Whenever I feel hemmed in by development, get stuck in traffic, or simply crave a quiet walk in the woods, I head to Pachaug State Forest, a lush, hilly, serene swath that spreads out over 27,000 acre.
Walking Rhode Island: Roughing it on the Pachaug Trail
If you go: The Pachaug Trail
John Kostrzewa
Access: Off Route 95, take Route 3 in Exeter to Route 165 and drive 7 miles west to Beach Pond on the right.
Parking: Available at the Beach Pond lot. Some spots are reserved for boaters. There’s a smaller lot across the road.
Dogs: Allowed, on a leash.
Difficulty: Strenuous at times, with hills, rocky footing and ledges. Easy at the end on flat roads and lanes.
EXETER I crossed the western border of Rhode Island in early April to hike a different type of trail than the farm lanes, cart paths and fire roads I’d been walking for the prior few weeks.