Sprague Farm in Gloucester is a good beginner trail. Most of the paths are pretty wide so you’re not wading into tall grass.

Check out snake den near Johnston if ya up north Or some of the Big River walks if you're mid state

Download the all trails app, it's loaded with great walks.

As for ticks, I usually designate a hiking outfit early in the season and douse it with permetherin. Tick free for many years now and I spend a bunch of time in the woods.

Have fun exploring our state!

Thank you. I didn't even consider tall grass. I'm making a list.

Thank you! I'll definitely be looking into permletherin

I'd recommend fisherville brook in Exeter as a nice easy trail to start with. As for ticks you'll unfortunately be dealing with them everywhere, this year will be pretty bad due to the mild winter.

I gotcha. Thank you for the suggestion. I'm trying to get a list started for now.

Sapling evergreen trees are a nightmare for ticks as well. Check out Arcadia in Exeter/West Greenwich though, there are tons of different trails in there, many of which overlap or intersect so can be as long or short as you want. I'm pretty sure REI or URE have dedicated Arcadia and burlingame trail books

Really trail books? That's a good idea. I'm trying to get a toe dip into hiking. Thanks for the suggestions.

Can't stress this enough, you need to wear 200 to 500 square inches of fluorescent orange during the hunting seasons where hunting is allowed.

Okay so you’re not going to get around the threat of ticks because the buggers are everywhere (not just tall grass). I usually just wear like a tight full body outfit when I go hiking and that’s been pretty effective at keeping ticks off of me. Like I’ll do running tights with crew socks and thing a tight-ish 3/4 sleeve top. You also probably want to pick up a mirror, some tweezers, and scotch tape to tick check yourself afterwards (if you get a tick, you can squish it between the tape and bring it to the doctor if you get sick). That being said, the biggest risk factor for ticks is hands down having a dog. Like I rarely got ticks before I got my dog and now it’s like non stop tick city in my house. So as long as you’re not bringing a dog or walking in the woods naked, the ticks should be manageable.

The Lincoln Woods State Park and George Washington State Park both have some pretty nice, relaxed, beginner friendly trails. I’m also a big fan of Duval in Wakefield. You can also do some more “rock climbing” oriented hiking at beaver tail and fort wetherill, though these aren’t really “trails” as much as they are playing on rocks. Hands down my absolute favorite hiking trail is Long Pond in Hopkinton but that’s definitely a little bit more advanced (though totally worth adding to a future list).

Maxwell May's in Coventry is well taken care of and they have some smaller trails that are great for starting out. Even on the smaller (1 mile) trails they also have a lot of different scenery.

Check out "Trails and Walks RI"... you'll find descriptions of most of Rhode Island's hiking trails.

Just be careful as it’s very toxic to cats!

I bought the Rhode Island Family Hiking Guide and Journal, they're all mostly novice hikes and I've really enjoyed doing them with my kid. It also has suggestions for when is the best time to go, if hunting is allowed, etc so it's a great guide!

100pct this great book. My favorite trail is the one at second beach Sachuset Point, flat, public and lots of wild life.

Right over the Foster line is Old Furnace State Park in Killingly, CT. The view at the top is awesome! Not very challenging, but theres very steep cliffs. My bf goes there to repell, but it great to hike as well!!

Tuck your pants into long sock and use a deet product like Deep woods off. And do a tick check once you get home, head to toe.

To add to this - unless you’re 100% sure hunting isn’t allowed where you’re going, wear orange anyway.

Download the AllTrails app from the App Store. There is a free version that shows most local trails with information and reviews that can be helpful. For such a small state we have a plethora of nice hikes.

I have picked up many ticks at Snake Den.

I hiked big river management area recently and that was very nice. As others are saying, it's near impossible to avoid ticks, but taking necessary precautions helps a lot!

Mercy woods preserve in Cumberland. Also Sachuest wildlife refuge is probably my favorite place in RI.

We go to big river all the time. Many of the trails are wide or actually old roads so tick exposure is low. Look up carrs pond. Parking lot on Hopkins hill road. Trail on right in parking lot brings you to the pond.

DEET the shit out of your pants. Do a tick check. In the very rare event you find and embedded/engorged tick on you, call the doc and get the prophylactic antibiotics. No biggie.

Check out the Cumberland land trust. Maps online.

The RI Audubon Society is at asri.org and they have a directory to all of their properties. They’re all nature preserves so no dogs allowed, no hunting permitted at any time. Some beautiful places all over the state

South county bike path

Gansett sea wall

Rocks in gansett

Beavertail

Colt state park

Those should all be tick free 😎

I've been to Sachusett during the off-season. Do you need to pay to park during peak beach season?

I came here to mention All Trails. It's so helpful not only for finding places, but knowing the conditions before you arrive. Several times I was gonna hike somewhere and someone else said it was flooded out recently, so I didn't bother.

