal species.
Rob Costa, owner of Art's
Dune Tours, emphasizes that
walking among the dunes
offers a deeper appreciation
than viewing them from afar.
"They're so majestic a
nd
magical," he says. "Their
beauty appeals to artists,
history buffs, and anyone
craving immersion in
nature."
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