Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary, West Tisbury

Cedar Tree Neck is Martha's Vineyard's most ecologically diverse sanctuary — 436 acres of glacial bluffs, freshwater ponds, wind-sculpted forests, and rocky Vineyard Sound shoreline, all free and open to the public year-round. This north-shore preserve in West Tisbury owes its existence to Henry Beetle Hough, the legendary editor of the Vineyard Gazette, who as a boy explored these woods and later spent decades fighting to protect them. Today, managed by Sheriff's Meadow Foundation, it offers one of the island's finest short hikes: a 1.4-mile loop through an astonishing variety of habitats — oak-beech forest, cranberry bogs, a tranquil turtle pond, wind-sheared coastal heath, and bluffs overlooking the Elizabeth Islands.

The Geography of a Glacial Peninsula

Cedar Tree Neck is, true to its name, an actual "neck" — a narrow peninsula of elevated land jutting north into Vineyard Sound. The promontory was created roughly 23,000 years ago when the Buzzards Bay Lobe of the Laurentide ice sheet deposited its terminal moraine, leaving behind the hilly terrain and massive glacial erratic boulders that define the landscape today. Henry Beetle Hough described it as "almost islanded itself by a large pond just to the west and a smaller pond and marsh in front and the deep bend of the sound on both sides."

The sanctuary spans 436 acres — the precise figure from Sheriff's Meadow Foundation's own property page. The Wampanoag name for this place is Squemmechchue, derived from a word for cranberries — not cedars. The English name "Cedar Tree Neck" dates to at least 1718. The cedars in question are Eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana), technically junipers, which colonized former pastureland and remain prominent throughout the property.

Three bodies of water define the sanctuary's character. Vineyard Sound crashes against the rocky northern shoreline. Cedar Tree Neck Pond (also called Daggett Pond) sits behind the beach. And Ames Pond, a smaller woodland pond deeper in the property, is where visitors find painted turtles sunning on logs. Several streams, a small waterfall, cranberry bogs, and a vernal pool named Lake Elizabeth (by Hough, in honor of his wife) add to the freshwater network.

What the Trails Are Actually Like

The sanctuary's trail system is color-coded and well-marked, with several trails carrying memorial names honoring the families and conservationists who donated the land. The most popular route — confirmed at 1.4 miles as a true loop on AllTrails, with 121 feet of elevation gain, rated "Easy," averaging 30–60 minutes — combines the White, Yellow-Blue, Neighborhood, Blue, and Maria Daggett Trails from the main Daggett Trailhead.

The actual named trails are:

• Bruce Irons Trail — an educational trail from the main parking area with a downloadable habitat commentary guide
• Obed Sherman Daggett Trail — loops around the elevated neck, with Vineyard Sound on one side and Cedar Tree Neck Pond on the other
• Maria Daggett Trail — follows the shores of Cedar Tree Neck Pond
• Bill Bridwell Trail — traverses the bluff area with water views through the trees
• Elinor Moore Irvin Trail (Green Trail) — a 2-mile connector from Indian Hill Road through undulating woodlands
• Orange Trail — from the Taylor Gate trailhead, descending past old cranberry bogs, stone walls, and a small waterfall (~1.5 miles to the beach)

Underfoot conditions vary considerably. Expect packed dirt with exposed tree roots and rocks through the forest; boardwalks over wetland sections; heavy sand near the beach; and tumbled boulders along the shoreline. The route is broadly family-friendly — AllTrails reviewers describe it as "good for kids" — but it is not stroller-accessible, and elderly visitors should be prepared for uneven terrain.

GPS coordinates for the Daggett Trailhead parking lot: 41.4327°N, 70.6962°W.

Bluffs, Beach, and the Elizabeth Islands View

The central drama of Cedar Tree Neck is the elevated neck itself — a wind-battered glacial bluff with strikingly different characters on each side. The inland flank features what MV Times writer Jonathan Burke called "a magical canopy of bent and crooked trees," dense and sheltered. The seaward face is exposed, with grasses and stunted American beeches sculpted by relentless wind. The trail gains about 120 feet over the loop.

From the bluff, Vineyard Sound stretches north with the low-lying Elizabeth Islands — particularly Naushon Island — clearly visible across the water. Cedar Tree Neck Pond gleams below to the west.

A rocky beach is accessible at the base of the bluffs, often empty. However, swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, and fishing are all prohibited. The beach hosts nesting terns and piping plover (a federally threatened species), and the rocky coastline with strong Vineyard Sound currents presents safety concerns. This is a sanctuary first — a place to observe, not recreate.

