Next on my April 3, 2023 RI LQ extravaganza was Ninigret NWR. This refuge has three different sections. First up was the Kettle Pond area.
The four trails here are flat and easy, with the views within the refuge boundaries being woods and a bit of water. I stopped by the Visitor Center afterward; there’s a nice info area in there with lots of activities for young ones.
The Salt Pond Unit is down and across the street from the Kettle Pond area. The four+ miles of trail mostly go through fairly open terrain and include part of the former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field. Grassy Point Trail was my fave here – it leads straight to Ninigret Pond and affords great views of the water. Foster Cove Loop Trail also brings a hiker fairly close to the pond.
There’s one trail within the refuge boundaries that is not part of either unit. Hilltop Trail is off Indian Trail Road in Charlestown and runs just under four tenths of a mile through the woods. It starts at the end of a narrow residential road, and I felt like I was trespassing the whole time I was there. Exactly one little space in the dirt is available for parking. If your car is bigger than standard size, then it may stick out onto the street. The trail is not marked but seems fairly well maintained. Found another (overgrown) historical cemetery a couple tenths of a mile in.
