Posts Tagged ‘ Wildlife ’

Beaver River East – Richmond

  • Beaver River East
  • Hillsdale Road, Richmond, RI
  • Trailhead: 41°32’46.7″N 71°38’05.8″W
  • Last Time Hiked: April 18, 2024
  • Approximate distance hiked: 1.6 miles
  • Fairly easy with some slight elevation.

 

The newest Nature Conservancy trail system to open in Rhode Island is a great addition the well established Beaver River Preserve. Though (currently) discontinuous from the rest of the preserve, Beaver River East offers a unique view of Beaver River from the “other side”. The lollipop loop starts from a parking area opposite 345 Hillsdale Road. The trail, blazed blue, first winds through a couple small fields before entering the woods. From there it follows an old cart path downhill before coming to the loop trail. Staying to the right the trail becomes covered in pine needles for a good portion of the hike which offers a pleasant silence. You will come across stone walls and various sized boulders before getting the first glimpse of the cascading Beaver River. A footbridge crosses a small stream and the trail leads away from the river briefly before revisiting it. This wider section of the river looks vastly different from the previous section. Evidence of beaver activity was visible here. There is a bench to sit and take in the scene. The trail then winds away from the river and climbs uphill and through the forest before coming to the trail entrance. Turn right here and retrace your steps along the cart path and through the fields to the parking area. Hunting is available here, be sure to wear orange.

 

Trail Map: Beaver River East

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Cascading Beaver River

2024
04/21
CATEGORY
Beaver River East
~1 to 2 Miles~
~RICHMOND RI~
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Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor – Ledyard

  • Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor
  • Whalehead Road, Ledyard, CT
  • Trailhead: 41°26’32.7″N 72°03’10.7″W
  • Last Time Hiked: December 30, 2023
  • Approximate distance hiked: 3.0 miles
  • Moderate, can be difficult in areas.

Most of southeastern Connecticut is within a glacial moraine. This Avalonia Land Conservancy property is a great spot to see the evidence of that. Here at Pine Swamp there are several areas of small boulder fields and glacial erratic. Starting from a small parking area on Whalehead Road, follow the blue blazed trail into the property. The trail swings to the left keeping a stone wall to the left before coming to a service road for power line access. Ignoring the trail ahead and slightly to the left, turn right here and follow the service road. After a heavy rain there may be some ponding along this road. you will pass some ponds along the service road before coming to a bridge. After the bridge, start looking for the blue blazed loop trail to the right. The trail narrow at first, passes an area of boulders and a stretch of mountain laurel while hugging the northern property line of the preserve. You will soon cross a stream and approach a neighborhood. The trail gets substantially muddy in this area as you will find yourself hopping from rock to rock. There are also conveniently placed cinder blocks along this stretch to help cross this area. The trail then approaches Whalehead Road at the western end of the property before turning left onto the most challenging part of the hike (especially after heavy rains). There is a rather wide stream crossing. Though there are plenty of stones to help cross you may find yourself getting your feet wet if the width of the stream exceeds its banks. At the time of this hike, after a day of rain, I found myself crossing successfully. Continuing ahead, you will come to a short boardwalk before entering a boulder field with low lying mountain laurel. This stretch of the trail can be a bit challenging as you will be jumping from rock to rock. The trail soon comes to the powerlines once again before traversing back into the woods. The trail narrows and becomes very rocky once again while climbing uphill. Soon you will be back out to the service road at the powerlines. From here you could follow the service road back to where you came in from, however, for this hike make your way to pole LN1911. Turn right here and you will find a narrow trail that leads back into the woods. Soon you will come to the yellow blazed trail. Turn left here. The trail straddles the southern property line as you pass stone walls, ponds, and ditches with small boardwalk bridges. Along this stretch there were several woodpeckers and songbirds. The yellow trail then comes to the service road. Continue straight ahead onto the blue trail that first led you into the preserve. Follow it back to the parking area

 

Trail map: Pine Swamp

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Boulder Field with Low Laying Mountain Laurel

2024
01/06
CATEGORY
Pine Swamp
~3 to 5 Miles~
~LEDYARD CT~
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Catamint Brook Preserve – Cumberland

