Elizabeth Islands

The Elizabeth Islands are a chain of small islands off the southern coast of Massachusetts, United States, forming part of Dukes County. They lie immediately southwest of Woods Hole and are collectively administered as the town of Gosnold.

The group offers coastal scenery, quiet beaches, and boating routes that thread between the islands and the Cape Cod shoreline. Maritime recreation and wildlife viewing are the main draws, with a mix of private estates and a few public access points concentrated on islands such as Cuttyhunk.

The islands were charted by early English explorers in the early 17th century and have a long history of seasonal settlement, fishing and maritime use. Over the 19th and 20th centuries much of the land passed into private ownership and several islands have been managed for conservation alongside private residence.

The chain runs southwest from Woods Hole on Cape Cod, separating Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound; administratively the islands form the town of Gosnold in Dukes County, Massachusetts. The nearest mainland point is Falmouth/Woods Hole on Cape Cod.

• Town of Gosnold: The islands form the town of Gosnold, a separate municipal jurisdiction that covers the whole chain.
• Access and ownership: Most of the islands are privately owned with limited public facilities; Cuttyhunk is the primary island with scheduled seasonal ferry service.
• Geographic role: The chain separates Buzzards Bay to the north from Vineyard Sound to the south and lies immediately southwest of Woods Hole on Cape Cod.

What to See #

• Naushon Island: Largest of the group, running roughly along the north side of the chain; long-held private ownership and large tracts remain undeveloped.
• Cuttyhunk: Westernmost inhabited island with a small seasonal community and the main point for public ferry access to the chain.
• Penikese Island: Small island near the western end of the chain that is largely uninhabited and managed for conservation.
• Nashawena Island: One of the mid-chain islands located between Naushon and Cuttyhunk, largely rural and sparsely settled.
• Nonamesset Island: One of the eastern islands close to Woods Hole and the Cape Cod shoreline.
• Pasque Island: Small island located between Naushon and Nashawena, mostly private land with seasonal use.