Gazing at trees as they change color is a mainstay of New England sightseeing for residents and visitors. Few of us need to go far from home to enjoy the season. It’s impossible to list all the places with trees you can visit by bus, so Two Feet Two Bucks has selected some destinations where awesome trees, plus travel convenience, make for some peak out-of-town ambiance.
Roger Williams Park wins for specimen trees and accessibility. They don’t create expertly designed parks like this anymore. It seems even bigger than it is. Paths and lakeside vistas go on for miles. Frequent lines #R and #20 stop right at park entrances. #1 stops a block away. #6 rolls right up to the zoo, and #3 and #4 stop just a block away so Warwick can come, too. Blackstone Boulevard, Blackstone Park, and Swan Point Cemetery abound with curated trees perfectly linked for walks of any length. Right before they cross the Henderson Bridge, buses #32, #33, and #34 stop near River Road, Blackstone Park, and the newly renovated Paterson Street Tot Lot. Kids love a bus excursion! Bus #1 stops at the Boulevard’s northern end, and the R-line stops at 9th Street just 3 blocks away. On weekdays, #40 crosses the Boulevard at its midpoint. The 1.7-mile Boulevard path delivers dependable people-watching. You find the riverfront trail by walking downhill through Swan Point Cemetery. It is magical.
Neutaconkanut Park is the closest forest that convincingly resembles the backcountry. Just a short ride from downtown, Federal Hill, and Olneyville, #19 stops in front of a rec center and skate park. Behind are roughly three miles of blazed trails plus side trails and approaches. An able hiker can visit all of it in a few hours. Rugged scenes of boulders and ancient trees rival those in distant management areas. Climb fairytale stone stairways and behold the famous Camaros, once detestable vandalism, now folk art treasure. Road hum fades, and deer are often present along the innermost trail. Here is the most spectacular hilltop vista in the state for skyline, distance, and breadth. When enough leaves have fallen, Narragansett Bay can be glimpsed from overlooks along the Pinnacle Trail. And then you can find terrific eats in the neighborhood before you head home!
Lincoln Woods is served by three bus lines. A #51 or #54 departs the Hospital District via Kennedy Plaza every 20 minutes or so on weekdays, half hourly on weekends. #73 leaves downtown Pawtucket hourly on weekdays. The ride is quick. #54 also serves Woonsocket. Ask your driver to stop at Lincoln Woods. As you alight, note that northbound buses stop directly at the path which descends to a tunnel under Route 146. Providence-bound buses stop a block to the north. The tunnel emerges onto the road that winds a three-mile circuit around Olney Pond. In summer, one lane carries one-way car traffic, but at other times, the paved loop is exclusively for walkers and bikers. For off-road hiking, bear left here to the large wooded area north of the pond. It is full of ledges, marvelous boulders and trees, and too many rocky trails and shortcuts to properly map. The park well deserves its heavy use. If you crave solitude, consider hiking in proper gear on a wet day. Colorful leaves on trees and the ground glow warmly when the sky is gray.
Wolf Hill Preserve offers some of the most challenging hiking trails in Rhode Island. Take bus #58 from Providence or transfer to it from #57 or #27 in Centredale. #58 terminates in the middle of an alarmingly large parking lot called Smithfield Crossing. But see those trees in the distance? Walk about a quarter mile to the far end, past Target, to a gated gravel driveway with a well-worn path around it. Beyond, turn left on Mountaindale Road for another quarter mile. It’s narrow, but all the curves keep vehicle speeds low. Turn right on Carlton’s Trail for another quarter mile. At the cul de sac, Mercer Trail enters the woods and one last quarter mile brings you to Mercer Lookout, the other most spectacular non-oceanfront vista in the state. You can see Providence, Narragansett Bay, and beyond on a clear day. Behind you is a sixmile network of well-marked trails. Note how long it took you to walk here from the bus so you can allow no more than a safe cushion of time when you depart on your homeward journey.
Big River Management Area clearly tops the way-out-of-town adventure chart. Even the bus trip is an unforgiving extreme sport. #95X leaves Exchange Terrace downtown on weekdays at 5:37AM. Next stop at 6:09 is West Greenwich Park Park & Ride, a short walk from the historic New London Turnpike’s lengthy abandoned segment. Taking the next outbound bus at 2:12 would allow only an hour and change to explore 8000 acres because the single ride-or-die afternoon bus back to Providence departs at 4:21. Make sure you know how not to get lost in the maze of trails. Don’t miss sparkling Carr’s Pond. Your faithful correspondent has not attempted this. If you do, please report it! •
Check previous editions of Two Feet Two Bucks for other leafy destinations. Thanks for reading, and please tell a friend!
