Another place were the trails was a little too muddy for me to fully explore them. But what I did…read moredo, offered a quiet relaxing exploration with some waterfront views. Parking is right of the road, so be careful getting in/out.

Osamequin Wildlife Sanctuary is a possible destination if you're looking for some trails to walk…read moreon. Unfortunately, if you visit you'll find that most of the trails there are quite short, and in need of maintenance. Tip: There are a lot of ticks here, so if you visit make sure you check yourself and your furry children before you depart On the plus side, this place is fairly close to downtown Barrington, and there are some nice views from here of the 100 Acre Cove :-)

Beautiful Compact Off…read morethe beaten path I stumbled upon the existence of this spot on the visitrhodeisland Instagram page, having never heard of it previously. As a family, we gave it a shot for a what-the-heck hike, and all four of us fell immediately in love. Mowry really, REALLY dials up curb appeal right off the bat. Wandering down from the road into the conservation area, you're greeted by a large rock outcropping over a pristine rushing brook, covered by a nice pedestrian bridge - combined, it's a very halcyon scene, and gorgeous. Beyond lie two short hiking trails: red is ~0.5 miles and yellow is ~0.75 miles, and they connect so you can have a short jaunt or a longer one. There's some mild elevation change, but all very manageable in sneakers - all beginner-friendly or dog-walk appropriate. A little gem nestled in north central RI, this one deserves your attention for its natural beauty and serene wall ability. Highest recommendation.

Super pretty. We went today - and it was snowy but excellent hike day. The water running was the…read moremost perfect sound. Otherwise it was so quiet. Clearly marked trails. Decent ups and downs that made it feel like I was getting some exercise in. Cute little bridge. I would give it five stars if it were longer - but that's not the fault of the trail I guess: we just ended up looping and it got repetitive.

The trails were a little too muddy and overgrown for me to fully explore them, but what I did do…read moreoffered some views and a quiet escape. Even had a couple deer dart in front of me on the trail.

Veterans Memorial Park is a picturesque, hidden gem, surprisingly located... in the middle of…read moreBarrington (funny for such a seemingly secluded locale). You can access the park via a dirt road, just off of West Street, next to the YMCA. Park at the YMCA or drive down the dirt road a bit to park inside. It is an easy jump skip from the East Bay Bike Path as well for those using a bipedal method of transportation. The trails are not extensive, only about 2.5 miles in total if you traverse all of the loops, but the views of Brickyard Pond are worth it. The 84-acre body of water sits on 230 acres of land, named for its history as a site of the brick-making industry in the area up until the 1940's. Due to hazardous structures in the water, swimming is not allowed. Fishing is allowed only certain times of the year since the pond is home to some herring spawning grounds. There is a boat launch as well as several points of access to the water for kayaking. Two trails, the Red and Green, make their way along the shore of the pond and into the forested acreage of the park. Summersweet plants flower everywhere along the trails, filling the air with their pleasant aroma. For the most part I stayed on trail but there were a number of unmarked routes leading who-knows-where. I explored some of these but didn't stray too far. The trails were well-marked with their colored blazes and arrow signs but with so many trails breaking off from the main loops, it was easy to get turned around. Well-kept, there were several bridges and walkways built into the path to skip over lazy moving streams and marshy areas. From their maps, it appears that several more trails looping around the pond are in the works, connecting the park to the bike patch directly. It will be wonderful once development is complete. Near the boat launch is a peaceful clearing with tables and park benches. A great place for a picnic or to simply kick back and soak up the outdoors. A nice find in downtown Barrington. As a side note: there was a surprising amount of litter in the parking lot inside the grounds... the trails were clean but some of the areas with grills and benches were visited by litter bugs and party animals. Trash, broken glass... dropped it down to 4-stars for me despite my enjoyable experience in the rest of the park.

Connor's Farm Conservation Area is by far, one of my favorite places for hiking in Rhode Island…read more Described as a hidden gem within the state, the main trailhead for this area is nestled in a nice neighborhood in Smithfield. If you are looking for a little bit of elevation, this is your place. I traipsed around here for approximately 2 miles and enjoyed every moment of it. Ponds, birdhouses, brooks, glacial rock formations, caves, overlooks, beech groves, a wild cranberry bog, stone bridges and so much more. The trails are marked by color - red, green, blue, and yellow. It is very easy to stay on trail here as everything is very well marked and their are signs at most intersections identifying where you are on the map. It is the one hike I've taken lately where the maps at the trailhead were actually stocked! This land was once part of the Connors family farm (surprise!). The trail system was built by the Boy Scouts in the 90s. My favorite view was from the top of the boulder field. Do expect some strenuous sections but its worth it! Beautiful in the spring/summer!

Nice place for a quiet, peaceful lunch and meditation, or hike. Not very long or strenuous. Limited…read moreparking.

The Steere Hill farm Conservation Area and Phillips Farm is an absolutely gorgeous piece of land…read more It's one of those places that feels like several different hikes all rolled into one. Hundreds of acres of wetlands, wide-open fields, miles of trails, and nesting grounds for birds. The open fields here are definitely the highlight. Complete with historic cemetery, picnic areas, benches to soak in the view and listen to nature. On my last visit the lupine, wide variety of wildflowers, and steady summer breeze made me linger longer than I usually do when I'm trying to pack the miles in. The history is abundant here with old foundations, stone walls, abandoned hay balers and manure spreaders, former orchards, beech tree groves, areas where livestock roamed, and so much more. The trails were incredibly well marked. Their online trail map is precisely marked. Wildlife was abundant and included a possum, frog, birds, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and countless butterflies. Some sections were more popular than others so I had a mix of alone time paired with hiker encounters. I put in about 8.5 miles with very little repeating which is a nice perk when you're looking to increase mileage and have something interesting to look at while doing so. The trails are well maintained and fairly wide. Definitely check this place out!

