Nature, hiking in or near RI

[mr2448]

Northwest Rhode Ilsand has George Washington Park, Pulaski Park and Buck Hill management area all adjacent. Amongst them you can get a good 20 mile walk when combining their trails thru different types of terrain. Great place for a winter walk or cross country skiing. The difference in snow fall as compared to Providence can easily be 3 times as much. Their 3 feet(on average) to as much as 6-10 feet in NW Rhode Island. There is also a North/South trail in Rhode Island that connects a number of different trails in Western Rhode Island. NW Rhode Island is but 30 minutes from Providence. Please read up on Lyme Disease. This will alter some of your gear when hiking in SE New England woods.

Mt. Wachusetts in Central Mass. will give you some up and down hiking opportunites and is only 75 minute from Providence.

[AZtruthteller]

Thanksgiving Day... Thank you all for your advice and suggestions. I'm relieved and encouraged to hear about all the hiking/wildlife near Providence. I'm actually very excited about moving there! If any of you are heading to AZ and want advice on hiking and birding there, please contact me. I can tell you where to find pools of water in midsummer, where to see a vermilion flycatcher, when to watch for rattlesnakes--that sort of thing.
Wonderful to have this forum!

[AZtruthteller]

Thank you all for the suggestion. Now that it's winter, what do you suggest? I'm still adjusting to the reality of at least four months of cold weather. Any ideas for keeping a connection with the outdoors in New England throughout the winter months? I am afraid I don't ski--I used to but have some balance issues now. Thanks!

[Raiderman]

There's always sledding at Roger Williams Park. *hint* get a DD coffee and supply your own Baileys

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by AZtruthteller

Thank you all for the suggestion. Now that it's winter, what do you suggest? I'm still adjusting to the reality of at least four months of cold weather. Any ideas for keeping a connection with the outdoors in New England throughout the winter months? I am afraid I don't ski--I used to but have some balance issues now. Thanks!

You just have to get used to the cold, dress appropriately, and go out walking anyway. If you stay near the coast (and actually for a lot of RI), you won't have to contend with snow all the time during the winter. We have some snow but often it only lasts for a period of time. I find each winter to be different in terms of snow- some times it's hardly a factor- other years it is. I like to visit the ocean in winter.

Of course, most people here spend more time indoors in winter in the same way people in hot climes spend more time indoors in the summer. When I lived in Texas, there were days I couldn't go out at all- way too hot for me. I find if it's in the teens or below here then it's too cold for me and I tend to hibernate a little more.

PS We're supposed to hit 60 degrees again this Wed Nov 27th