Join us for our 2025 Hikes
1/5/25 - 10:00 Tillinghast Management Area, West Greenwich
About 4 miles through woods and around pond.
LINK: https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/rhodeisland/placesweprotect/trail-map-guide-of-tpma-2015.pdf
DIRECTIONS: From I-95, take Exit 5B, Rte 102 North; Follow Rte 102 for 3 miles, past the West Greenwich Town Hall; Turn left on Plain Meeting House Road, follow for 3.9 miles; You will PASS the Wickaboxet Management Area and the entrance to Narrow Lane; Turn right at the next intersection, onto Plain Road; Follow Plain Road for 1/2 mile to the parking lot on the right. N 41º 38.694’ W 71º 45.404’
LEADER: MaryBeth Smith, Sullymb1@gmail.com, 401-304-7546.
1/12/25 - 10:00 Carolina North, Richmond, RI
ORANGE REQUIRED
4-5 miles through pine forests with loop to scenic Carolina Trout Pond. Some short hills including Meadowbrook Trail.
DIRECTIONS: From I-95 take Rte 138 west through Hope Valley. At blinking light take left (sign says Mechanic Street, but also known as Switch Road), go 3 miles, turn Left on Pine Hill Road, go 0.6 miles to the parking lot on right near red DEM building. Or on Pine Hill Road, 1.7 miles west of RI 112, or 0.6 miles east of Switch Road. Park at the DEM station, red structure on south side of the road.
LINK: https://trailsandwalksri.wordpress.com/tag/carolina-management-area/
LEADER: Heather Wiehl, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com, 401-338-1848
1/19/25 - 10:00 CAROLINA SOUTH, Richmond
ORANGE REQUIRED
About 4 pretty flat miles through white pine woods, fields, historical cemetery, little old stone bridge, and a look at the Pawcatuck River.
Directions: From I-95 take Rte 138 west through Hope Valley. At blinking light take left (sign says Mechanic Street, but also known as Switch Road) and go about 3 miles to Pine Hill Road. Turn left and go 0.6 miles to the parking lot on right near red DEM building. Or if coming from Route 112, turn North on Pine Hill Road. Park at the red DEM station on the south side of road.
LINK: Carolina Management Area South Loop Trail, Rhode Island - 391 Reviews, Map | AllTrails
LEADER: Heather Wiehl 401-338-1848, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com
1/26/25 - 10:00 - Breakheart Pond, Arcadia
ORANGE REQUIRED
Parking: Frosty Hollow parking lot at the pond.
Directions: Route 165 / Ten Rod Road west to Frosty Hollow Rd. Parking is on right near pond.
Leader: Marybeth Sullivan, sullymb1@gmail.com, Cell 401-304-7546
2/2/25 - 10:00 Goddard Park, North Kingstown
About 4 miles on flat trails with some beautiful water views. 2 miles on each side of the beach parking lot.
LINK: https://www.riparks.com/PDFFiles/Maps/GoddardParkMap.pdf
DIRECTIONS: Goddard Memorial State Park, 1095 Ives Road, Warwick, Rhode Island 02818. Take the last park entrance by the golf course. Bear right & go under walkway bridge toward Beach parking. Meet at the beach parking lot.
LEADER: MaryBeth Smith, sullymb1@gmail.com, 401-304-7546.
2/9/25 - CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW - RESCHEDULED TO 2/23/25 10:00 Grills Preserve, Bradford / Westerly
2/16/25 - CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW - RESCHEDULED TO 3/2/25 - 10:00 Belleville Pond, North Kingstown
3.2 miles, flat, beautiful views.
DIRECTIONS: From South, take Route 1 North to Route 4 North to Exit 3. Bear right off the exit onto Route 102 (Ten Rod Road). In about 1 mile take Layfayette Rd on the right across from McKay's furniture at the Yoga place. You might see a closed road sign at the entrance. Just go around the sign and the Parking lot is just about 500 feet on the left.
LEADER: Marybeth Smith, Cell: 401-304-7546; email Sullymb1@gmail.com.
2/23/25 - 10:00 Grills Preserve, Bradford / Westerly
ICY Parking Lot & Trail - Bring your spikes / ice grippers and a pole. ORANGE REQUIRED
3-5 Miles - group choice. Westerly Land Trust's 500-acre preserve is primarily flat terrain often along the sparkling Pawcatuck River. Cross the Polly Coon Bridge and enjoy a scenic view from top of "Big Hil", which requires some climbing on clear trails. Several options for length of hike.
DIRECTIONS: From Westerly, take 91 North, go 1.1 miles past Bradford Preserve to Bradford Village, turn left at Bradford Pizza onto North Main St., right onto Bowling Lane to the end, parking lot is left.
LINK: https://westerlylandtrust.org/portfolio/grills-preserve/
LEADER: Heather Wiehl, 401-338-1848, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com
3/2/25 - 10:00 Belleville Pond, North Kingstown
3.2 miles, flat, beautiful views.
