Lyman Reserve

Lyman Reserve protects the mouth of Red Brook, a spring-fed, four-and-a-half-mile coastal stream running from White Island Pond to Buttermilk Bay. Red Brook is one of the few Massachusetts coastal streams supporting sea-run (anadromous) fish and holds one of the last native sea-run brook trout fisheries in the eastern U.S. A stretch of shoreline offers views across Buttermilk Bay to the Cape Cod Canal railroad lift bridge.

History

Named for the iron-rich soil that tints the water red, Red Brook has been used by people for nearly 2,000 years; archaeological work suggests the area served as a Wampanoag encampment roughly 1,800 years ago, with finds including clay cooking pots and stone blades.

Points of Interest

Old bridge and flume sites upstream for fly fishing (catch-and-release only); a roughly 1.5-mile loop trail from the parking lot to Red Brook through freshwater wetlands and pine barrens; a quarter-mile trail across Head of the Bay Road to a sandy beach on Buttermilk Bay; views of the Cape Cod Canal vertical lift railroad bridge.

Trail Notes

Free, open sunrise to sunset. Stay on marked trails to protect wetlands/brook habitat. No lifeguard - swim at own risk. No fires or charcoal grills. No mountain biking. Dogs must be leashed at all times. Small watercraft can be launched from the beach. Fishing is catch-and-release, license holders only; after-hours fisherman parking available in season. Hunting is permitted (state/town laws apply) except Sundays.