This is where our towns shine! We have beaches, hiking trails, and shore access for miles and miles. Here are some of our favorites.
Beaches
Goosewing Beach Preserve
Once accessible by a separate access road, this beach is now accessible by walking through South Shore Beach. It is natural and unspoiled. Perfect for birdwatching, beach walks and families. Read more about the preserve here.
South Shore Beach
A local favorite for swimming, sunbathing, and surfing. Arrive early- parking fills fast! Passes can be purchased at the gate- $20 weekday, $25 weekend, $75 week, $250 season. There are a few private vendors selling snacks and port-a-johns are opened during the day. Learn more at the town website. Insider’s tip- plan a night at the beach and have a fire!
Fogland Beach
Ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding, and sunset picnics with sweeping bay views. Parking fees are $10 during the week and $20 on the weekends. Purchase passes though ParkMobile. There are bathrooms, picnic tables and plenty of parking. Learn more at Tiverton’s website. We recommend this beach to our families traveling with little ones as it is very calm and has lots of shells and rocks for collecting.
Hiking Trails
John C. Whitehead Preserve – Dundery Brook Trail, Hope’s Path, Blanche’s Path
Dundery Brook Trail, an 0.6 mile ADA-accessible boardwalk, meandering through forest strewn with wetland. Don’t miss the outdoor classroom about halfway down the trail, where young adventurers can learn about the habitat they’re exploring.
Just before it turns east towards Bumblebee Pond, Dundery Brook Trail branches west to connect with Hope’s Path. A 0.7-mile trail that continues through forested wetland and around a number of small ponds. Hope’s Path ends at the Preserve’s western entrance along West Main Road, another access point with a parking area.
If you continue past the entrance to Hope’s Path on Dundery Brook Trail, the path curves and becomes Blanche’s Path. This 0.6-mile trail enters Bumblebee Preserve, traversing along a wide, flat cart path.
Wilbur Woods
Bring the whole family along to Wilbur’s Woods for an adventure open to all ages. The flat, easy-to-navigate trail is never more than few feet from the tumbling waters of Dundery Brook. Young explorers will find plenty of places to wade in the shallows on the brook’s edge and search for river wildlife. After your woodland exploration, relax beneath the trees with a picnic. Three sites along the river at Wilbour Woods offer stone picnic tables and brick grills where you can cook up an outdoor meal— just be sure to bring some firewood along.
PT Marvell Preserve
This small, scenic preserve borders Tunipus Pond and is just across the street from South Shore Beach; as you walk the trails, you can hear the crash of waves hitting the nearby shoreline. Just down the trail from the parking area, a tall observation platform elevates you above the surrounding coastal, providing great birding opportunities and views of a small salt pond glimmering in the distance. P.T. Marvell is part of a complex of conservation lands that help safeguard the delicate coastal ecosystems of this region, which includes protected lands along Quicksand Pond at South Shore Beach and Goosewing Beach Preserve.
Simmons Mill Pond
Spend an afternoon exploring Simmons Mill Pond Management Area and you’re almost guaranteed to learn something new. For over a decade, this wildlife management has been lovingly maintained by two volunteer stewards, who have made it a particularly special place to explore. Hand-lettered wooden signs along the trails point out different species of plants and trees along the way and display local wildlife and history.
Hunters may take pheasant, quail, and white-tailed deer (archery hunting only) from this wildlife management area, and fishermen will find Simmons Mill Pond replete with trout. If you want to check out geocaching, try your hand at finding one of the property’s 19 hidden caches!
The Guild Property at Grays Mill Pond
The Guild Property is located on the border of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the historic village of Adamsville. The trail can be muddy in spots, especially in spring. The property is small and the trail is short, but the brook and nearby pond make for peaceful stops. Ferns, moss, a giant holly tree, and the sounds of the bubbling Adamsville Brook make this property a magical place to walk.
