The Otis Smith Farm and Rowbottom Preserve is a 55-acre preserve comprised of two parcels of land…read morefrom the Cumberland Land Trust. Located on the historic Otis Smith Farm land acquired from Brown University and the Kenneth and Barbara Rowbottom land, this preserve is a wonderful setting for some Rhode Island hiking. There are 4 color-blazed trails at the time of this review: --Yellow & White = Otis Lippitt Trail --Red = Rowbottom Trail --Blue = Rocky Ridge Trail There are technically 3 trailheads to delve into these interconnected trails, both the Otis Smith Trailhead on Scott Road (2 of them) and the Rowbottom Trailhead on Lippitt Ave. I started on Scott Road and found the White trailhead very easily, pulling my car off at the pictured/numbered green sign labelled "Cumberland Land Trust"...a big American flag waving in the wind. I spotted the Yellow trailhead on Scott Road as I was driving away marked with a very small homemade sign and no clear pull off for cars. I suggest driving down the road a bit and catching the White trail, much easier. All in all, the trails cover about 1.7 miles. Not a strenuous hike, but there are some interesting sights and changes in the landscape as you make your way through. Many of the trails follow historic farmer's cart paths and are intersected frequently with stone walls. There are signs of the old farm all over the place... look for the irrigation ditch that flowed from Little Pond to bring water to the fields. The trail markers are mostly well placed. There were a couple of times that I had to backtrack because I was following what looked like a path but in actuality I was straying from the trail. Take it slow and look around to be sure you are headed in the right direction. The White Trail brings you through a darkened area of the forest lush with ferns. It was really neat making my way through this dense green part of the woods (especially since the caterpillars have been feasting on the green overhead all spring/summer this year). The Red Trail brings you through a number of pine needle beds, soft and squishy underfoot. Lastly, the Blue Trail boasts some large rocky outcroppings of greenstone... and one really large, angry, bird going through feather molt who was not happy to have my trekking near his/her nest. Although this is a very beautiful area of Cumberland (and what drops this preserve down a star for me), on the Blue Trail there appears to be a makeshift wooden shelter up against the rocks. I wouldn't mind so much seeing this here but it is clear that teens trek out to party in the middle of the night. Evidence of campfires against the rock, broken glass, and trash were strewn about this area. I also came across some disturbing makeshift weaponry (think... thick sticks with nails and screws driven into one end, brandished like a medieval mace). A Lord of the Flies-type scene fluttered through my mind and I scurried away, finishing the loop and heading back for my car. Overall a decent hike... I simply wouldn't recommend poking around the shelter too much, especially with children in tow.

This is a fun little trail! It's about 0.6 miles if you take the Otis Lippitt trail. It's a nice…read morelittle walk for the dog or family. Bring big spray though!

The Blackstone River Bikeway is a beautiful way to explore the Blackstone Valley, whether by bike…read moreor on foot and offers something for everyone to enjoy. We have done it both ways, mostly by bike. It is a beautiful green space that goes along rivers and small waterfalls, just lovely. With over 24 miles already constructed, the vision is for it to extend 48 miles from downtown Worcester, MA, to India Point Park in Providence, RI. From there, it connects with the existing East Bay Bike Path and continues to Bristol, RI, for additional 14.5 miles. When completed, the Blackstone River Bikeway will serve as an alternate mode of transportation for commuters as well as the region's premier recreational resource, connecting New England's second and third largest cities.

One of the prettiest, smoothest, easiest and most accessible bike paths if you live in northeast RI…read moreor nearby MA border towns. The bikeway (approx. 20 miles) runs from Woonsocket, through Cumberland into Lincoln along the Blackstone River through lots of greenery and passing by bridges, dams, old mill buildings and historic sites. Of course, there are plenty of ways to do shorter rides/runs/walks. My riding buddies and I especially enjoy getting on at Albion Street in Cumberland (limited parking though!) and riding towards Ashton Mill (Cumberland) and into Lincoln for either a 10- or 12-mile spin, depending on where we decide to turn back. We also like the stretch from Woonsocket to Albion (about 9 miles back and forth) that starts out by taking us by sunny soccer fields in The River's Edge Recreation area. No matter where you get on, the terrain is mainly flat and it's easy to keep a steady pace.Be on the lookout for turtles sunning themselves on fallen trees in the river as well as occasional deer. And expect plenty of friendly waves and nods from walkers, runners and bikers on your journey. The Lincoln and Woonsocket ends offer ample parking.

