• Gainer Memorial Dam
• Scituate Avenue, Scituate, RI
• Trailhead: 41°45’26.71″N, 71°34’39.89″W
• Last Time Hiked: July 14, 2013
• Approximate distance hiked: 1.4 miles
• Easy.

I came across this location for a walk in Ken Weber’s second edition of “Walks and Rambles in Rhode Island”. The book was printed in 1993 and described a walk that was nearly 3 miles long. Times have changed since then and it seems that most of the areas described in his book may be off limits now. With that said, the walk I’m going to describe is more of a walk for exercise and a chance to get a great photo of the Scituate Reservoir. Just west of where Routes 116 and 12 meet there is a former intersection on the right. There is a road that is now closed and barricaded but there is just enough room to park a few cars. If you park your car here and walk west to the opposite end of the dam, it is 0.7 miles. To your right before the actual dam is a monument to the person the dam was named for. After the monument and to the right is the reservoir. To the left is the earthen dam and access roads below. The spillway is at the end of the dam on the left. This is where the north branch of the Pawtuxet River begins. Use caution though, as there is no actual sidewalk and only a narrow grass strip. Cars and trucks do pass rather fast along this stretch.

Scituate Reservoir From The Gainer Dam