I'm always on the look for a new trail running spot. This spot is a well maintained, multi faceted,…read moreinterwoven trail system. You can do shorter 2.5 ish miles or extend it to your pleasure. A nice mix of grass and gravel trails. Not too flat, not too hilly. Some spots offer supreme views of this part of the state. It even has a portapotty on the trail! Lace up and head out!

From spring to fall, we like to take our kids on nature trails in the area and came across Village…read morePark. And we are glad we did! The trails are nicely maintained and easy to navigate. The scenery is perfect for photography and there is even an old (and I mean OLD) rusty car along one of the trails. That, to me, was the highlight of the park. My son is really into Hot Wheels and cars so it got him super excited to see this. That alone was worth the trip. If you are looking for a new trail to explore, definitely check out Village Park!

Lots of hiking options and varied terrain with forest and ponds and creeks. Use plenty of insect…read morerepellent and a hat for mosquitoes. Dog friendly and not crowded. Use GPS or something, because there are virtually no trail blazes and the various paths are numerous and complex.

The Otis Smith Farm and Rowbottom Preserve is a 55-acre preserve comprised of two parcels of land…read morefrom the Cumberland Land Trust. Located on the historic Otis Smith Farm land acquired from Brown University and the Kenneth and Barbara Rowbottom land, this preserve is a wonderful setting for some Rhode Island hiking. There are 4 color-blazed trails at the time of this review: --Yellow & White = Otis Lippitt Trail --Red = Rowbottom Trail --Blue = Rocky Ridge Trail There are technically 3 trailheads to delve into these interconnected trails, both the Otis Smith Trailhead on Scott Road (2 of them) and the Rowbottom Trailhead on Lippitt Ave. I started on Scott Road and found the White trailhead very easily, pulling my car off at the pictured/numbered green sign labelled "Cumberland Land Trust"...a big American flag waving in the wind. I spotted the Yellow trailhead on Scott Road as I was driving away marked with a very small homemade sign and no clear pull off for cars. I suggest driving down the road a bit and catching the White trail, much easier. All in all, the trails cover about 1.7 miles. Not a strenuous hike, but there are some interesting sights and changes in the landscape as you make your way through. Many of the trails follow historic farmer's cart paths and are intersected frequently with stone walls. There are signs of the old farm all over the place... look for the irrigation ditch that flowed from Little Pond to bring water to the fields. The trail markers are mostly well placed. There were a couple of times that I had to backtrack because I was following what looked like a path but in actuality I was straying from the trail. Take it slow and look around to be sure you are headed in the right direction. The White Trail brings you through a darkened area of the forest lush with ferns. It was really neat making my way through this dense green part of the woods (especially since the caterpillars have been feasting on the green overhead all spring/summer this year). The Red Trail brings you through a number of pine needle beds, soft and squishy underfoot. Lastly, the Blue Trail boasts some large rocky outcroppings of greenstone... and one really large, angry, bird going through feather molt who was not happy to have my trekking near his/her nest. Although this is a very beautiful area of Cumberland (and what drops this preserve down a star for me), on the Blue Trail there appears to be a makeshift wooden shelter up against the rocks. I wouldn't mind so much seeing this here but it is clear that teens trek out to party in the middle of the night. Evidence of campfires against the rock, broken glass, and trash were strewn about this area. I also came across some disturbing makeshift weaponry (think... thick sticks with nails and screws driven into one end, brandished like a medieval mace). A Lord of the Flies-type scene fluttered through my mind and I scurried away, finishing the loop and heading back for my car. Overall a decent hike... I simply wouldn't recommend poking around the shelter too much, especially with children in tow.

This is a fun little trail! It's about 0.6 miles if you take the Otis Lippitt trail. It's a nice…read morelittle walk for the dog or family. Bring big spray though!

If you're looking for short, level, easy path, you'll find it here. That said, in the summer, views…read moreare somewhat limited due to vegetation, and it's just 1.1 miles long, so out and back is a short 2.2 mile trek. At .8 miles (from the lot where we parked), there are two benches which offer a view of the river. There is also a lot at the other end of the trail, so the benches would be at .3 miles respectively. On the plus side, the trail is quiet and we only saw a few people. On the negative side, it's very short, it's not a loop, there are limited views in the summer, and it's not especially interesting. I wouldn't go out of my way to walk here, but if it's convenient to your locale, or your limited on time, this might be your spot!

Ghosts dams and…read morebeavers The Stillwater Scenic Trail is a walking path that runs along an old railway bed for about a mile. Flat and very easy to walk on it's a nice place for a stroll along the Woonasquatucket River and then by Stillwater Pond. Even though it isn't a long walking path it has all kinds of interesting things to look at. The trail goes right under a cool highway bridge and follows the river until it becomes Stillwater Pond. The remains of several old dams are still visible as well as evidence of lots of beaver activity. It does get a it spooky in dark or foggy weather because the trail is tucked in between the river on one side and a hill with some industrial looking places on the other. On most of the trail you feel very alone and isolated. Lots of old foundations and even some abandoned and creepy buildings are still visible. They are the remains of Stillwater Village. a place now long gone. Lots of stories about people seeing strange things and hearing odd noses while walking along this path. The last time I went it was a foggy and rainy day so it was a bit spooky but of course I didn't see or hear anything unexpected. A pleasant and different sort of walking path. You get to see some cool natural sights as well as the remains of man made structures. An interesting place best visited in the light of day