Will have to update once the weather warms up a bit, but this was a lovely little surprise find in…read morethe EG area. Immediately greeted by a small pond, which is always a nice feature for a walk through the woods. There are stairs down, and a decent amount to be prepared for that both starting and finishing your trip. There are also some "bridges" over waterfalls with visible openings. Certainly safe, but just a heads up. I took a short stroll around the pond and then up to the left, walking behind the water. There are trail markers which is helpful. A nice quiet spot to enjoy a little time out in nature if you happen to be in the area; oh and parking on site which is always a plus. Can't wait to come back and explore more in the Spring.

There's plenty of parking at the trail head as you start your hike. This is a fun, shorter trail…read moresystem that is well marked. Trails are cleared pretty well which makes it great for people of all abilities or families with smaller kiddos. There's a cool bridge beside a beautiful pond. Beyond that you can go to the right down to the rock structure remains of an old water mill (I believe it was a water mill) To the left off of the bridge, is a nice, clear trail that has some gradual incline. Along that route are parts of a kids story book that engages with passerby.

At just under two miles, the Bradner Preserve offers two well-maintained trails through the woods…read moreof Richmond, RI. Blazed in blue and yellow, the Hanging Rock Trail and Wolf Tree Trail meander through 64-acres of land donated to the Richmond Rural Preservation Land Trust by the Bradner brothers. The sloping land provides a little bit of elevation gain and some interesting sites to take in. Download the Interpretive Trail Guide before your visit and you can stop at each numbered post to learn a little bit about the land, flora, and fauna you may come across. Amongst the cinnamon fern, american beech trees, and sweet pepperbush there are two notable stops on this hike: the Hanging Rock and the Wolf Tree (for which the trails are names after). The Hanging Rock is a glacial boulder perched precipitously at the edge of a small dropoff. It's actually pretty neat how few contact points it contains. The Wolf Tree, a 160+ year old northern red oak, is an imposing and impressive presence along the yellow trail. Sprinkle in some small stream crossings, stone walls, and glimpses of nearby barns and housing... you have yourself an enjoyable jaunt through the wooded terrain. Didn't spot a great deal of wildlife during my visit. Small pull-off available for parking.

This is one of my absolute favorite spots in RI! If you've never been you should absolutely go!…read more It's close to the beaches and would be a great stop before or after your beach day! A very nice, easy scenic walk. Beautiful water views, pretty flowers and the biggest snapping turtle I've ever seen!

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!

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!

So if you've ever seen the Wes Anderson movie "Moonrise Kingdom" - and you've hiked this trail to…read moreLong Pond - you'll recognize the scenery around the pond from the top of a massive glacial boulder. Regardless of its Hollywood connections (and my hats off to the camera crew and actors for getting up there!), this is quite the hiking area, though not for the faint-hearted. It does involve a bit of clambering up and down boulders, so be sure to bring a stout set of hiking boots or shoes ... and I'd recommend long pants to deal with the rocks and branches as you're more than likely to be finding yourself scooching down them on your butt at some points. (Yours truly wore only cross-trainers and boy did I regret it: I could not get any traction to summit that huge glacial formation and had to settle vicariously for the distant oohs and ahhs of wonderment from my wife and daughter). We started at the North Road trailhead for the main Narragansett Trail which is marked by yellow blazes but be aware (or beware?) that the turn-off to this spectacular view of the pond - while marked by a big red arrow on a rock - is an unmarked trail, so be sure to take mental pictures of the turns and forks so you don't get lost on the way back. But it sure is worth making this deviation! The main trial can be quite the hike and the opposite direction will take you into Connecticut if you so wish. There is supposed to be another unmarked trail opposite the one going to Long Pond which will take you to Ell Pond, but we weren't able to find the entrance to that trail from the main one - we're guessing probably because it's less traveled and maintained. In addition to Long pond, we were impressed by the large amount of rhododendrons in the forest - we promised ourselves to visit in the spring when they'd be blossoming as that must be a sight to see. This Narragansett Trail area is definitely worth repeat visits! Please note that there are no privys or running water at the trailhead - and parking areas are sparse.

