One of the best trails I've been on. Most of the trail has wooden planks, and the rest of it…read moreyou're usually hugging a gate to the military base. The path from the parking lot takes you right to the waterfront, and you can continue on following the path along the gate (although I didn't go all the way around). Paths are clear and easy to follow to. As a side note, be wary of GPS. Mine wanted to take me into the military base, but the entrance road to the parking lot is next to the road to the military base; the last thing you want is the military coming after you. But the signs are clearly marked, so as long as you pay attention to the road and signs and not the GPS you should be fine.

Tucked away with a small parking lot that may fill on busy days. It is a short hike, but the views…read moreare great once you reach the coastline. Went after few days of rain with no concern for muddy areas as the boardwalks keep you out of the wet areas. Good short hike for rocky coastal view and didn't see anyone else during the whole hike!

A well-marked set of trails and loops that convey you through various types of terrain: oak…read morewoodland, eskers, vernal ponds, boulder fields, grasslands, white pine, and old stone walls. Portions of the preserve are sobering however: the oak forest is pretty much dead, devastated by past years' severe drought and invasive insect infestations. Although awful to see, it is also "awe-full" in that there is a somber beauty and grandeur in seeing vast swathes of these once-mighty trees bare-leafed and gaunt. While haunting, the trails do take you through vibrant (and apparently healthy) white pine woods, fields, and large vernal pools. The preserve has also thoughtfully provided some information signs, pointing out areas of environmental concern as well as important native tree varieties. There's plenty of parking available at the Old Mill Road trailhead as well as a convenient composting bathroom.

A whole lot of…read morerocks The Francis Carter Memorial Preserve is an eleven hundred acre track of land that has several very well marked trails running through it. Nice to see trails so well marked and with maps actually at places along the trails. Makes it virtually impossible to get lost and you know the exact distance of any individual trail. Many of the trails are short, only a bit more than a mile, but they all interconnect so you can get several hours of hiking in the beautiful woods. There are lots of cool rocks in New England but this place is just infested with rocks of every size and description, as well as numerous stone walls running through the woods. The hiking isn't difficult with just a few minor hills, but it does require some care to keep stepping over all the rocks. The Francis Carter Preserve is very popular with hikers but also with mountain bikers, equestrians, dog walkers, and in the winter cross country skis and snow shoes. A very nicely maintained and extremely well marked series of trails with all kinds of interesting flora, geographic features and of course lots and lots of wonderful rocks.

Great area just to get out and spot some birds and listen to song throughout the walk! Only…read moredownside, which is also great crowd control, is smaller parking lot for visiting. Otter Point Trails is a fine gravel/sand trail great for wheeled visitors as it is fairly level, no ruts or rocks to be able to utilize the full trail and farm pond viewing. Handicap parking right at trail head as well. Farm Field Loop and Osprey Point Trails have ruts and rocks, but very mild and easy for family walk for those with kids. Throughout the walk bird song is present, plenty of chipmunks, squirrels and even rabbits during a sunny afternoon walk today. Restroom by parking lot, but no running water just hand sanitizer for use. No pets, no bikes or jogging here. It is a peaceful walk outside of loud chatty people, so please be respectful as you enjoy the refuge! Great for short out and back if you have been missing hearing the birds!

This is a beautiful refuge area with a nice easy closed loop trial that is easy to do on a nice…read morebeautiful day. We saw many birds, swans, snails, spiders, etc. Being a weekday in the off-season was easy to park and meander with little other humans around. The parking area only holds about 15-20 cars, so it's limited. The pond is large and tranquil...just a great place to get close to nature.