Henry Beetle Hough: The Editor Who Saved the Land

Henry Beetle Hough (1896–1985) is the single most important figure in Cedar Tree Neck's history. Born in New Bedford, he grew up visiting the Vineyard, where his family owned a property called "Fish Hook" on the north shore near Cedar Tree Neck. He graduated from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in 1918, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Newspaper History at age 22.

At Columbia he met Elizabeth Bowie, and their 1920 marriage came with an extraordinary wedding gift: Hough's father purchased the Vineyard Gazette for them. Henry and Betty ran the paper together for 48 years (1920–1968), growing circulation from 600 to 13,000 subscribers and transforming it into one of America's most respected community newspapers.

In the mid-1960s, Hough partnered with Allen H. Morgan of Massachusetts Audubon to orchestrate a public campaign to buy 100 acres from the Daggett family. The Hough family donated 60 acres of their adjacent Fish Hook property. Total Hough family donations now exceed 93 acres. His founding of Sheriff's Meadow Foundation — which now protects over 3,500 acres across 75 preserves on the island — remains one of the most consequential conservation legacies in New England.

Wildlife Worth Watching For

Cedar Tree Neck's extraordinary habitat diversity supports a notable range of species. Osprey nest at the sanctuary and can be seen soaring above the grassy dunes. Piping plover, a federally threatened species, have been spotted along the beach. The forest harbors downy woodpeckers, chestnut-sided warblers, cedar waxwings, and potentially the worm-eating warbler, which doesn't nest anywhere else on the Vineyard.

Ames Pond is the place to see painted turtles — visitors in spring and summer will find them sunning on floating logs, alongside snapping turtles and peeping tree frogs. The forest canopy includes oak, American beech, maple, sassafras, and black gum (locally called "Beetlebung" trees). Wildflowers include the brilliant blue starflower (state-notable), wild sarsaparilla, and jack-in-the-pulpit.

Be aware: ticks are a serious concern on Martha's Vineyard. Three species are present, including the Lone Star tick which has reached epidemic proportions — from 2 positive Alpha-Gal Syndrome cases in 2020 to 523 in 2024. Treat clothing with permethrin and conduct thorough tick checks after every visit. Poison ivy is also widespread along trails.

Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting

Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Admission: Free. Dogs: Allowed, must be leashed. Restrooms: Portable toilet at the Daggett Trailhead. Swimming, picnicking, sunbathing, and fishing are prohibited.

Parking at the main Daggett Trailhead is a medium-sized unpaved lot with approximately 11 spaces. On peak summer days, spaces can fill.

Driving from the Vineyard Havenferry terminal takes about 10–15 minutes over roughly 5 miles. Take State Road west, veer right onto Indian Hill Road for 1.75 miles, then turn right onto Obed Daggett Road and follow "Sanctuary" signs for 1 mile to the parking area. Indian Hill Road is paved. Obed Daggett Road is unpaved, narrow, and bumpy — wide enough for only one car, with turnouts.

Public transit does not reach the sanctuary directly. VTA Route #3 runs from the Vineyard Haven terminal to West Tisbury, but the closest stop leaves you roughly 2.75 miles from the trailhead. The VTA is currently fare-free through at least mid-2026.

Best Time to Visit

Spring (May–June) brings migratory warblers, wildflowers, and active painted turtles at Ames Pond. Summer delivers the fullest experience — osprey, nesting shorebirds, lush canopy — though the sanctuary remains notably less crowded than the island's popular beaches. Fall offers excellent foliage from the oak, maple, beech, and cedar mix. Winter rewards with solitude, woodpecker calls, and stark coastal beauty.

Seasonal beach closures for nesting terns and piping plover typically run April through August, with fenced-off nesting areas. The trails themselves remain open year-round.

Nearby Destinations

Lake Tashmoo Town Beach is roughly 3–4 miles east (~10 minutes driving), offering swimming in both Vineyard Sound and the sheltered lake — a natural companion for a half-day itinerary. West Tisbury village center, home to beloved Alley's General Store (operating since 1858), is about 3 miles south. Long Point Wildlife Refuge, The Trustees' 600-acre south-shore preserve with a swimmable beach, is roughly 8–10 miles away. Menemsha, the iconic fishing village, is a similar distance west.

Cronig's Market (Up-Island location) sits right at the State Road/Indian Hill Road junction — essentially the turnoff to the sanctuary. Polly Hill Arboretum, a 60-acre botanical garden on the National Register of Historic Places, is just 2–3 miles from the Cedar Tree Neck turnoff.

Cedar Tree Neck is not Martha's Vineyard's biggest preserve or its most famous, but it may be its most complete — a single 1.4-mile loop that moves through more habitat types than most visitors see in a full week on the island. 436 acres, free, open year-round (8:30 AM–5:30 PM), dogs on leash, no swimming, 5 miles from the Vineyard Haven ferry.