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.

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

4/6/25 - 10:00 Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge, Coventry - CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

4/13/25 - 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

4/20/25 - 10:00 Easter Cliff Walk, Newport

Spring is here and daffodils are everywhere! 2 to 4 Miles depending on your preferred route.

Start at the North End of the Cliff Walk at Memorial Blvd. with a 10:15 stop at Narragansett Avenue/40 Steps Entrance to pick up anyone parking nearby. Head south with a detour between Narragansett Avenue and Webster Street then continue to Baily’s Beach. Your choice to ride back in style on the Trolly or stroll back along Bellevue Ave. Optional exits along the way for anyone not wishing to do the rocky bits from Belleview to Bailey's Beach.

DIRECTIONS: Rt. 138 East across Newport Bridge (toll). After bridge, head South on Rte 138A or Rte 214 to Memorial Boulevard towards Eastons / 1st Beach

PARK: WARNING - Easton's Beach (1st Beach) Parking Lot is charging a fortune to park, so look for street parking or carpool. I can take 3 people. City of Newport | Parking & Access Points

LEADER: Heather Wiehl 401-338-1848 or hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com

4/27/25 - 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

5/4/25 - Grills Preserve, Bradford - Special Yoga & Meditation Hike

Join us for a beautiful hike with a stop across the Polly Coon bridge over the Wood River. Here we will relax for a short meditation and some easy standing yoga poses while listening to the rushing water. Bring an old towel or garden kneeling pad for sitting or lying on the ground during meditation. No yoga experience needed.

DIRECTIONS: 198 Bowling Lane with plenty of parking

LEADER: Janice Fifer, jhfifer@verizon.net

LINK: https://westerlylandtrust.org/portfolio/grills-preserve/

5/11/25 - 10:00 - Mother’s Day Narragansett Beach Walk

Enjoy spring at the beach strolling up to The Narrows and back. Add on Canonchet Farm loop across the street if you like.

LEADER: Heather Wiehl, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com, 401-338-1848

LINKS: https://canonchet.org/trails.php

5/18/25 - OPEN

5/25/25 - 10:00 Camp Yawgoog, Rockville

Yagoog Pond Loop covers 4ish miles of hilly rocky trails around Yawgoog Pond. Along with the ponds are streams, rocky ledges, cliffs, steep pitches, and beautiful vistas. Wes Anderson’s film "Moonrise Kingdom" was partially filmed here for the dramatic scenery.

DIRECTIONS: 61 Camp Yawgoog Road, Rockville, RI 02873. From Route 138 head North-West through Hope Valley, turn right at blinking traffic light at Fire Station / West’s Bakery, stay on Route 138 / Rockville Rd / Spring St. for 3.1 miles, turn Left at the "Camp Yawgoog" sign with the big guy carrying a canoe. Continue for 1 mile to the Camp Yawgoog gate. Turn right at the gate into the parking area, meet at Parking area.

LINK: https://www.yawgoog.org/uploads/6/8/4/2/68426127/yawgoog_map_new.pdf

LEADER: Heather Wiehl, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com, 401-338-1848

6/1/25 - OPEN

6/8/25 - OPEN

6/15/25 - End of Season Hike & Picnic at Goddard Park

10:00 Meet for Hike at Shelter picnic area

12:00 POT-LUCK Picnic until whenever we like. Guest Speaker Jeff Arnold, District Resourse Manager of Arcadia in Exeter R.I. with the DEM. Jeff will share with us the joys and challenges of maintaining the only designated wilderness space in R.I., so bring your questions.

Come to picnic even if you skip the hike, we would love to see you!

• Bring a chair if you want but there are plenty of covered picnic tables

• Bring your favorite cold dish, app, or snack

• BYOB if you want something other than lemonade or iced tea.

• Picnic Rain or Shine, hike cancelled with steady rain

• Quick chat for next season

DIRECTIONS: Goddard Memorial State Park, 1095 Ives Road, Warwick, Rhode Island 02818

Take the 2nd park entrance, go past the old ticket hut and bear right toward the beach.

Take the short dirt road on the left before wooden pedestrian bridge that goes over the road.

Park & Meet at the "Picnic Shelter" on left of the Main Beach Pavilion.

Signs for YT will be posted. See you soon!

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Goddard+Park/@41.6662115,-71.4356124,15z/data=!3m1!4b1

MAP: https://www.riparks.com/PDFFiles/Maps/GoddardParkMap.pdf

QUESTIONS? MaryBeth Smith, 401-304-7546, sullymb1@gmail.com, Heather Wiehl, 401-338-1848, hlawlesswiehl@yahoo.com

June-Aug - Summer Break, check out Kayaking on Sundays with Sally’s Group and Thursdays through Westerly Land Trust

Hikes, Paddles, & Wellness – The Westerly Land Trust

12/7/25 - 10:00 Rome Point, North Kingstown - Remembering Dick Sullivan

Some of us will remember that Dick led a hike here with a beverage and cookies in December prior to the holidays. A very nice walk of about 3-4 miles with outstanding views of the bay and a good possibility of seeing one of the largest haul out of seals in the bay. We will bring the cookies and you can bring your beverage of choice.

DIRECTIONS: Take Rte 1 North to Rte 138 East, get off at first exit (Rte 1A) left at end of ramp and parking lot is 1/4 mile on right. N 41º 32.225’ W 71º 26.245’

Leaders: Sally Hanson, (401) 932-5295 and email: sallyhanson242@gmail.com

12/14/25 HOLIDAY PARTY