18 miles of Walking Trails through
deep woods, pastoral meadows,
salt marshes and river vistas
WALK
LOOK
EXPLORE
TIVERTON, RHODE ISLAND
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WELCOME TO TIVERTON
We take great pride in our small town’s intimate character and cherish
our history, arts community, and the natural beauty of our preserved
wild places. We invite you to enjoy the more than 18 miles of public
trails in our woods, meadows, and coastal marshes.
For nature to thrive, your assistance in keeping these areas pristine is
greatly appreciated.
Carry out what you carry in. And enjoy.
Funded by the Tiverton Land Trust, Town of Tiverton, Discover Newport and Pocassetlands Stewardship Fund.
Published by the Tiverton Open Space Commission, Town Hall, 343 Highland Road, Tiverton, RI 02878.
©2018 Town of Tiverton. All Rights Reserved.
30% post consumer waste recycled fiber
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MAIN ROAD
MAIN ROAD
MAIN ROAD
EAST ROAD
Little Compton
Westport
Fall River
Mount
Hope
Bay
Sakonnet River
Staord
Pond
Tiverton
RTE. 24
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TRAILS ETIQUETTE
It is very simple: surround yourself in nature
and leave only footprints.
The following regulations apply to all open
spaces in Tiverton. More detailed regulations
for each preserve are posted at trailheads.
● Open sunrise to sunset.
● Carry out what you carry in.
● NOT permitted: motorized vehicles,
alcohol, camping, fires, glass,
trapping, metal detectors, paint ball,
off-trail geocaching, or competitive
field activities.
● Dogs must be on a physical
leash, kept on trails, and their
waste removed.
No Dogs: Pocasset Ridge
Conservation Area and Emilie
Ruecker Wildlife Refuge.
● ONLY Weetamoo Woods and Pardon
Gray Preserve allow mountain biking
and horseback riding.
● Safety Alert: Ticks and poison
ivy are found in all wild areas of
Southeastern New England. You can
minimize risk by avoiding contact
with vegetation and staying on
official trails.
Thank you for being a steward of
our natural habitats.
This booklet and all maps are available
to download at www.tiverton.ri.gov
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0 1 20.5
Miles
Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
Tiverton Community Map
PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE
Walking Trails
Salt Marshes
Beaches with Seasonal Life Guards
A Fort Barton and Highland Woods
B Basket Swamp Preserve
C Weetamoo Woods
D Pardon Gray Preserve
E Pocasset Ridge Conservation Area
F Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge
G RIDEM Eight Rod Farm
1 Grinnell’s Beach
2 Fogland Beach
3 RIDEM Sapowet Marsh
4 TNC Fogland Marsh Preserve
5 High Hill Point
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A FORT BARTON AND HIGHLAND WOODS
98 acres; 2.8 miles of trails
NO BIKES; NO HUNTING
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Highland Woods
Sin and Flesh Brook
Natural Area
Fort Barton
OBSERVATION
TOWER
TOWN
HALL
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0 500 1,000250
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Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
There is much to charm visitors at Fort Barton and Highland Woods,
including Revolutionary War history, vernal pools, and the pristine
Sin and Flesh Brook Natural Area. Parking is opposite Town Hall at
343 Highland Road, where a climb up a winding driveway leads to
original Revolutionary War earthworks. Less strenuous access is 250
yards north to Highland Woods where one can park on the street
and take a gentler path up. While wandering around the redoubt, it
is easy to imagine colonial militias firing artillery across the narrow
Sakonnet Passage to harass British positions. Climb the observation
tower and enjoy a panoramic view of the Sakonnet Passage and
Mount Hope Bay.
At least another hour will be required to check out the towering oaks,
the lovely scent of sweet pepperbush, and the babbling riffles of
Sin and Flesh Brook.
STEWARDS: Town of Tiverton and Tiverton Land Trust
1 8
–
Highland Woods
Boundary Line
Trail Waypoints
Red Trail Loop; 1.6 miles
Green Trail Loop; 0.7 miles
Unmarked connector trails
Streams
10-Foot Contours
Fort Barton
Revolutionary War
Redoubt
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B BASKET SWAMP PRESERVE
96 acres; 1.3 miles of trails
NO HUNTING
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Bulgarmarsh Road (Rte 177)
Cornell Road
Terra Verde Drive
Gas Line Easement
0 250 500125
Feet
Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
Basket Swamp was the name given on an old Tiverton map to the
wetland in this preserve. That was a common name for swamps
where “basket ashes” grow. That tree (Fraxinus nigra) is a swampland
species uniquely suited for basket making. The only trailhead is on
Cornell Road, a quarter mile south of Bulgarmarsh Road (Route 177).
Coming off the trailhead is the White Trail that descends immediately
into the wetland’s oak-holly hardwood forest. The trail quickly
transitions to a dry, oak-pine woodland, just as the Yellow Trail
branches off to the left (south). Walking through stone fences and flat
stone-free terrain, one senses the presence of an old farm settlement.
Further south the trail curves westward and crosses a cleared gas-line
easement, the other side of which is the start of the Red Trail. This
leads to a lovely walk through mature birch, sassafras, and woodland
ferns. Eventually circling clockwise back to the east, the trail returns
to the easement where, 500 feet to the south, the White Trail may be
joined for returning to the trailhead.
STEWARD: Tiverton Land Trust
Learn more at tivertonlandtrust.org
White – Yellow – Red
Loop; 1.3 miles
Forested Wetlands
10-Foot Contours
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Weetamoo Woods is named after the last Sachem of the Pocasset
area native people. She died in King Phillip’s War. The best trailhead
for a first-time visitor is on East Road, a quarter mile east of historic
Tiverton Four Corners. The information kiosk is a short walk from
the parking area. From there hikers may take various trail loops for
visiting many natural and historical features, including High Rock, a
12-acre meadow, an Early American slab bridge, and the foundations
and arched bridge associated with an 1800s sawmill. In between
these features are hundreds of acres of coastal oak-holly forest that
surround Cedar Swamp. Trails may also be accessed at the Land
Trust trailhead and parking area on Main Road adjacent to a 65-acre
grassland maintained for ground nesting bird species.
STEWARD: Town of Tiverton
Pardon Gray Preserve nestles alongside the northwest border of
Weetamoo Woods. It includes part of the forested “Pocasset Ridge”
and overlooks 65 acres of open grassland-meadow, an increasingly
rare habitat for grassland nesting birds. From the Main Road parking
area, the restored Gray family cemetery is visible in the field, with
its fieldstone wall enclosure and markers dating back to the 18th
century. This trail continues into the woods below, past a lovely vernal
pool, thence up the ridge for a 1 ½-mile counter-clockwise loop
around the Ridge Trail back to the parking lot by way of the Lafayette
Connector trail off Lafayette Road.
STEWARD: Tiverton Land Trust
C WEETAMOO WOODS
655 acres; 6.5 miles of trails
D PARDON GRAY PRESERVE
229 acres; 1.8 miles of trails
Learn more at tivertonlandtrust.org
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Pardon Gray Preserve
Weetamoo Woods
TOWN FARM
RECREATION
AREA
WEETAMOO
KIOSK
HISTORIC
TIVERTON
FOUR CORNERS
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Borden Brook
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Cedar Swamp
Meadow
Meadow
High Rock
Gas Line Easement
Gate
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0 1,000 2,000500
Feet
Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
C & D WEETAMOO WOODS AND PARDON GRAY PRESERVE
NO HUNTING
Weetamoo Woods
East Road Entrance
Pardon Gray Preserve
Main Road Entrance
Historic Cemetery c. 1700s
Sawmill Site c. 1800s
Trail Waypoints
Pardon Gray Preserve
Boundary Line
PG Blue – Pink – Red Loop;
1.4 miles
PG White Trail; 0.6 miles
WW Yellow Trail; 2.0 miles
WW Orange – Red – Yellow
Loop; 2.6 miles
Unmarked connector trails
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10-Foot Contours
Municipal Property Streams
Forested Wetlands
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E POCASSET RIDGE CONSERVATION AREA
617 acres; 2.1 miles of trails
NO DOGS; NO BIKES; RIDEM BOW HUNTING
Trail Streams
10-Foot Contours
CLIFF
OVERLOOK
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Nanaquaket
Road
Borden Brook
0 750 1,500375
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Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
Adjacent to Weetamoo Woods and Pardon Gray Preserve, Pocasset
Ridge is a vital part of the Tiverton “Pocassetlands” – over 1,500
acres of closed canopy forest. The stewards manage Pocasset Ridge
as a wild area to achieve minimal ecosystem disturbance. Reserved
exclusively for hikers, without dogs or mountain bikes, this is a place
to get lost in the silence of the forest, or in a symphony of deep
woods birdsong on a spring morning. The only trailhead is at 2910
Main Road, adjacent to the south intersection of Nanaquaket with
Main Road. From there the trail rises to a rocky highland forest of oak,
huckleberry, glacier-strewn boulders and granite outcrop. The Cliff
Trail passes through a drainage basin with magnificent beeches and
red oaks, and terminates at a 90-foot sheer cliff overlooking a red
maple – yellow birch swamp. The Loop Trail connects two old wagon
roads, which for generations gave passage to oxcarts loaded with
fuel wood.
NOTE: Fluorescent orange must be worn during bow hunting season.
STEWARDS:
The Nature Conservancy, Tiverton Land Trust,
RIDEM, Town of Tiverton
Loop Trail;
1.1 miles
Cliff Trail;
1.0 miles
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JACK’S ISLAND
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Sakonnet River
10-Foot Contours
F EMILIE RUECKER WILDLIFE REFUGE
52 acres; 1.3 miles of trails
NO DOGS; NO BIKES; NO HUNTING
0 250 500125
Feet
Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge offers a
great place to sample three of Tiverton’s
signature coastal ecotypes – woodlands,
fresh water wetlands, and coastal salt
marshes. The Orange and Red Trails on
the east side favor the upland habitats,
while the Blue and Yellow Trails provide
a tour of the shoreline and estuarine
systems. Emilie Ruecker is also a superb
location for marsh birds, with shallow
tidal areas to attract waders, and good
shoreline cover for excellent observation
points. Trailhead parking is on Seapowet
Avenue, a quarter mile west off Main
Road.
