Nantucket has two Oversand Passes for both residents and visitors. The Nantucket Town Pass and the Trustees Great Point Pass. Both provide exclusive access to their respective OSV corridors.
Purchased in person or online the Nantucket Town pass allows access to several Oversand areas: Smith Point out in Madaket, Nobadeer on the south shore, 40th Pole on the north tip of Madaket and Cathcart on the inner harbor.
Author’s Take
The ACK Town Permit provides plenty of great driving with little to no oversight from the town. Yes you need a Sticker, but there are no gatehouses, no one checking you tire pressures or recovery gear. There is a ton of variety too, Smith Point is beautiful, and great for fishing the rip out at the point. 40th Pole provides calm waters for swimming. You have a bit more freedom too. You can go out and drive at night and in some areas they allow bonfires (as long as they are properly cleaned up after).
Where can i drive with the Nantucket Town Pass?
Check out our guide to learn more about where you can drive with the Nantucket Town Pass.
How to Purchase Nantucket Town OSV Pass
Purchase Online
Passes can be purchased on the Town Website. Once on the town site, click the hyperlink label ‘ONLINE BEACH VEHICLE STICKER APPLICATION. Once there, the town website provides detailed instructions on completing purchase and pickup.
Purchase in Person
Upon arrival at the Nantucket Police Station (4 Fairgrounds Rd through the North door), walk up to the window in the lobby and ask for the Town Oversand Application. They will provide Application paperwork for you to fill out, mainly vehicle information. Once that information is submitted, they will come out to check to ensure you have the required safety equipment outlined in our Oversand Gear Article.
Trustees Great Point Pass
Purchased either in person or online the Trustees Great Point pass provides the majority of Nantucket Beach driving. Covering all of the roads north of Wauwinet, there is a serious amount of area to explore.
Author’s Note
The Trustees property at Great Point on Nantucket provides some of the most stunningly picturesque scenery in all of New England. With miles of trails to explore and seemingly endless clear blue water, Great Point is a truly beautiful place to Oversand. Additionally, the seasonal Trustees Great Point pass has the Iconic Nantucket Oversand Sticker, not a bad bonus! The Trustees are sticklers for speed limits on the beach, they patrol the property in White F150s and will pull you aside if they see anything dangerous. Unlike other areas in New England, the Trustees here are fairly relaxed about required gear. In my history of going Oversanding at Great Point, I’ve never been asked about my gear. With that said, it is always important to have a Tow Strap, Jack, Baseboard and Shovel just in case you or a fellow Oversander needs a helping hand. This is by far my favorite place to Oversand.
Where can I go with the Trustees Great Point Permit?
Check out our guide to learn where you can drive with the Trustees Permit.
How to purchase Trustees Great Point OSV Permit
Purchase online
Passes can be purchased online at: the Trustees website. Navigate to ‘Purchase an OSV Permit’ or ‘Purchase a day pass’ depending on user need. Keep in mind, iconic Nantucket Oversand Vehicle Permit stickers are only given out for seasonal permits, not for day pass customers. From either of these sites, select the day you are likely to arrive at the Wauwinet Trustees Gatehouse (107 Wauwinet Rd). You will collect your season sticker or day pass at the gatehouse when you arrive. Note: the Trustees do not ship permit stickers or day passes out, you must be at the Wauwinet Gatehouse with your vehicle to collect your permit or day pass.
Purchase at the Trustees Wauwinet Gatehouse (107 Wauwinet Rd)
Passes can also be purchased on-island at the Trustees Wauwinet Gatehouse. Upon arrival, the Trustees will provide a Wifi Network and QR Code to use to purchase your pass. They will gladly walk you through the entire process to make sure you are getting the permit or pass you need. Once purchased via your smartphone they will ask to see the purchase confirmation and for your license plate state and number.
Collecting Your Permit or Pass at the Trustees Wauwinet Gatehouse (107 Wauwinet Rd)
Whether you purchased online or in person, the Gatehouse attendant will ask for your name and vehicle plate information (state and number). For seasonal permits, they will write that information on your Permit Stickers. The Trustees will stick the permit to your vehicle unless requested otherwise. In the event you ask to put your own sticker on, they will request to oversee sticker application (ensuring the stickers are non-transferable).
Heading out onto the sand at Great Point and Coskata-Coatue
The Trustees ask drivers to air their vehicle tire pressures down to between 15 and 8 PSI. The Great Point and Coskata-Coatue nature preserve features areas of extreme soft sand (mostly on the interior and west coast of the property) that require thick sidewall, low PSI tires. Low-profile street tires will not be sufficient in these deep sand areas. Take caution when driving down the west coast of the property. The East coast of the property features interior and exterior roads with ample space to park-up and enjoy a day on the beach. While the beach varies week to week, the east coast of the property typically features a two lane OSV corridor with room to pull off toward the ocean to set up for the day. Depending on the day, the Trustees may shut down certain areas of the property for either Bird Nesting or Tide. Typically Early June to Mid July, the Oversand roads are limited due to endangered nesting shorebirds. In cases of full moon high tide, the road out to the Great Point Lighthouse mat be closed due to water breaching the spit. For daily closures, call the Trustees Gatehouse to get up-to-date information on where you can drive your OSV.
Nantucket Oversand Recap
Oversand driving has been in the fabric of Nantucket for several generations. With miles of trails and Corridor Nantucket is truly a special place to Oversand. A bucket list item. Between the two, the Great Point Permit gives you plenty of bang for buck. Seemingly endless area to explore, miles of beaches to spread out, and you rarely feel cramped by others. For nearly the same Money, the town pass provides a fifth of the trails, but provides quality nonetheless. Smith Point and 40th Pole are both awesome places to spend a beach day and Nobadeer on the 4th is truly a spectacle… If you can have both, have both, but if you’re picking one, give Great Point a shot, it’s truly magic!
Oversand Access 