DIRECTIONS: From South, take Route 1 North to Route 4 North to Exit 3. Bear right off the exit onto Route 102 (Ten Rod Road). In about 1 mile take Layfayette Rd on the right across from McKay's furniture at the Yoga place. You might see a closed road sign at the entrance. Just go around the sign and the Parking lot is just about 500 feet on the left.
LEADER: Marybeth Smith, Cell: 401-304-7546; email Sullymb1@gmail.com.
3/9/25 - 10:00 - Burlingame North, Charlestown, RI (Don’t forget - Daylight Savings Ends)
Orange Required
Approximately 4 miles that can be extended to 5 miles with a walk to the pond. The forest is mixed deciduous and evergreen. There are rocky ledges, uplands and wetlands, a small pond, a stream and access to a canoe camp on the Pawcatuck River. The footing is good; the grades are long but gentle.
DIRECTIONS: Charlestown, RI. From Route 1, go North on 216 (Ross Hill Rd), right onto Buckeye Brook Road, go 1.9 miles east, small parking lot is off Buckeye Brook Rd.
LEADER: Barbara Sullivan Watts, bsullivanwatts@gmail.com
3/16/25 - 10:00 Fisherville Brook Audubon Wildlife Refuge, Exeter
3-5 miles woodland trail with meadows and pond.
Directions - Please Note: GPS, including Apple Maps and other mobile directions, are not always accurate due to the road conditions. Please follow the directions below to arrive safely at the wildlife refuge.
Directions: Take Route 95 to Route 4 to Route 102 north. Turn right onto Widow Sweets Road (just after the Exeter's Town Clerk's Office and across from Anderson's Place). Take second right onto Pardon Joslin Road (a dirt road). Travel approximately 1 mile. Parking lot is on the right side of road by a large Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge sign.
LEADER: Barbara Sullivan Watts, bsullivanwatts@gmail.com
3/23/25 - 10:00 Trustom Pond Wildlife Refuge & Sculpture Trail, Matunuk, Charlestown
Flat, easy stroll of up to 2.5 miles, or you can do less if you prefer. One of five national wildlife refuges in the State. In 1974, Mrs. Ann Kenyon Morse donated the first 365 acres to the refuge. Today, the refuge includes 787 acres of various wildlife habitats including fields, shrublands, woodlands, saltwater ponds and sandy beaches. Approximately 300 bird species, more than 40 mammals and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians call Trustom their home. Trustom Pond is the only undeveloped salt pond in the State, making it even more valuable to wildlife.
LINK: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/rhode-island/trustom-pond-national-wildlife-refuge-trail
DIRECTIONS: 1040 Matunuck School House Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879
Sculpture Trail follows the Trustom Pond hike for those interested. Just 5 miles down the road, a flat, easy half-mile trail through numerous art installations created from a variety of materials.
LINK: https://sklt.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SculptureUpdate2-9.6.2018.pdf
DIRECTIONS: Turn left onto Matunuck School House Rd, after 1 mile turn right onto Green Hill Beach Rd. Destination is on the right. The trailhead is a break in the stone wall (on your left) across from Bedford Drive. Park only on the left (east) side of the road.
Download Trail Map
LEADER: Heather Wiehl, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com or 401-338-1848
3/30/25 - 10:00 Shelter Trail, Arcadia - CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN
Directions: Google Maps or take Route 165 / Ten Rod Road west to Frosty Hollow Rd. Parking is on right near pond.
Leader: Marybeth Sullivan, sullymb1@gmail.com, Cell 401-304-7546
4/6/25 - 10:00 Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge, Coventry
Moderate 3-mile hike with 2-mile flat option.
The late RI artist Maxwell Mays donated over 295 acres of diverse wildlife habitat to Audubon in 2010. The property offers trails though upland forests, wetlands, streams, ponds, and open meadow. The 11-acre Carr Pond, situated entirely within the bounds of the wildlife refuge, is the centerpiece of the property. It is home to river otters as well as many types of freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates. Habitat includes forest, ponds, wetlands, streams, and open meadow.
DIRECTIONS: From I-95 north or south take exit 18 (West Greenwich) to Route 102 north. Go about 5.5 miles on 102 north and look for the entrance to the refuge on the right, 2082 Victory Highway, Coventry, RI 02816
LEADER: MaryBeth Smith, Cell: 401-304-7546; email Sullymb1@gmail.com
LINK: Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge
4/13/25 - OPEN
4/20/25 - OPEN
4/27/25 - OPEN
5/4/25 - OPEN
5/11/25 - Mother’s Day
5/18/25 - OPEN
5/25/25 - OPEN
6/1/25 - OPEN
6/8/25 - OPEN
6/15/25 - End of Season Hike & Picnic at Goddard Park
12/14/25 HOLIDAY PARTY