Newly opened to the public, Catamint Brook Preserve provides a nice moderate hike through the hills of Northern Cumberland passing remnants of yesteryear. The yellow blaze loop is 1.7 miles in length and starts at the small parking area on Tower Hill Road. For this hike, stay to the right and follow the trail slightly downhill. Almost immediately, you are at an intersection with green blazes. Take a right here to see the schoolhouse site. Nothing remains other than the perimeter stone wall. Returning to the yellow trail, it winds downhill steadily for a bit while traversing the eastern portion of the property. Along the way there is a cairn (pile of stones), likely a left over from the stone wall construction during the farming days. You will pass some red blazes (not currently on the map). With that being said, it is obvious there are plans for more trails on this property in the future. For now follow the yellow blazes. Soon you will come to a fairly impressive glacial boulder before coming to the “Farmers Dam”. This dam, built in the 1750s, crosses over Catamint Brook. The trail then climbs a bit and onto the Diamond Hill State Management Area before turning sharply to the left. The unmarked trail ahead leads into a web of unmarked trails. Be sure to wear orange for this hike as hunting is allowed on the Management Area. The trail soon leaves State property and back into the preserve. Stone walls and ledges flank the trail before crossing the brook once again. Just after the brook on the left (green blazed) is a short spur trail to the “Farmers Quarry”. There are some large cut stones here. It is also a good spot to sit for a moment. Continuing along the loop trail, you will pass some more ledges and wind out to Tower Hill Road. Here turn left and almost immediately left again back onto the trail. The trail soon crosses a driveway, narrows, then climbs up a hill with an outcrop at its peak. From here it winds through a grove of pitch pines before coming to a cart path. Turning right here will lead you back to the parking area. The acquisition of this property by the Cumberland Land Trust has made it possible for a trail greenway from the Middle School on Route 120 to Mercy Woods via Ash Swamp, unmarked trails on Town property north of Ash Swamp, Catamint Brook, Diamond Hill State Management Area, Diamond Hill Town Park, and the Warner Trail to Mercy Woods.

TWRI-Cat01

Between Stone Walls and Ledges

2023
11/12
CATEGORY
Catamint Brook Preserve
~1 to 2 Miles~
~CUMBERLAND RI~
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Harbour Island – Narragansett

The out and back blue blazed “Main Trail” runs from Brush Hill Road to Beach Plum Road. Along the way you will pass a vernal pool and climb up and over a rather significant hill. At the top of the hill you will find a swing and also sweeping views of Long Cove. On the way back be sure to check out the two “Scenic Side Trails”, both blazed white. They offer more views of Long Cove. The entire hike in total is just under three quarters of a mile.

Trail map can be found at: Harbour Island

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The “Welcoming” Tree near the Brush Hill Entrance

2023
03/06
CATEGORY
Harbour Island
~1 Mile or Less~
~NARRAGANSETT RI~
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Pemmerl Town Trails – Rehoboth

  • Pemmerl Town Trails
  • Danforth Street, Rehoboth, MA
  • Trailhead:  41°51’28.02″N, 71°15’47.04″W
  • Last Time Hiked: October 21, 2022
  • Approximate distance hiked: 3.7 miles
  • Moderate with some elevation.

A recently developed parking area and a small handmade sign reading “Pemmerl Town Trails” is what I stumbled upon while doing some country road driving. What a great find!! The property is quite large and has a small network of trails at the southern end and a long meandering trail that reaches into the northern end and beyond. At the time of this hike the trails we marked with some occasional flagging indicating to me that there may be more improvements to come. Each intersection was well marked with homemade signs. I did stumble upon a map of the property artistically portrayed on one of the homemade signs. I explored the yellow “Cliff Walk Trail” with its wonderful ledges and outcrops, the high point of Counsel Rock, the orange “Winter View Trail” where in spots you have to get on your hands and knees to crawl and climb to reach the “LedgEdge”, and the green “Main Trail” which winds through the property to Perryville Pond. The blue “West Palmer River Trail” crosses private property, however there is a sign that seems to welcome visitors to use it. This is a beautiful trail that winds through areas of boulders, into low laying marsh, before coming to the banks of the river. At the pond there is a dam and waterfall. Be sure to use your GPS here as the trails are only marked at the intersections. And do respect private properties as there are unmarked trails that lead off the property.