This Sculpture park is a unique and hidden gem located on Green Hill Beach rd on the border of…read moreSouth Kingstown and Charlestown. There are 23 sculptures nestled amongst the trees and trails. Bring bug spray during peak season. Even though the walk is short, there is quite a bit of vegetation and amazing art on display. My favorite was the HUGE bull as you first walk in. This thing is massive and a fun way to enter the park. More info: The South Kingstown Land Trust Sculpture Trail is a short .4 mile walk that mingles nature with art. Enter the trail at the midpoint and notice the large map indicating the location of each sculpture. Walkers may turn right or left to explore the 3 acres of easy trails and diverse sculptures. Look for dream catchers and crystals, poetry boxes and a giant red cow. The Sculpture Trail is a great place for a slow walk through the woods or a visit with children who will love to find each sculpture. Be sure to stop at the final sculptures and turn around, as the property and trails come very close to private property.

A truly different experience from the exemplary SKLT, the Sculpture Trail is whimsical and charming…read morewhile taking full advantage of the natural beauty inherent. Kudos to those who made this possible and the artists who contributed their work! If visiting in the fall, the brilliant foliage colors and drifting leaves complement the artworks nicely. My only quibble is that I wish there were informational tags attached to the sculptures so that you knew what the piece was called and the artist (apparently, there's supposed to be an informational placard at the trail entrance, but this was missing at the time of our visit; the SKLT trail map brochure, however, does list the pieces' name/artist, but we didn't have one on us). Upon entrance to the trail, you are greeted by a massive bull made from, of course, a barbeque grill ("Sir Loin Barbeque Bull" by Sean Harrington) - and from there, you're off to follow the meandering trails to discovery. There's also a Fairy Village for visitors to build their own fairy houses, so would also be a fun place for the kids.

Bucolic farmland and walking trails, the site is graced by some beautiful buildings which also…read morehouse the South Kingstown Land Trust offices as well as spaces for meetings and gatherings. During our visit, we were attracted to one of the buildings where a delightful choral group was singing "Sacred Harp" (aka "shape notes") style. After listening to a few songs, we progressed to the trail itself, which borders along a working farm. If you're a birder, you'll like this place as many bird-watchers gather here; if you're like us and just like to stroll a classic New England farm with stone walls, noble trees, and cultivated fields, this is a beautiful place to enjoy the views and the crisp autumn air. An easy walk and very peaceful.

It's a relatively short set of trail loops but so meticulously maintained and planned that it's a…read moresheer joy to stroll along and admire the foliage, water features, and historical remnants. The trails meander among the environs of a former cotton mill and you'll come across the mill's foundation itself, the overseer's house, the spring house, and what tickled my fancy most, a cold cellar built into a ridge. (Seen from the street side, you'll never know that there was a man-made structure within it!) The springs and pond are simply captivating - a great place to visit in any season. The trailhead is in the midst of a quiet residential neighborhood - I hope they enjoy this gem daily and aren't jaded by it. Charming!

I was hiking in the area and came upon Biscuit City Preserve. At approximately 3/4 of a mile, I…read moremade a quick detour into its trails and I am so glad I did. The Preserve has a fishing pond, park benches, wood bridges, natural spring, historic ruins, and a variety of plants and animals. So much packed into its 11-acres of land. The pond itself is handicap accessible as it has crushed stone along its borders. Fishing at this site appears to be restricted to children under age 14. Ruins from a historic mill are a stone's throw from the pond. The foundation from the mill has beautifully constructed rock wall faces on a couple sides still. There is a water wheel pit and cellar holes in the area also. The water that powered the mill's activities still flows (first a gristmill, then cotton, then carriage and wagon manufacturing, back to gristmill, and lastly housing before a flood the fire fully destroyed it in the 1880s-1890s). Though there is a natural spring source on the property, it is protected by a spring house which is locked and boarded up. The trails are easy to follow and are well-maintained. A beautiful location acquired by the South Kingstown Land Trust.

At first blush, I wasn't too impressed by this small preserve but as we got deeper into the trail,…read moreI soon changed my mind. Most of the beginning of the trail was a little eerie as we passed through a section rife with dead oaks - made you really wonder what happened (an insect invasion? Fungal? Climate?). But we soon came to some areas that were simply wonderful: groves of rhododendrons and mountain laurels, arching over the path and forming green tunnels; varied pines and spruces (including an area of adorable "Charlie Brown" type Christmas tree-sized ones); and best of all, absolutely huge American Holly trees, rivaling the neighboring oaks in canopy size and height. We never knew that hollies could get that big! Amazing. The paths are well marked and easy to hike - about a mile or so as a loop. A side loop will take you by the banks of Alewife Brook, a calm and tranquil waterway. Not too many people seem to visit but it's well worth a visit just to see those big rhododendrons and hollies!

Right next to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery is the Queen's River Nature Preserve. This beautiful…read moreset of trails will take you to the Queen's River - reputedly the cleanest river in Rhode island - and what a tranquil trek that is! In addition to the marked trails, there are some unmarked ones (but no worries, they are well-maintained and will take you back to the mapped ones) that are well worth exploring - the best one imo is one that follows the meandering river bank and will eventually hook you up with one of the marked paths, thus making a nice loop back to the trailhead. (One drawback of the "official" trails is that they don't really make a loop so you will end up traversing former ground that you covered.) There is space for several cars to park at the trailhead; an alternative is to park along the edge of the Veterans Cemetery nearest to the Preserve, slip between the bordering fence, and there you are, a mere hop-skip-and-jump from the trailhead!

Trout laurel and…read moreXmas The Queen's River Nature Preserve is an almost 200 acre swatch of land that is centered around the Queen's River. This is considered one of the most pristine and cleanest river in the state and loaded with brook trout and all kinds of other types of critters. The trails meander through lots of woods, open fields and wet lands and has plenty of cool old trees as well as large areas of mountain laurel. The river is a whole lot smaller than I thought it would be but it is lovely and very, very cean and is one of those rivers that never warms up. Still freezing cold even in the summer. Queen's River isn't particularly well marked and you'll probably get lost but that's all right because you'll come out to a road of field that will guide you. There is lots of wild life including a wide variety of birds as well as lots and lots of deer. Just beware that bow hunting is allowed from Sept 15th through Jan 31 and at least 200 square inches of bright florescent orange is not only required by law but also good idea so you won't get shot in the arse by some over anxious bow hunter. Queen's River is a lovely and very, very clean place for a easy hike through a varied environment and some spirited soul even put up Xmas decorations on some of the blue spruce trees. Not many hills or difficult terrain but a great place to take your time and look, listen and smell what the river and woods has to offer.

Another well-maintained and beautiful woodland trail by the South County Land Trust. Thewlis Woods…read moretrail is a leisurely 3/4 mile loop and you quickly settle down into a peaceful tranquility. A great place to see stately spruce groves, beech tree stands, and some American chestnuts. The trailhead entrance is a little hard to find, being on the side of a residential street, marked by an unobtrusive sign - there is no parking dedicated to the preserve so you'll have to park on the side of the street (and please be polite to the residents living there). The trail does pass by close to some of the residents' backyards but no worries - we didn't encounter many folks. Very nice.

Potter Wood is a nice, open space for the public to enjoy in Kingston, RI. The 65-acres of meadow…read moreand woodland that comprises this area was donated to the Kingston Improvement Association back in 1933 by Mary Lemoine Potter. This group works to maintain the land to this day! The main parking area is located on South Road with a second smaller entrance on Biscuit City Road. With approximately 1.4 miles of trail to traverse, this is a decent locale to get out and stretch your legs. The land is mostly flat which is great for a leisurely walk, snowshoeing, and trail running. The trails are well maintained but could be blazed a bit better. There are many paths that seemingly shoot off into nowhere and the signs for some of the named trails are small or oddly placed. Either way, its not a huge place so it'd be difficult to get completely lost. There are benches placed throughout in case you need to give your feet a break. In addition to the trails there are several other amenities this space has to offer including a baseball field, basketball court, picnic areas, benches, and a skating pond complete with skating shed. The pond was a beautiful thing to behold this spring. A good option if you are looking to stretch your legs in nature... no matter the season!