NOTE: Emilie Ruecker Wildlife
Refuge is for hikers only – no dogs or
mountain bikes.
STEWARD:
Audubon Society of
Rhode Island
Learn more at asri.org
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G EIGHT ROD FARM
418 acres, 1.5 miles of unmarked trails
RIDEM HUNTING PERMITTED
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Tiverton
Little Compton
HISTORIC
TIVERTON
FOUR CORNERS
0 500 1,000250
Feet
Data Sources: RIGIS, Town of Tiverton. August 2017
Boundary lines and trail locations are approximate.
Produced by Taylor Arsenault
Eight Rod Farm is a state wildlife management area located on the
border with Little Compton. Farmed in the summer months, this
property offers seasonal fishing and hunting. The trailhead on Main
Road is opposite the intersection with Pond Bridge Road. From there
the trail rises slowly, passes through a hedgerow, then meanders a
mile plus through various open fields, with several dead-end spur
trails off the main trail. The final quarter mile is a laneway on the town
boundary with Little Compton. The trail ends at the southern end of
the paved Eight Rod Way. Another short trail leading to a pond may
be accessed a quarter mile up Eight Rod Way.
NOTE: Fluorescent orange must be worn during hunting season.
STEWARD:
RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife
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Streams 10-Foot Contours
Unmarked Trail
Learn more at dem.ri.gov
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SALT MARSHES AND BEACHES
The Sakonnet River is a broad, saltwater strait connecting Rhode
Island Sound to the south with Mount Hope Bay to the north.
Tiverton’s shoreline offers expansive salt marshes and several public
beaches, both cobble and sandy.
1 Grinnell’s Beach
Small family beach with lifeguards
and restrooms. Parking fee for
out-of-state visitors. No dogs
April 1st through Columbus Day.
Steward: Town of Tiverton
2 Fogland Beach
and Conservation Area
Seasonal lifeguards, restroom
facilities, playground and picnic
tables. Parking fee for out-of-town
visitors. Located on the north shore,
the conservation area is limited
to gentle uses. No dogs April 1st
through Columbus Day.
Steward: Town of Tiverton
3 Sapowet Marsh
This 260-acre refuge includes a
variety of coastal habitats. Parking
allowed on north side of bridge,
with walking access to the cobble
beach for fishing, bird watching,
kayaking, or simply enjoying the
view. Seasonal hunting permitted.
Note: Fluorescent orange must be worn during hunting season.
Steward: RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife
4 Fogland Marsh Preserve
Filled with plant, bird and aquatic
life, this fragile salt marsh connects
to a pristine, ¼-mile beach reaching
into neighboring Little Compton.
No parking.
Steward: The Nature Conservancy
of Rhode Island
5 High Hill Point
Small, neighborhood, cobble
beach. No lifeguards, no parking.
Pedestrian and bicycle access
only. No dogs April 1st through
Columbus Day.
Steward: Town of Tiverton
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IN APPRECIATION:
Our deepest appreciation to Tiverton’s many volunteers and the
coordinated efforts of the following dedicated land preservation
groups for their continued interest in Tiverton’s natural areas.
Tiverton Land Trust, a private, non-profit corporation, focuses on preserving
Tiverton’s rural character and natural resources. TLT derives funding through
private donations, membership and land grants when acquiring parcels
for preservation. The land trust is accredited by the National Land Trust
Accreditation Commission.
401-625-1300 tivertonlandtrust.org
Tiverton Open Space and Land Preservation Commission, a Town Council
appointed volunteer commission, is tasked to preserve and steward natural
habitats and farmland in Tiverton. Land acquisitions are funded primarily by
a share of the town’s real estate conveyance tax income to match federal,
state and private grant opportunities.
Town Hall: 401-625-6700 tiverton.ri.gov
The Nature Conservancy is a worldwide conservation organization with
specific interests in the Sakonnet region for the protection of ecologically
important lands and waters for nature and people.
Rhode Island office: 401-331-7110 nature.org/rhodeisland
Audubon Society of Rhode Island, an independent statewide conservation
organization, fosters the conservation of wild birds and other forms of
wildlife through land protection, environmental education and advocacy.
401-949-5454 asri.org
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
401- 222-4700 dem.ri.gov
The Town of Tiverton thanks the following individuals for their unique contributions:
Taylor Arsenault, GIS/GPS mapping; Mary Sexton, Good Graphic Design; Ginger Lacy, Project
Coordinator; and Garry Plunkett for his GPS tracking and extensive knowledge of the natural
habitats of Rhode Island.
Photography by: Geoff Dennis, Garry Plunkett, Wayne Browning, Ginger Lacy, John Berg,
Leslie Lindeman, and Phil Schuyler.
You can help care for these natural areas
with a donation to the
Pocassetlands Stewardship Fund
at the Rhode Island Foundation.
To donate, contact RIF:
401.274.4564 • rifoundation.org
