Provincetown is named for the Province Lands, a seemingly desolate area of dunes and beach grass that teems with its own unique ecosystem. Heavily forested when the Pilgrims first landed, the area was later clear cut, and erosion worked its magic to expose sand along the back side of the town. Eventually it became home to isolated dune shacks where artists and playwrights created with only the waves and wind for inspiration.

Province Lands Visitors Center (Race Point Rd., 508/487-1256, www.nps.gov/caco, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. May–Oct.) has good exhibits on the flora and fauna, as well as guided nature walks in the area, which is now part of the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Perhaps the best way to explore the dunes is through Art’s Dune Tours (4 Standish St., 508/487-1950, www.artsdunetours.com, $25 adults, $17 children 6–11, free children under 6), which has operated tours in 4x4 vehicles for 60 years. Now run by Art’s son Rob, the tours take in a sandy moonscape where hawks ride wind currents in search of field mice and magenta petals of the rosa rogosa light up the beach grass. Along the way are the beach shacks, austere in their crumbling grey-shingled solitude.

If you’d rather see the dunes under your own power, the paved Province Lands Bike Trail meanders for five miles in and out of the dunes. Bikes can be rented from P-Town Bikes (42 Bradford St., 508/487-8735, www.ptownbikes.com). You can also walk into the heart of the dunes along the Snail Trail, which begins on Route 6 just before the water tower. The 3.5-mile path leads to Race Point Beach. Save strength for the hike back, however, as tired legs make for slow going over sand.