The Long Pond-Ell Pond Nature Area is a spectacular location to stretch your legs and take in some…read morefantastic views of rural Rhode Island. As an avid hiker in the White Mountains of New Hampshire... it was wonderful to find beauty in one's own backyard. It was a crisp Saturday afternoon that I found myself driving down a dirt road in Hopkinton to the Long Pond trailhead. The drive down North Road (aka Old Rockville Road) itself was even enjoyable. The narrow dirt road meandered through branches, heavy with yellowed leaves until the obvious intersection of a couple of cars with several pull offs. There is room for 2 cars at this trailhead, with a pull off for another 2 just before the small parking area. The trail is well-marked with yellow blazes on the trees. Be mindful of who is participating in this hike... it isn't quite simply a leisurely walk in the woods. There are many rock scrambles, some elevation gain, and quite a bit of maneuvering to go to and fro. As you head down the trail from the parking area I mentioned, you reach a crossroads of sorts. If you turn left you hike a short ways until you reach a very large rock formation. At the top is wonderful outlook onto Long Pond. It is a great place to lunch. If you turn right you head toward views of Ell Pond (I didn't go this way on my trip). If you head "straight" which is actually kind of towards the right as well you descend into a forested valley and towards other adventures in the area. The hike to this crossroads is quite manageable and a quick trip. The beauty of this area is that you can make your hike as long or as short as you'd like. It is not a loop so you can decide to turn back at any point and be quite aware of how far and long it will take you. Great in any season I am sure... Fall was perfect. Wish I had gone when there was a bit more foliage to look at but stunning none-the-less. Quiet, serene, a joy to visit. I will most certainly visit this area again and traverse more of its trails. Be sure to wear your blaze orange during hunting season, September to February generally. I'm not sure how much hunting is allowed in this area but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

This Nature Conservancy preserve is a hidden gem! Perhaps overshadowed by the nearby Big River…read moreManagement Area, not many folks seem to hike this 2 - 2.5 mile trail loop - and admittedly, its parking area is a little unwelcoming with posted signs warning of security patrols after sunset; and a narrow overgrown trail head leading into the preserve. But once you make it through the first hundred feet or so, the trail opens up into a delightful well-blazed path with magnificent trees, a small brook (the Cuttyhunk), impressive boulder fields, and small historical landmarks comprising of crumbling fieldstone walls, a former homestead, and a cemetery (as we found out later, this was a former quarantine site for smallpox victims during colonial times!) It's a great moderate hike, well worth the time spent, and oh so peaceful.

Hiked this yesterday and can't wait to go back again to see the amazing sunset from the top. I…read moreparked in front of the town hall. There were a few spots open there just not sure if there are any more. I'll update when I go back. Absolutely beautiful view at the top. Got my heart rate up and my legs are a little sore today. This will be a go to hike for me since I'm so close. Highly recommend especially for that view!

A nice trail overall with a great view of the waterfront if you climb the tower near the beginning…read moreof the trail. Small parking lot that can be a little tricky to back out of. Trail is across from Tiverton Town Hall. Plenty of ups and downs and a generally fun trail to hike. Unfortunately, a damper was put on the day, by an off leash dog that came charging at me ahead of their owner that I had to pepper spray. And to have owner blame me, even though she was the one ignorant of the leash law. Please if you hike/walk these trails be mindful and respectful of your fellow walkers/hikers and follow the law.

Great set of well-maintained trails (blue blaze Duval trail, red blaze Polly's Rock Loop, yellow…read moreblaze Lynn's Loop), varying from about a half-mile to 2 miles length depending on the trail, and very walkable (the only drawback being that the Duval Trail is not a loop, so you'd have to retrace your steps). But the scenery is wonderful, the foliage, trees (oaks and spruces), and lots of rhododendrons and mountain laurel. Along the Duval trail, there's an overlook in which you can gaze through the trees to the open ocean and allegedly, see Block Island on a clear day (best to do this in winter when the leaves have dropped). The Duval Trails are another terrific holding of the outstanding South Kingstown Land Trust - what a great job this organization has done! The trails are adjacent to a historic Quaker cemetery and a fascinating place in itself to visit - I saw a headstone of a person born in 1799! Well worth visiting and exploring another aspect of Rhode Island's natural beauty. Do be aware that hunting can take place on the premises and so appropriate fluorescent orange vests or hats must be worn during hunting season.