• Roger Williams Park
• Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI
• Trailhead: 41°47’9.10″N,  71°25’6.95″W
• Last Time Hiked: January 19, 2014
• Approximate distance hiked: 2.7 miles
• Easy with some slight elevation.

A Sunday morning walk in the park. It was a very quiet morning in one of Rhode Islands busiest parks. In the summer this park (and adjoining zoo) is bustling with hundreds of people. Today I felt alone. Using the route for the most part in Ken Weber’s “More Walks And Rambles In Rhode Island” I started near the main entrance at Elmwood Avenue and started following an old concrete sidewalk near the Victorian Rose Garden heading toward the large mansion looking structure with large pillars. This structure is the Casino. It was built in the 19th century and has hosted several events during its day including weddings and balls. I then followed a path to the right of the Casino which lead to a flight of stairs that led to the Bandstand. At the this point I turned left and followed the path along the pond. I continued following the path by a fence before crossing a bridge. After the bridge I took a right to continue following the ponds edge. On the left I passed the Japanese Garden. The path is now more of a road that turns to the left and uphill away from the pond. At the end of the road I crossed the street and continued walking straight across a hilly grass area. Ahead is a rather large structure on the shore of another pond. It is the Temple of Music. My luck, there was a young woman practicing her singing and acoustic guitar playing. She was not aware she had an audience at first. She sounded very good and the acoustics of the temple were spectacular. I then turned in a northerly direction making my way uphill and through and area of trees until I came to the road. I turned right at the road and followed it to its end. At the intersection is the Boat House. I then turned right and followed the road that goes by first the Botanical Center and then the Providence Police Mounted Command facility. Here I saw a few of their horses out and grazing. After crossing the bridge, I took the path on the left which follows the edge of the pond for quite a while. This path, mostly naturally worn, meanders through an area of trees. There are signs here cautioning you of the presence of poison ivy. At the end of this path it opens to a grass area with another pond directly in front of you. If you go left here you can cross the bridge to get to the carousel. I went right instead following the edge of the pond and stopping to photograph some ducks. Uphill and to the right you will see the Museum of Natural History. At the road I turned left crossing the bridge following the winding road back towards the main entrance where I had parked the car.

I did not find a park map on-line, however more information is available here: Roger Williams Park

The Bandstand With The Casino Behind It