Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

• Download Trail Map (PDF)

Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is located upland of Shank Painter Pond and in 1999 became the second property the town purchased for conservation purposes. The Provincetown Conservation Trust owns the lands abutting the Sanctuary and around the perimeter of the Pond.

Shank Painter Pond is often described as Provincetown's ecological crown jewel. The combination of upland forest and freshwater wetland makes this site a favorite for local birders. It also features a 20-acre quaking bog, a floating mat of plant material, that is considered the largest known found on a barrier beach. This habitat is rare in the state and is the preferred habitat of many state-listed threatened species, like the Dragon’s Mouth Orchid.

This 7.52 acre property’s out-and-back trails lead to a large observation deck and a second lookout with a bench.