SOUTH COUNTY BIKE PATH LETTERBOX:
WEST KINGSTON, RHODE ISLAND
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: July 27, 2002
Length: Kingston Station to Route 108; 6 miles
Kingston Station to Letterbox; 1.6 miles
Ministerial Road to Letterbox; 0.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat, paved rail trail.
Directions:
From I-95, take exit 3 to Route 138 east. After passing Route 2 in West Kingston, you'll cross over the railroad tracks via a bridge. Just after you cross this bridge, you'll see a sign for Kingston Station/Amtrak on your right. Pull in and park near the back of the parking lot. To reach Ministerial Road, continue east on Route 138 and look for Ministerial Road on the right.
The bike path starts alongside the railroad tracks near the Kingston Train Station. This is an active rail line serving Amtrak. The Amtrak Acela train passes by this station, but does not stop, going 130 mph. Check inside the station for its schedule if you wish to watch it wiz by. There is also a restroom inside the station, as well as a museum. The bike path was built on the former Narragansett Pier Railroad Line that traveled from Kingston Station to the Narragansett Pier Terminal, 8 ½ miles away. The station was built in 1875 and the rail line in 1876.
For more information visit; BIKE RI or SOUTH COUNTY BIKE PATH .
Starting from Kingston Station; The trail starts off alongside the train tracks. You'll pass by the first mileage marker (0), with the opposite side showing (4) miles from Fagan Park, the previous ending point. These markers are placed every mile along the trail. Just past this marker, on your right, is a sign board explaining about the Narragansett Pier Railroad Turntable. These signs are also posted along the path, giving you a nice history of the former line. The path is well shaded, with benches along the way. The bike path runs alongside the eastern edge of the Great Swamp Management Area and then crosses Ministerial Road after 0.8 miles. There are some pull outs alongside this road if you wish a shorter trip to the Letterbox. Next, you cross a wooden bridge over the White Horn Brook/Genesee Swamp after 1 ½ miles. After crossing this bridge look for two large boulders on your left. Keep going. Next, look for a cement culvert running under the trail. About a tenth of a mile further along, up a small knoll to your left will be two more large boulders. You may not spot them until you've passed by them. Follow the dirt path up to the boulders and then continue for 7 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) into the woods along a pine needle path. A large Pine tree will be too you’re left. Turn right and follow another path 8 paces to a split in the trail. Left takes you to an old cemetery, which you can check out later, but you need to head right for 10 paces. This brings you to a break in a stone wall. Finally, turn right and follow the stone wall another 5 paces to a double-trunked tree next to the wall. Go to the same side of the wall as the tree and look near the bottom of the high point in the stone wall. Remove a single rock which is covering a cavity in the wall. Here you will find the South County Bike Path Letterbox with a small rock on top of it to protect it. Continuing onward, after 3 ¾ miles you pass by the Tri-Pond Park hiking trail. Just past the 4 mile marker is Fagan Park, which contains a water fountain, playground and basketball court. The trail heads slightly downhill a ¼ mile and crosses over Kingstown Road. Another ¼ mile takes you back over Kingstown Road in Peacedale to Railroad Street for a short on-road section (very little traffic). Along this street is the old Peacedale Railroad Station; well preserved. You then cross over Church Street, where the paved trail picks up again and runs alongside a large cemetery to your left. Next, you cross over a newly constructed trestle bridge and emerge onto Main Street in Wakefield at the 5 ½ mile mark. The trail then crosses over Main Street via a crosswalk (nice place to grab some chow in this quaint downtown) and runs through a more urbanized area. The trail currently ends at Route 108 (Kingstown Road) after 6 miles. The next section into Narragansett is still in the development stages.
HH
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
MARCH 7, 2009
TO EMAIL A VERIFICATION
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING