It's a modest but lovely area -- in many ways the very heart of all the Smithfield Land Trust properties -- originally set aside for conservation when the land's donors, S. Burton and Mary Mowry, were still alive, in 1979. It was Mary, who survived her husband by twenty-one years, who donated all her remaining property to the town of Smithfield in 2008; this land includes what is now the
Revive the Roots organic farming collective, much of Wolf Hill Forest Preserve, and even the land on which the Smithfield Police Department's headquarters now stands. Indeed, my favorite way to access the Mowry conservation area is to start at Revive the Roots's parking area on Farnum Pike.
From the parking area, follow the signs that point to "TRAILS" -- you'll walk past the community garden and through a grassy meadow, where the trail takes a left turn; ahead to your right you'll see the yellow clapboards of Mary Mowry's original home, where the current curators of the farm reside. As you enter the woods, bear left onto the trail marked "Lonnie's Loop"; you'll skirt the forest perimeter, then descend to a small stream. A log bridge there will take you to a popular fishing rock, ornamented with colorful artwork; return from the rock and continue up the right-hand side of the stream until you reach Old Forge Road. Crossing and walking up the road a short distance, you'll come to the conservation area entrance, where the stream passes under mossy ledges, and is crossed by a lovely arched wood-and-steel bridge. On a ledge to your right, you can see a plaque placed when the land was first preserved.
Once across the bridge, bear right and follow the yellow blazes; you'll pass through a grove of stately pines, and cross over a small tributary, before ascending a modest ridge. The climb is modest -- it's a great hike for small children -- but full of nooks and crannies of beauty. In the spring, look for Pink Lady's Slipper -- you'll see many in this area. After following the ridge for a brief spell, you'll descend to your left, coming to an intersection with the red trail. Take it to your right, and walk along a magical pine-swathed valley before ascending another ridge. And then -- all too soon! -- you'll be back at the bridge. Crossing the road and returning, you can bear left and return by another trail that will take you a bit closer past Mowry House and the farm, before rejoining the trail you came in on. The whole hike can easily be managed in half an hour -- but take time, and pause, and consider the beauty around you -- and think on Mary Mowry and her singular act of civic generosity. A greater gift to the community of Smithfield, and to everyone in Rhode Island -- is hard to imagine.