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West Palmer River

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Map of Pemmerl Town Trails

2022
12/27
CATEGORY
Pemmerl Town Trails
~3 to 5 Miles~
~REHOBOTH MA~
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Osamequin Farm – Seekonk

At the headwaters of the Runnins River lies the sprawling Osamequin Farm. Known for its farm stand, the operational farm offers trails that are (currently) only open to the public during special events. A visit during a tree identification hike brought a small group for a mile long stroll along just a portion of the farms woodland trails. Along with stone walls, open fields, small ponds and the river, the property is graced with sugar maples, red maples, red oaks, sweet birches, white pines, junipers, spruce, and blooming witch hazel.

TWRI-OsaFarm06

A Farm Road in Fall

2022
10/16
CATEGORY
Osamequin Farm
~1 to 2 Miles~
~SEEKONK MA~
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Ash Swamp – Cumberland

  • Ash Swamp
  • Nate Whipple Highway, Cumberland, RI
  • Trailhead:  41°58’57.94″N, 71°25’32.16″W
  • Last Time Hiked: September 4, 2022
  • Approximate distance hiked: 2.4 miles
  • Moderate due to lack of blazes and mapping, Some Elevation.

In the thickly wooded area behind the North Cumberland Middle School are a series of trails that meander across lesser known town owned land. Some of these trails are used by the schools cross country team and the remainder reach to Tower Hill Road. For this hike, I ventured into the woods with a map from “OpenStreetMaps” with the intention of finding and completing the two loops in the middle of the property. The first challenge was getting to the trail head. Passing through the main parking area for the school, drive behind the school to a smaller parking area at the back of the school. There is enough room for 2 or 3 cars here. From here follow the tree line around the bend and you will encounter a sign for the schools cross country program. This the trailhead! After entering the woods stay to the left. The trail to the right will lead you to Schofield Farm. In a little bit you will come to a four way intersection with some park benches. Turn right here. The trail winds northerly toward the first of the two loops. There will be a trail to the left just before a stream. Ignore it and continue ahead crossing the stream. Soon on the left you will get a glimpse of a boulder strewn landscape. At the next intersection stay to the right and you will cross a stream. A short distance ahead a trail comes in from the right. Ignore and stay on the main trail that veers to the left and starts a climb uphill. At the top of the hill the trail splits. Stay to the left and pass through the stone wall. The trail starts to turn to the left before straightening out. At the next split, stay to the left again. You will pass another stone wall before coming to the next trail intersection. Stay to the right here and continue ahead about sixty feet or so and there will be another intersection. Continue straight here and ahead to the next trail intersection. Ahead the trail is slightly overgrown. The main trail turns abruptly to the left. Follow the main trail as it starts a climb uphill. The trail turns to the right and levels out a bit, then turns left again and again uphill. There will be a trail to the left, ignore it and continue the climb uphill. At the top of the hill will be the next intersection. Turn left here and in about twenty feet or so will be another intersection, turn left once again. There will be a trail on the right, ignore it and continue ahead. You will now start a long descent downhill. Next, a trail comes in from the left, stay to the right and follow the main trail. And yet another trail to the right to ignore. Continue to follow the main trail downhill. At the end of the trail at the bottom of the hill turn right. Follow this trail about sixty feet to the next intersection. Turn right here and follow the main trail slightly uphill. Again a trail comes in from the right, and again ignore it. Near the top of the hill and on the left there is a narrow trail that leads to a footbridge. Take a moment to check this out. There is a babbling brook that cascades over the rocks here. Return to the main trail, it will turn slightly to the left and cross a stream. Shortly after the stream there will be another trail intersection. Stay to the left here. The trail descends downhill passing boulders and outcrops before ending at the next trail intersection. Turn right here and continue ahead to the four way intersection with the park benches. At the intersection turn left and follow the trail back to the trail head. During this hike, we encountered some chipmunks, squirrels, and a lone deer. A few suggestions and notes about this hike. Use GPS! You could easily get lost here and you will likely do some backtracking if you take a wrong turn. The map that I had used only showed the main trails. There are many other trails here that are not shown on the map. Some of the trails were blazed at intersections. These blazes are for the cross country team and are not typical “hiking blazes”. Also, it may be a good idea to tackle this hike on a weekend or holiday when the school is closed.

