Fort Nature Refuge

While my central focus here on my blog is on Rhode Island's Land Trust lands, there are also a number of wonderful hikes to be had in some of the state's other conserved lands. The two largest groups of these are managed by either the Nature Conservancy or the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, and it's  a reserve of the latter organization that I'd like to describe today.

The Fort Nature Refuge is in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, just off the Providence Pike north of its intersection with Route 104. A small sign indicates the refuge, and the entrance is via the driveway of an adjacent property owner.  There's fairly ample parking, but if the lot is full, please choose a different hike; this is one of the sites that -- particularly due to the increase in trail use during the pandemic -- is threatened by overuse.

You'll see a large friendly kiosk with all manner of signs and information, and one of particular note: No Dogs. This is the policy at all Audubon preserves in the state; after all, they're operated first and foremost as refuges for birds and wildlife. While some Audubon properties in other states allow leashed dogs, those in Rhode Island don't -- so please respect this policy. They also don't allow mountain bikes, or even trail running (this last prohibition seems a little odd -- but so be it).

Beavers at work

Abiding by these rules will make one welcome in a variety of their remarkable trail systems, and the one at Fort is among the best. The main loop that you'll start on from the parking area is the Blue trail; by itself it makes for a pleasant half-hour walk through stands of mature pine mixed with oak and other hardwoods. There are also two trails that cut through the loop to offer a little variety. However, the real gems of the Fort preserve are its lakes, and to see those you'll want to head off on the yellow trail, which branches away near the far end of the blue loop. Crossing the cut of a power line, yellow takes you down a dirt road and then into a dense pine forest, silenced with thick needles, to a beautiful beaver pond. If you want to see the evidence, chewed stumps abound.

The path crosses on a low bridge near the dam, and there's a lovely viewpoint with a wooden bench where you can take in the prospect. Continuing on, you'll come to the red trail, which like blue forms a loop. Partway along that loop, you'll see a spur trail, also blazed red, which will take you to a secnd pond, where two plastic chairs offer a place for fresh reflections on the beauties of this place. The spur trail ends a little past this point; the blazes vanish and you'll come to a muddy crossing rutted by ATV tracks. Turn back, and see the same sights with a different eye. On returning to the main red loop, take a right, and you'll pass along a ridge which forms a berm between the two lakes, then descend to close your loop. Follow yellow again to blue, and take the rest of the loop trail; all together, these paths offer more than an hour of modest hiking. There are vaster Audubon lands -- one of these days I'll post about Parker Woodland in Coventry -- but none lovelier.

Trails of Blackall and Ballou

One of the lesser-known gems among Land Trust trails is the Blackall Family/Ballou Farm Preserve in Cumberland. It's also one of the newest; the trails have been maintained there by the Cumberland Land Trust just since 2016.

You'll find the trailhead parking in a gap in a stone wall at 8 Old West Wrentham Road. The entry trail, blazed white, will take you to the first of two extensive loop trails, blazed yellow. Take a right: you'll wander through stands of mature forest -- one of the largest I know that's nearly all hardwoods. Crossing a small stream, you'll pass by other stone walls, as well as a mysterious flight of steps that leads nowhere and a tree-platform or two. Take a right when you come to the red-blazed trail and descend along another stone wall before crossing past a small pond onto the other large loop, blazed blue. Here you'll pass by several 'sentinel' trees -- old oaks planted at or near stone walls, which date back to the time when this land was farmed.

Black mud, stones and roots, on creek bed

The farm here, operated by the Ballou family, can trace its origins back to Obadiah Ballou, one of three Ballou brothers who moved to the Cumberland area in the 1820's. In addition to them and the Blackall family, the area was also home to early settlers the Cook family, who arrived in 1632; several of their homes remain and can be seen on Old West Wrentham road (this is an older link from just before the current trail system and improvements were made -- you can get a sense of how much work it took to save and conserve this property).

About halfway along the blue trail, you'll come to a spur, also blazed white; it follows the path of a stream and eventually climbs up via a soldily-built staircase to the Cumberland Village shopping plaza. If you're considering taking larger groups on the trail, this could be an alternative starting spot, with plenty of parking.  Continuing along the blue loop, you'll return by the red trail once more; take a right at yellow and you'll finish the shorter part of that loop; return to you car via white. It's a good three miles to do both loops, and you won't find a more thoughtfully laid-out trail system anywhere in Rhode Island.