Uncle Tim’s Bridge

A great place to walk — it even has free baggies for those with dogs. It is the start of a nice meandering walk around the harbor which can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.

Uncle Timmy! Parking is pass the bridge by the intersection inside a dirt parking lot which fits about 8 cars then you would have to walk backwards to the bridge.
Soooo…this is a stinky bridge to walk around. It has the stench of swamp cause we were in a swamp! If you look down from the bridge there’s tons of oyster shells and cool little Fiddler crabs! When your at the other end of the bridge walking along the muddy/​dirt road watch your step! You might squash a couple Fiddler crabs here and there.
On the left side of the bridge there’s a path that goes up the mount for a small overlook of the town and boat docks.
This bridge is bike and pet friendly.

Wonderful to visit year-​round, any season. Adults & children alike enjoy the ever changing scenery & endless activities surrounding this «jewel» in Wellfleet. Artists, kayakers, hikers,
stand up paddle boarders, photographers…

Great views from this bridge. We saw fireworks off wellfleet harbor and there’s a short trail that u can bring dogs to.

Was actually given this kid friendly tip from a rental neighbor and thought I would pass along… When you find the bridge, drive around 500 feet towards town center and you will find a public lot to park car. Make sure you go at low tide and walk over the bridge. When you cross over the bridge, you will find spots where you can find your way down to the salt marsh area and here you will find hundreds of tiny fiddler crabs poking in and out of dirt holes. If this seems a little treacherous, then walk along the sandy path that follows along the marsh and you will find other spots that are a bit easier to view /​pick up a crab or 10. You will also find many horse shoe crab shells and may even find some other crab species if you are lucky, but the fiddler crab craziness you will encounter is worth the trip alone (esp. if you have kids… my 6 year old son was excited to say the least). Oh… bring a pail obviously… maybe some gloves too… The smaller crabs won’t hurt you, but I was too scared to try and pick up some of the larger ones with their menacing large pinchers :)
Outside of that, there are some nice hiking trails to bring you closer to nature… Nothing noteworthy… but you can get some nice pics of natural Wellfleet in the area.

If you live or frequently go to Wellfleet then you know about Uncle Tim’s Bridge, if you don’t go to the area then you probably never heard of it. It’s a small foot bridge that has become an Wellfleet icon, a symbol of the town. Easily the most photographed, painted and drawn subject in the area, Uncle Tim’s has been the scene of countless weddings and celebrations.
Since I have been going to Wellfleet for years I have seen the bridge many times. Not always that particular bridge because it rots away and they have to replace in on occasion, but I have walked across it in all seasons and weather. I was surprised the other day when a woman, obviously on vacation in Wellfleet, asked me who Uncle Tim was. She had just read the small sign in front of the bridge that simply says, «Uncle Tim’s Bridge». I had to admit I had no idea who the hell Uncle Tim was.
So I decided to ask around and of course got many different answers from the locals. Uncle Tim was a town politician, a town drunk, a famous war hero, not a man but a crazy woman, a dog, a cat, or never existed at all. Hmmm, not much help. So I decided to visit the Historical Society and found that there certainly was a Uncle Tim. His real name was Timothy Daniels and he died around 1893. I knew the bridge had been across Duck Creek for a long time but was shocked to learn that a bridge in one form or another had been in that location since 1844.
There wasn’t much else about Uncle Tim. He was apparently quite a character and was a fisherman, seaman, merchant and tour guide. Known in the area as the person to see it you needed anything.
So I found out about Uncle Tim but the real mystery is why did the people of Wellfleet name the bridge after him? He checked out in 1893 and everyone simply called the bridge Duck Creek, a rather pedestrian name for a pedestrian bridge. It wasn’t until the late 1940’s, long after Uncle Tim was gone that the bridge took on his name. Why, fifty years after his death, did the people in the town suddenly start using the name of a colorful and eccentric but rather undistinguished individual, long deceased?
Apparently the reasons are lost to the mists and fog of time. No one I talked to knew and the best answer I got was that it just happened. Perhaps it’s better that way, just another one of the pleasant if strange quirks of small New England towns that make them so charming.