Trail map can be found at: Ash Swamp

TWRI-AshSwamp

Trail and Stone Wall at Ash Swamp

2022
09/05
CATEGORY
Ash Swamp
~2 to 3 Miles~
~CUMBERLAND RI~
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Nathan Lester House – Ledyard

  • Nathan Lester House Hiking Trails/Great Oak Park
  • Vinegar Hill Road, Ledyard, CT
  • Trailhead:  41°25’23.26″N, 72° 3’14.34″W
  • Last Time Hiked: April 30, 2022
  • Approximate distance hiked: 1.8 miles
  • Fairly easy with some elevation.

                                                                            

 

Behind the historic Nathan Lester House are a few miles of properties. Each trail intersection is marked with a post that has a letter on it. For this hike you will do the 1.8 mile perimeter that leads to most of the properties highlights. Starting from the parking area, make you way toward the house. You will see the trailhead marked by a kiosk. The trail, occasionally marked with blue blazes winds through the woods skewed with boulders along this stretch. When you reach the “B” marker continue ahead. You will pass some stone walls and mountain laurel before coming to the “C” marker. Continuing ahead, slightly to the left you will come upon more mountain laurel. The trail descends a bit coming to a stream with a bridge crossing. The trail becomes quite root bound briefly after crossing the bridge. At the next intersection “D” there is a bench if you so choose to. Turn left here, the trail turns sharply to the right and follows a stone wall for a while. Along the way you may spot a cairn or two. Soon you will come to the connector trail the leads to the Atkinson Reserve. Continue ahead, the trail winds through a rather wet area for a bit before coming to the Lester Family cemetery on the left. Carrying on you soon come upon the site where once stood the Ledyard Oak. The tree removed in 1969, declared dead, was believed to be over 400 years old and was the site of several Pequot Councils. Staying to the left the trail leads back to the house and barn. Take a look around, there is quite a bit to see here including some farm animals.

TWRI-LED14

Trail Along Stone Wall

2022
07/05
CATEGORY
Great Oak Park
Nathan Lester House
~1 to 2 Miles~
~LEDYARD CT~
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Atkinson Reserve – Ledyard

  • Atkinson Family Reserve
  • Long Cove Road, Ledyard, CT
  • Trailhead:  41°24’55.63″N, 72° 2’43.81″W
  • Last Time Hiked: April 30, 2022
  • Approximate distance hiked: 2.4 miles
  • Fairly easy with some elevation.

Starting from the parking area near 757 Long Cove Road stay to the left and follow the trail under the power lines to the kiosk. Here you will find the trail map. Continuing into the property following the red blazed trail, you will first scramble up and over a small hill and the trail winds a bit passing a tower. You will soon come to the blue loop. for this hike turn left here. You will slowly climb a hill and come upon the first of several stone walls. At the “short cut” stay to the left, descend into a valley, cross a small stream, and then back up hill. The blue trail turns sharply to the right and flanks a stone wall. The pine grove beyond the wall is so thick that you can not see daylight through it. The trail heads north a bit passing a couple of trails to the left that lead to the Nathan Lester trail system. Continue to follow the blue loop. It then turns to the east passing the other end of the “short cut” before descending down a steep hill. The trail veers to the right in a southerly direction now winding through an area of scattered boulders and more stone walls. You will soon pass through a grove of mountain laurel before coming to the red blazed loop. For this hike turn left onto the red loop. You will pass through low lying shrubs, outcrops, and by ledges before coming to a wooden bridge crossing a stream. Continue to follow the red blazed trail as it starts a long and steady climb uphill. Note on the right at the top of the hill a boulder left by the retreating glaciers. The trail soon levels out and comes to the blue loop again. Turn left here and again at the next intersection to follow the red blazes back to the kiosk.

Trail Map: Atkinson Reserve.

TWRI-LED09

The Brook at the Southern End of the Property

2022
06/25
CATEGORY
Atkinson Reserve
~2 to 3 Miles~
~LEDYARD CT~
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Wunnashowatuckqut – North Smithfield/Blackstone

  • Wunnashowatuckqut
  • East Harkness Road, North Smithfield, RI
  • Trailhead:  42° 0’24.59″N, 71°33’37.07″W
  • Last Time Hiked: February 12, 2022
  • Approximate distance hiked: 2.6 miles
  • Moderate due to navigation, difficult at times with some hills.

