Audubon Society of Rhode Island Trails



An ice covered lake at
Fisherville Brook refuge in Exeter


These properties are all owned and maintained by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, a non-profit organization dedicated to education, conservation and advocacy for more than 100 years. There are 15 properties with 9,500 acres of open space, with many miles of trails running through them. Most are open to the public.

The following is a brief synopsis of each trail. Visit the Audubon Society of Rhode Island web site for more detailed information, directions, rules of use and something new, printable maps saved as pdf documents.

Caratunk Refuge

Length: six miles of well-marked trails
Grade: Flat/rolling
Condition: dirt trails
Special characteristics: Summer camp & year-round educational programs. Golf course. Natural attractions: nearly 200 acres of fields, forests, and wetlands. Trails are open only to the following activities: hiking, bird watching, nature study, photography, ski touring, and snowshoeing.
Historical attractions: TBA
Services: Nature Center
Directions: From I-195, take the Broadway exit. Bear left at the bottom of the ramp, onto Warren Ave, turn left at the first set of lights, onto Rt 114 north. Travel approximately 2 miles and then turn right onto Rt 152 north. Continue across a reservoir and into Seekonk. After you pass the middle school on the left, turn right onto Brown Ave. Caratunk is 7/10 of a mile on the right. Parking at refuge entrance.

Davis Refuge

Length: TBA
Grade: Rolling
Condition: Rough, short wooded dirt trails
Special characteristics: Easy access off Route 4, best explored by canoe or kayak.
Natural attractions: 96 acres of woods & Hunt River floodplain wetlands, and white pine forest. The refuge extends into Putts Bog, where bog mats with unusual plants can be seen.
Historical attractions: Short drive to Seabee Museum and Quonset Air Museum.
Services: None.
Directions: Take Exit 7 (Frenchtown Road/Davisville) off Rte 4 south. Davisville Road (Rt 403) is the left fork, following signs toward Quonset Point/Davisville. Parking is on the right within 1/2 mile of the exit, immediately after the guardrail marking the Hunt River. It's just a small dirt semi-circle off the street with a small Davis Refuge sign. It's easy to miss. Another access point is Hunt River Dr (off Davisville Road).

McIntosh Refuge/Audubon Education Center

Length: TBA
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: Good.
Special characteristics: Intersected by the East Bay bike path using long boardwalk.
Natural attractions: Forested wetlands & salt marsh; views of Narragansett Bay. Orchard, butterfly garden, meadow.
Historical attractions: Downtown Bristol nearby
Services: Educational center w/ nature programs. Bike racks located off East Bay Bike Path. Numerous shops and eateries in town.
Directions: From Newport: Take the Mt. Hope Bridge to Rte. 114 North. Travel north on Hope Street (Rte. 114 north). Entrance is approximately 5 miles from the bridge, on the left, just before the Bristol/Warren town line. From Providence: Take I-195 East to Exit 7 in East Providence. Go South on Rt 114, through East Providence, Barrington, and Warren, to the Bristol town line. Entrance is on right, immediately after the Bristol/Warren town line. From Fall River: Route 195 West to Exit 4 in Swansea. Go west on Rte. 103 to Rt 136 south. Turn left onto Rt 136 south to the stop light at Tupelo St. in Bristol. Bristol Toyota will be on your left. Turn right onto Tupelo. Follow to end, turn right onto Hope Street (Rt 114 North). Entrance is approximately 0.5 mile on the left just before the Bristol/Warren line.

Fisherville Brook Refuge

Length: 4 trail loops, from 0.3 to 1.4 miles each
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: dirt trail
Special characteristics: Turtles, including painted turtle and box turtle, can be seen at this site, and many birds nest here, including bluebird, for whom boxes have been set up in fields along the blue trail. Hint: Look for the large "glacial erratic" on the Outer Loop trail. Glacial erratics are scattered boulders that have traveled - usually less than a mile, but sometimes many miles - when they were picked up and carried by glacial ice, then dropped haphazardly as the ice melted.
Natural attractions: The 937 acre property contains fields, diverse forest habitats, pond, streams, raised walkways and a lovely waterfall.
Historical attractions: gravesite
Services: Educational programs. Portable toilets in main lot.
Directions: Take Route 95 to Route 4 to Route 102 north. Turn right onto Widow Sweets Road (just after the Exeter's Town Clerk's Office and across from Anderson's Quality Furniture store). Take second right onto Pardon Joslin Road (a dirt road). Travel approximately 1 mile. Parking lot is on the right side of road by a large Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge sign.

Fort Refuge

Length: 4 trail loops ranging from 0.5 to 3 miles.
Grade: flat/rolling, easy hike
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics:
Natural attractions: The headwaters of the Woonasquatucket River rise on this 235-acre woodland. Three small ponds and a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees provide diverse habitat for wildlife.
Historical attractions:
Services: Educational programs. No facilities.
Directions: Take I-295 to Exit 8B (Rt 7 North). Follow Rt 7 to Providence Pike; bear right onto Providence Pike. Go across at the intersection of Rts 5 and 104. Refuge is 1/2 mile on the left, the first left after the Primrose Fire Station.

