Burrillville to Glocester, Rhode Island
The trail eventually turns off, heading south into the woodland up a rocky slope and weaves its way through a forest of hemlock, white pine and oak. Cresting a 700’ hill, we begin our descent from the ridge. Leaving the foot path once more, the North South Trail merges with the Munyan Trail a cart path running inside the Washington Management Area. With snow falling, no animals or birds have shown themselves in the quietness of the woods. Sometimes the snowflakes are as big as half dollars and other times the perspiration comes down in a light freezing rain to add weight to the top of our packs. Coming to a fork in the cart path, the trail turns off and now joins the Richardson Trail. Returning to a foot path, we follow the shore line of Richardson Wildlife Marsh. The grey of the day is broken up with the green of the hemlock and yellowish hue of the birch that line the wetland. Dead, limbless trees break through the ice of the frozen water and the sound of running water can be heard. Coming out on to an earthen dam we find the source of the running water sound. The dam has been breached and a 30 foot stream now crosses our path and blocks the trail. Backtracking a short distance to the Red Trail we cross down stream over fallen debris. During our crossing we find signs of a new resident in this part of our state. Trees, some six inches around had been fallen by beaver. Their tell tale signs line the bank of the stream. Following the Red Trail the group works your way to the other side of the breached dam and rejoins the North South Trail. From this time on the quiet of the forest is broken up by running water. Several times the trail meanders along then crosses a swift running brook on its way to Bowdish Reservoir. Winding our way through boulders, hemlocks and crossing small brooks we come to a small three sided shelter for a break. The shelter boasted a resident mascot of a monkey hanging from its rafters. Returning to the trail we weave our way along the trail now follows a clear cut through blow downs left by Hurricane Bob many years ago. Hiking along Bowdish Reservoir we pass between several boulders and hike through a wooded wetland. Climbing a slope the group emerges from the woods and into the parking area were there vehicles are. It was a great way to spend a pre-storm day. Live the Experience!
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With new hikers canceling out on us and our
regulars insisting that we run the hike even with the
threat of foul weather, we set out to western Rhode
Island. As the small caravan left the store parking lot,
snow started to float down from the sky. The first part
of the hike followed Deer Stag Road through a small
housing development turning off and headed into the woods
on a gravel fire road known as Wilson Trail. Immediately
the hikers had to stop and slip on their Stablicers do to
the ice incased trail. During our hike along Wilson Trail
the group stops at a water crossing were a fire pond had
been constructed back in the 1800’s. Lined with
field stones and a small dam down stream, it offered the
farmers of that era some hope of fighting a fire during
droughts.