This place is so cool! I actually had no idea that it was even here and I've lived in Rhode Island…read moremy entire life. I stumbled upon it when I was househunting and it was a house for sale right next-door. I would have loved to of bought it just for this location! There are a few trails through here and they are marked so well there's no possible way you can get lost. Leads you out to a big lake. It's really neat because they're used to be a rail road that went through here and you can still see some of the stuff left behind.

Lime Rock Nature Preserve was the perfect set of trails to stretch my legs and get back into the…read moreswing of things following a recent knee surgery. The trails here are extremely well maintained, cleared of most leaves and debris (and wonderful for my recovering lower extremity). There are two trails to visit in the Preserve, Yellow and Blue, that are visibly marked with their corresponding colored blaze. Additionally, there are a number of small green and white arrow-ed signs that point the way so it would be very difficult to get lost here. There were a number of picturesque sights along my hike through the area... most notably among them, the Manton Reservoir. The Yellow Trail opens right up to a ravine with a drop off to each side with views of both the reservoir and river that runs off from it. The entirety of the trail was lined with the pretty purple Hepatica flowers that thrive in the limestone-rich soil within the preserve. (For the medical professionals out there: Hepatica is named from its leaves, which like the liver [hepatic, get it?] have 3 lobes... cool huh?) A very easy, leisurely, short hike for those who might want to enjoy the outdoors but not commit to an extensive walk in the woods. Dogs are seemingly allowed in the area as long as they are leashed. Great for children! If you are into geocaching, there are a couple in the area not far from the marked trails. The trail head is well marked with space for 3-4 cars to comfortably pull off of the road. BRING YOUR BUG SPRAY

If you're looking for short, level, easy path, you'll find it here. That said, in the summer, views…read moreare somewhat limited due to vegetation, and it's just 1.1 miles long, so out and back is a short 2.2 mile trek. At .8 miles (from the lot where we parked), there are two benches which offer a view of the river. There is also a lot at the other end of the trail, so the benches would be at .3 miles respectively. On the plus side, the trail is quiet and we only saw a few people. On the negative side, it's very short, it's not a loop, there are limited views in the summer, and it's not especially interesting. I wouldn't go out of my way to walk here, but if it's convenient to your locale, or your limited on time, this might be your spot!

Ghosts dams and…read morebeavers The Stillwater Scenic Trail is a walking path that runs along an old railway bed for about a mile. Flat and very easy to walk on it's a nice place for a stroll along the Woonasquatucket River and then by Stillwater Pond. Even though it isn't a long walking path it has all kinds of interesting things to look at. The trail goes right under a cool highway bridge and follows the river until it becomes Stillwater Pond. The remains of several old dams are still visible as well as evidence of lots of beaver activity. It does get a it spooky in dark or foggy weather because the trail is tucked in between the river on one side and a hill with some industrial looking places on the other. On most of the trail you feel very alone and isolated. Lots of old foundations and even some abandoned and creepy buildings are still visible. They are the remains of Stillwater Village. a place now long gone. Lots of stories about people seeing strange things and hearing odd noses while walking along this path. The last time I went it was a foggy and rainy day so it was a bit spooky but of course I didn't see or hear anything unexpected. A pleasant and different sort of walking path. You get to see some cool natural sights as well as the remains of man made structures. An interesting place best visited in the light of day

Easy to find. Small pakring lot for about 12 cars. I headed straight up to the top of the hill…read more It seems like it is about 10

This is a very popular spot for some easy climbing and hiking...a popular hangout for high…read moreschoolers as well. Lovely view from the top, the climb is steep but not difficult with wooden rails places up the trail to help with the climb. A few picnic areas with benches, streams and woided and rock trails, unmarked but easy to follow.