Kimball Sanctuary

Length: N/A
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics: A 29-acre gem located on the southern shore of Watchaug Pond. The land abuts Burlingame State Park and trails lead from the refuge to the state land.
Natural attractions: Watchaug Pond
Historical attractions: stone walls, pump house
Services: Nature Center.
Directions: Turn north off Route 1 at Prosser Trail, take the first left onto Montauk, and follow the signs to Kimball. At the bottom of the hill turn left and follow Sanctuary Road to the Nature Center.

Long Pond/Ell Pond Woods

Length: N/A
Grade: steep, a tough hike
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics: A beautiful 218 acre parcel of stately hemlocks and rock outcrops bordering Long and Ell Ponds. ASRI's land is part of a large conservation area with trails connecting to Connecticut. Yellow trail continues on north to the Beaver River.
Natural attractions: wetlands
Historical attractions:
Services: None
Directions: Take Rockville exit off I-95 south. Take Canochet Road south from Rt. 138 in Rockville, then take the first right onto North Road. Parking immediately off the street.

Parker Woodland

Length: 4 trails, ranging from 0.5 to 7 miles
Grade: flat/rolling Condition: rough dirt trails, some rocky terrain
Special characteristics: A vigorous hike that really works the knees and ankles.
Natural attractions: majestic old forest, brooks, fields. Look for Pine Swamp Brook, which flows down a rocky ravine.
Historical attractions: mysterious rock cairns, stone quarries, farmhouse foundations; There are charcoal mounds where 18th and 19th century residents processed charcoal for cold-blast iron furnaces. North of Maple Valley Rd in Foster, forest trails cross areas that were once farmed and pass two small quarries. The Isaac Bowen House, on this site, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Services: Nature Center, summer day camp
Directions: From Providence, take Route I-95 south to Route 102 north (exit 5B). Follow Route 102 north for about 10 miles. Turn right (east) onto Maple Valley Road (across 102 on the left is Waterman Hill Road). Turn into second driveway on the left by the Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge sign. There are two parking lots off Maple Valley Road.

Powder Mill Ledges Refuge

Length: 2 miles
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics: bird feeding station
Natural attractions: fine stands of pines, a pond, and a brook
Historical attractions:
Services: Audobon HQ/nature center, educational programs
Directions: From I-295, take exit 7B onto Route 44 West. At fourth set of lights, turn left onto Route 5 (Sanderson road). Turn left at the second driveway. The Refuge is behind the mall. The trail starts behind the Refuge kiosk.

Ruecker Refuge

Length: several trails, totalling up to 1.5 miles
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics: 50 acre parcel of woods and salt marsh with trails and fine views of the Sakonnet River. Bird blinds for observation & photography. One of the few locations on the East Bay where red squirrels can be found.
Natural attractions: Great egrets, snowy egrets, and glossy ibis are among the birds that frequent the marsh. Jack's Island & Gould Island are home to breeding ospreys. Red fox and short-tailed weasel are also seen.
Historical attractions:
Services: Educational Programs. No facilities.
Directions: From Providence, take Route 195 east to Route 24 south (in Fall River, MA). Travel Route 24 south to the Route 77 south exit. Follow Route 77 south to Seapowet Avenue. Turn right at Seapowet Ave. Refuge parking lot is on the right.

Touisset Marsh Refuge

Length: 1.5 miles
Grade: flat/rolling
Condition: rough dirt trail
Special characteristics: The area offers a mix of habitats, including deciduous woods, a swamp, old fields, extensive salt marsh, and a tidal river. A wide variety of birds and butterflies have been observed here. Nesting boxes have been erected in the fields and woods, along with a platform for osprey. A self-guided tour is available by contacting the Audubon Society in advance.
Natural attractions: salt marsh, bordering upland field and wooded habitat. Trail leads to Kickemuit River.
Historical attractions:
Services: Educational programs.
Directions: Take I-195 east to Rt 136 in North Swansea. Take Rt 136 South to Rt 103 (Child Street) in Warren. Go left (east) on Rt 103 to Long Rd. Go right on Long Rd and follow to end at Barton Ave. Go left on Barton then take first right onto Touisset Road. Follow it south to the next sharp left corner at the fire station. Turn right into parking lot area and park at the westernmost edge of parking lot.

Waterman Pond

Length: N/A
Grade: Flat/rolling
Condition: rough dirt trails
Special characteristics: Close to Parker Woodland. A short hike.
Natural attractions: wetlands, home to beaver, mink, and ducks
Historical attractions:
Services: None
Directions: Take Rte. 102 north to Waterman Hill Road, turn left onto Waterman Hill, follow to Plainfield Pike (Rte. 14). Do not bear right onto Hall Road. There is a small pull off on the left and end of steep hill, where there is a sign.

Contact us:
GARI Committee Chairwoman Sue Barker
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