Wunnashowatuckqut… What? It is Nipmuc for “where the river splits”. The Nipmuc were present on this land where the Blackstone River and Branch River meet just south of the Blackstone Gorge. And speaking of the gorge, you will get an entirely different perspective of the gorge on this hike along the lesser known trails along its western bank. For this hike, led by members of the North Smithfield Heritage Association, we followed trails through State owned properties. Being a warm day in February, the ground was frozen and quite icy in areas. The trails do become somewhat difficult in spots where you may be required to do a near climb on some of the uphill sections. The trails may also become quite muddy in spring weather. There is also no official blaze system or trail map, however, this loop can be completed following the orange marks provided by a local. With all that being said, I would not venture out onto this property without at least GPS or a general sense of direction. The other option is to follow the North Smithfield Heritage Association on Facebook and wait until they lead another hike on this property. Also be sure to wear orange as it is State property. Nonetheless, this hike is a good one, offering quite a bit to see. Starting from the bend in the road on East Harkness Road and Martha Road by utility pole 61, follow the paper street on East Harkness Road. It looks like a driveway (the one with the power lines), as it is in a sense. Soon you will see a house to the left. Continue straight and slightly uphill to continue following the paper street. It now becomes more of a cart path as it climbs slightly uphill into the former James Harkness Farm. Along this stretch you will be behind houses to the left. There will be an occasional spur trail to the left. Ignore these as they lead to private properties. Soon you will come to a trail intersection with a trail to the right. Ignore the turn and continue straight. The trail to the right is your return trail. Ahead you will notice the first of the orange marks. The trail crests the hill and starts its descent to the river. Along the way you will soon be flanked by a stone wall to the left. We saw at least a half dozen deer here. As the trail descends it is deeply rutted in areas. Be careful of your steps here. Near the bottom of the hill the trail narrows. Keep an eye out for the orange marks. You will cross another stone wall. This is the State Line and you are now entering Blackstone, Massachusetts and still descending down the hill. The narrow trail comes to a wider path. Veer slightly right here and follow the orange marks. The trail now levels and winds a bit. At the next intersection a trail to the left leads to private property and is posted. Stay right here and you will cross another stone wall. You will soon come to a large open area with a make shift fire pit near its middle. There are several spur trails leaving this open area. Stay just to the left of the pit and follow the main trail downhill. At the next split stay to the left. Still following the orange blazes you will come to another split. To the left is posted private property. Stay to the right here and the trail follows the shore of an inlet of the Blackstone River. This is a good spot to observe birds. Also there is evidence of beaver activity here. Continuing along this trail you will come to a wider trail ahead. Turn left here and in a few steps you will be on “The Other Side” on the famed Rolling Dam at Blackstone Gorge. The perspective here is quite interesting. For as many times as I have been to Blackstone Gorge, I had never step foot on the other side. This is a good spot for a break. The rest of the hike is uphill. Continue along the main trail for a few hundred feet. Turn left onto a narrower trail, once again following the orange marks. This trail climbs slightly and along the river passing mountain laurel and schist outcrops. As it winds slightly up and down hill you will get glimpses of the river and gorge below (maybe except when leaves are on the trees). You are now back in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. The trail then turns away from the river and increasingly climbs uphill. From here on out be sure to follow the orange marks and make sure your GPS is on. Soon a trail comes in from the right. Ignore it and continue straight ahead and uphill until you come to the next intersection. Take a breather! The worse of the uphill climb is now behind you. Stay right here and look for the orange mark on the tree. The trail bends slightly to the south and you will pass some boulders on the right. Slow down and pay attention here. You are looking for a right turn onto a very narrow trail that is almost non-existent. It is however marked with the orange marks (and at the time of this hike, flagging). Be sure to follow the orange marks as it is easy to drift off the trail. Here the trail climbs again slightly uphill. It soon widens a bit as it winds westward. This trail will eventually come to the trail you entered the property on. There you will turn left and retrace your steps back to the street.

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Rolling Dam from the “Other Side”

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The dam and rapids in the gorge as seen from the trail along the river.

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Orange Marks… be sure to look for the next one!!

2022
02/26
CATEGORY
Wunnashowatuckqut
~2 to 3 Miles~
~BLACKSTONE MA~
~NORTH SMITHFIELD RI~
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