Ft. Barton Woods
After a short, but strenuous uphill walk to the Revolutionary War fortifications of Fort Barton, climb the observation tower for a panoramic view of Narragansett Bay. The historic area includes the redoubt, a network of earthen fortifications remaining from the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778. The trailhead for Fort Barton Woods is to the rear of the redoubt area, beginning with steep descending steps, then an upward climb onto the trail leading into Fort Barton Woods.
Fort Barton Woods is an 83-acre natural area with 3.5 miles of trails that take visitors alongside the Sin and Flesh Brook, where you can view many wildflowers, ferns, and animal habitats. The trail is rugged in places, with several rustic bridges crossing the meandering brook, making this one of my favorite local hikes.
Weetamoo Woods & Pardon Gray Preserve
There are 7 miles of trails within Weetamoo Woods and another 2 miles in the adjacent Pardon Gray Preserve (Tiverton Land Trust). The well marked trails have gentle slopes, rocky/rooted pathways and wet areas in spring.
The 650 acres of Weetamoo Woods are “middle-aged” forest, with some trees that are now 100 – 125 years old. A mature, unfragmented forest of this size is excellent habitat for canopy nesting birds that require deep woods.
Weetamoo Woods also contains 12 acres of grassland on former plowland that abuts Eight Rod Way to the east. This creates favorable conditions for ground nesting birds such.
Emilie Rucker Wildlife Refuge
The Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge is a lovely parcel of woods and salt marsh with winding trails that run along the Sakonnet River. The trail system weaves through deciduous woods and red maple swamp with many places to stop and enjoy the beautiful view of the river. Our Captain King’s Farm is located adjacent to this refuge, as it was originally Captain King’s land that was donated to the Audubon Society.
Shore Access
If you are fortunate enough to be staying at our Goosewing Beach House, you can walk to the shore right on the property! Here are some of our favorite, off the beaten path places to enjoy the ocean.
Jack’s Island
Located off the sharp bend on Seapowet Ave, this little known shore is so quiet and peaceful. It’s a good spot to go clamming at low tide. Check the tides here. This spot is a short walk from our Captain King’s Farm.
Seapowet Beach & Marsh
This is another excellent area for clamming. There is also some beach here, and it’s free and open to the public. There is a large parking area, making it a great place to start a bike ride.
Lloyd’s Beach
Open to Little Compton residents this rocky shoreline is the place to go if you want a view of the Sakonnet Lighthouse.
Town Landing
This one is really hidden, accessed only through the neighborhoods on Grange Ave. There is water access and also picnic tables on the grass to enjoy an outdoor meal.
Further Recommendations & Resources
Looking to hike anywhere in the state? The Rhode Island Land Trust Council has a list of the best places to take a walk, get outdoors, relax and enjoy nature in Rhode Island, organized by town. Click on each trail name for directions, information, and printable pdf trail maps. You can also search for dog or horse friendly, handicap accesable, bikable or which are included in the RI Walks Challenge. This challenge highlights unique steel-creature sculptures inspired by nature along 34 trails. These creatures can be difficult to find, but when you see one, you’ll know that you’ve found a very special place! Each creature has a QR code for you to scan and track your progress, and when you have found all 34 you will be a challenge winner and win some great prizes!
I stumbled across an amazing list of quizzes, nature bingo & scavenger hunts on the Mass Audubon website recently and couldn’t believe how many fun things were there. They have outdoor bingo cards for all four seasons and loads of scavenger hunts. If you are looking for outdoor activities with little ones, I highly recommend using their resources.
If you are interested in what birds are making all that glorious music in the mornings, I will share a recommendation that one of our guests gave to me. Download Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app, it’s free! The Sound ID listens to the birds around you and shows real-time suggestions for who’s singing. Snap a photo of a bird, or pull one in from your camera roll, and Photo ID will offer a short list of possible matches.
I hope you found this list of beaches, hiking trails and shore access useful. Please let me know if there is anything I missed!