Well done Plainville! I recently moved to Plainville from a town who seemed like it was actively…read moretrying to cut down all wooded areas to build more straight-faced colonials. More than any town needs. Plainville feels like "my people" since they voted to avoid this situation with this property and open a wooded area instead. I went to a quick walk to check out Hawkins Woods last Sunday. Keep in mind that this spot is a work in progress. There is a nice parking area and a sign at the trail head. Currently there is one trail that I think was 1.9 miles or less. There is a orange line on the map for the property marker. And there were 3 or more disc golf targets already set up. I only found 3. I went to the right first and followed the disc golf path. When I felt I lost the path, I went back to the yellow trail that goes straight ahead from the parking lot. They haven't had a chance to mark the trees so the arrows are on the ground. The path is mostly visible to the eye and will become more so with use. I may have gotten lost a bit but found my way back to the path. There was a lovely stone wall which may be the property border. These are very pretty woods. There were many birds as well. This will be a great place for winter walking or snowshoeing as long as the parking lot is cleared. If you need a longer walk, this is a very picturesque street to walk on as well. Thank you to the residents & town of Plainville for making this lovely spot!

Hawkins Woods is a great place to go for a walk. There are a few trails. The main trail is well…read moremarked with wooden arrow signs. If you like taking pictures of nature, this is a very good place. It is a peaceful part of Plainville. Sunset from the field through the woods is beautiful. We meet a lot of folks walking their dogs. Some areas are WET, I would recommend waterproof hikers or boots. There is a practice basket for the disc golf to the right of the main trail. There are 9 holes for the disc golf. You can walk the course as well. We enjoy going there numerous times a week.

WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS HERE!…read more I used to come here a lot a few years back and absolutely loved walking here. However today, I cannot say the same. The weirdest thing happened to me this morning on my walk. I was walking here with my dog and as soon as we got out of the car and only a few steps in, this women came out of no where and asked if she could walk with us. I will say, she did open with "I know this is a really weird thing to ask." In my head, I was like yeah it is, but what's the harm, we're in a nice area. I made sure to keep my distance, as I was still nervous/creeped out by the situation. The conversation started out fine, "oh your dogs cute, what's her name, what breed is she." However as we walked a little further, she started asking more personal questions, "where are you from, how old are you, etc" This is when I knew, something was just off. So when my dog stopped and she kept walking a little further, I turned around and ran to my car. The vibes were just not right and in my gut I knew there was something off about the whole situation. I could be completely wrong and maybe she was just looking for a friendly walk with someone. However, the personal questions or saying "I don't know this area very well can you show me the path to walk." That line alone was very off putting because there is a clear open path to follow here. I even told her this but she continued to walk with us even when I knew she could tell I was feeling uncomfortable. So PLEASE be aware of your surroundings and make sure you are safe. It's a nice area, however you just never know. She was probably in her early thirties, tall, African American - I don't recall her name. You just never know what could happen, things might seem perfectly fine, but always have your guard up like I did! Sorry for the long message, but I just want to make people aware of what happened so it doesn't happen to you!!

I hiked this for the first time this year and found trail markings missing and ended up on a road…read moretaking me far away from the trail. BE VERY COGNAZANT OF THE TRAIL I found myself on another trail with excellent marking, but leading me further away. The trailhead at Birchwald refers to only 2 markings - red and green. Within a mile those are gone.

Located between Albion and Manville in Lincoln, Rhode Island, this preserve is a convenient place…read moreto stretch your legs and get a couple miles in. Relatively easy terrain with some decent ups and downs, the trails here are pretty open and follow the remnants of old cart paths and stone walls. Great views of Rochambeau Pond where largemouth bass and trout fishing is the popular activity. Greenery is in full swing at the moment (as well as the bugs). Some nice open areas within the woods where you can look out over the outcropping of rocks. Came across a small unmarked cemetery, a typical Rhode Island hike find. No markings on the stones though so I'm not sure if it's considered a small family plot or has some other kind of history. I was happy to have a GPS mapping system because the available maps and blaze system here were a little all over the place. Multiple colors and oddly placed markings. The trails are very obvious but do branch off in all different directions. The bridges here could use some updating, one was very bouncy as I gingerly traversed it. There's a great deal of street noise from the neighboring RI-99. The trails pass through some major power lines which afforded some views. Overall, a decently picaresque hike in Rhode Island; a place I would visit for some exercise and varied terrain if I lived in the area. Small parking area with space for 3 or 4 cars.