Bourne town beaches
Dogs are not allowed on town beaches May 1 – October 15. Service dogs are always welcome.
Dog-Friendly Beaches & Seasonal Dog Rules, by Town
Last verified 2026-10-22
Most Cape towns ban dogs from town beaches for part of the year, and the dates differ town to town. Rules below are summarized from each town's own regulation; follow posted signs, which can add shorebird closures at any time.
Quick tools: Where can my dog go this summer? · Printable beach-rules cheat sheet · Off-season beach openings
Beach pages
- Sandy Neck Beach (Barnstable)
- South Cape Beach (Mashpee)
- Seagull Beach (Yarmouth)
- Grey's Beach (Yarmouth)
- Red River Beach (Harwich)
- Jackknife Harbor Beach (Chatham)
- Nauset Beach (Orleans)
- Skaket Beach (Orleans)
- Newcomb Hollow Beach (Wellfleet)
- Cahoon Hollow Beach (Wellfleet)
- White Crest Beach (Wellfleet)
- Mayo Beach (Wellfleet)
Bourne
Sandwich
Sandwich town beaches
Dogs are not allowed on any public beach (including freshwater beaches) or the Sandwich Boardwalk May 15 – September 15. Dogs are not allowed on saltwater town beaches April 1 – September 15.
Falmouth
Falmouth town beaches
Animals are not allowed on the beach or in beach parking lots May 1 – October 1, including pets left in parked vehicles. Service dogs permitted.
Mashpee
Mashpee town beaches
Town Code §54-7: no dogs on public beaches (no seasonal window stated). $50 fine per offense.
Mashpee town beaches
South Cape Beach (state park): dogs not allowed on the beach April 1 – September 15.
Barnstable
Barnstable town beaches
Dogs not allowed on any town beach or recreation area, including the parking lots, May 15 – September 15. Dogs must be leashed year-round in Barnstable.
Barnstable town beaches
Sandy Neck: dogs allowed on hiking trails year-round on leash; not allowed past the Gatehouse May 15 – Sept 15 unless in a permitted vehicle headed to the ORV beach.
Yarmouth
Yarmouth town beaches
Dogs not allowed on Seagull Beach and Grey's Beach from April 1, and on all other beaches from May 15, through Labor Day. Dogs must be leashed at all times; no dogs on public boardwalks.
Dennis
Dennis town beaches
No animals on beaches, in beach parking areas, or in unattended vehicles in those lots from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Dogs prohibited when active piping plover nests are present ($100 fine).
Brewster
Not yet verified: we could not reach an official rule page for this town on our last check. Contact the town before bringing a dog.
Harwich
Harwich town beaches
No animals on any town beach Memorial Day – Labor Day. Exception: Red River Beach parking lot only, at limited morning/evening hours (see source).
Chatham
Chatham town beaches
Dogs banned from beach areas May 1 – September 15 (service animals and police K-9 excepted). Jackknife Harbor Beach: dogs allowed before 9:00 am and after 6:00 pm during that period. Dogs barred from posted shorebird-nesting closures.
Orleans
Orleans town beaches
Nauset Beach (public beach, north of lot, and south of lot to Trail #1): dogs prohibited April 1 – Labor Day. South of Trail #1 to Chatham Inlet: leash (max 30 ft) required April 1 – Labor Day.
Orleans town beaches
Skaket Beach and Rock Harbor: dogs prohibited Friday before Memorial Day – Labor Day. Crystal Lake and Pilgrim Lake: dogs prohibited June 15 – Labor Day.
Eastham
Eastham town beaches
Dogs not allowed on bayside town beaches June 15 – Labor Day. Exception: beach at Dyer Prince Rd (Eastham side of Rock Harbor), on leash, before 9 AM and after 4 PM. Town-wide: dogs on leash or under voice control; pick up waste.
Wellfleet
Wellfleet town beaches
Dogs prohibited from lifeguarded portions of Newcomb Hollow, Cahoon Hollow, White Crest and Maguire Landing (LeCount Hollow) 9 am – 5 pm, 3rd Saturday in June – Labor Day, except to walk through. Prohibited year-round at Burton Baker, Indian Neck, Nauset Road, Mayo Beach and Powers Landing. Prohibited at Gull, Long, Great, Duck, Higgins, Spectacle and Dyer ponds and the Sluiceway May 15 – Oct 15.
Truro
Truro town beaches
Pets prohibited at all eleven town beaches 9 am – 6 pm in summer through Labor Day. Note: the town page's summary says the season starts the third Saturday in June, but the regulation text on the same page says the second Saturday in June — check before you go. April 1 – Aug 31, leash (≤6 ft) may be required at listed beaches near nesting shorebirds.
Provincetown
Provincetown town beaches
Memorial Day – Nov 1: dogs may be off-leash under voice and sight control on town beaches 6–9 am and 6–9 pm. Nov 2 – day before Memorial Day: off-leash 6 am – 9 pm. Restrained at all other times.
Cape Cod National Seashore
National Seashore beaches & trails
Cape Cod National Seashore (Eastham–Provincetown): pets on a 6-ft leash where allowed. Not allowed on lifeguard-protected beaches in summer (may pass through on leash) or in posted shorebird areas (late March – mid-October). Leashed pets allowed on Doane Trail (Eastham), Pilgrim Spring Trail (Truro), all fire roads, and Head of the Meadow bike trail year-round; freshwater ponds Oct 16 – May 14 only.
[AFFILIATE SLOT – AMAZON] Gear: long line leash, collapsible water bowl, dog-safe sunscreen, towel. (placeholder — no live link/ID)
[AFFILIATE SLOT – ROVER] Find a pet sitter or dog walker for beach days dogs can't join. (placeholder — no live link/ID)