And yeah, as for ticks, I coat all my gear usually spring and fall and when I hike I put a "healthy" later of "OFF" everywhere. I also spray my dog with a natural Ceder bug spray and he's on meds. The spray is so so, but I've never seen one latched on (fingers crossed).

I'm not a native Rhode Islander and the hiking is one of my favorite things about the state because I grew up in a very urban area.

I always wear an orange hat and my dog wears an orange bandana or vest. At least if I get lost or hurt, I'll have another signaling device.

Fwiw there's the Alltrails website too, which I greatly prefer for planning. Bigger screen and better interface for just poking around checking stuff out. Then once you find one you want, then pull up that route in the app for mapping/tracking.

ive been walkin tha woods and no ticks yet oh wait, once in the shower, looking closely into my bellie button, i see a tiny, the tinniest tick imaginable, but i caught the bastard and then did the deed and scraped it out of my bellie button

Found this site today. They have an interactive map and can sort by difficulty https://exploreri.org/gtraillist.php

Maybe a really obvious suggestion, but have you been to Lincoln Woods? The main part is a paved loop so not a hike per se, but if you’re just trying to take long walks somewhere besides city streets, it’s nice.

The main loop is 2.5 miles.

Thank you!

Oh man....😳

Thanks for the tips. I don't think I'd take my dog, though. I met many people who don't live here but come for the outdoors.

Great idea!!! 🦺

I'd be scared to take my dog out because of ticks and if they get hurt.

Nice! Where did you get it? Thank you.

Awesome! Thank you

An app! This never crossed my mind. Thanks

Thanks

I bought mine at Frog and Toad but local bookstores should have them, I know I've seen it at Books on the Square before too.

I couldn't take my dog with me because I'd be so worried about her. She went to the beach once and got sand fleas. So nope! I take her to friends' houses with dogs for her enrichment and fun doggy time.

Ticks make my skin crawl, I hate the little fuckers!

Seriously?? I LOVE. Birds, this is why I'm actually trying to dip my toe into walking and hiking. Thank you

Wow! Thank you. So much in our little state.

Not very challenging, sounds perfect! Thank you.

Happy Cake Day 🎂. Hope it's a yummy one. Thanks for the advice.

My list is going great, thanks. This is what I'm getting at for the little pricks. I wonder if hiking is safer in colder weather because of the ticks?

Mercy Woods sounds scary. I'm definitely adding these to the list. Thank you

I hear about this place often. Thank you

Too bad DEET doesn't make outdoor gear. Thank you

Great ideas! I already knew of these places but never thought to go walking there.🤦‍♀️

No......Way!!!! 😳. Did it bite you??

They make my skin crawl.

This is great! Thank you

This is a great way for me to build my confidence to take the next step. I always forget that Lincoln Woods is a place and an option. Thank you.

Sweet, I'll check them out .

Nope

Just stay on the rocks at Beavertail. The woods are loaded with ticks.

Rather than DEET, use picaridin and permethrin. DEET will ruin synthetic clothes.

I use a picaridin spray every time I hike, and treat my hiking clothes with permethrin. REI carries what you need if you want to check it out.

I also shower after my hikes to avoid getting bitten.

Happy hiking!

You’re welcome. I live in an area with lots of ticks. I have my yard treated every few months professionally. And thank you.

>Ticks make my skin crawl, I hate the little fuckers!

Same: I'm phobic-ick! ick! ick! (also leeches and those worms that come down on threads ICK!)

Haha that said, I love walks and trails!

Years ago I bought a book, "Walks and Rambles in Rhode Island" and it's fantastic! It has at least a dozen, all mapped and described and rated for time and difficulty and describes what each one offers in terms of sights or animals (seals, birds, etc)

Unreservedly recommend!

yep ri dem doesnt mess around w the orange rule!

Ticks can actually live into temperatures in the negative, but spring is when they start coming out in droves. Basically before winter they attach to a mouse or deer (ie deer ticks)/ any host pending geographical region and when the weather starts to thaw is when they fall off and start reproducing. Female ticks can lay thousands of eggs a piece hence the abundance of them. Deer ticks are most prevalent in NE area.

It takes about 12-24 hours for a Lyme/disease transmission to even take affect so make sure to check yourself thoroughly immediately arriving home from a trail. They also love dark, moist areas so even if you think they didn't travel, don't underestimate it!!

I have some more gross facts, but I'll save those for another time. I had to go to an informative seminar on ticks one year and it was slightly traumatizing 😂

yes thats what Im sayin, the thing was biting me inside a fold in my bellie button, its a miracle I found it it was so small

AllTrails also has GPS tracking, which has saved us from getting lost many times.

Yo. I just got a year long membership for the Audubon on Groupon 😀

I'm gonna get one at Walmart. Thanks again. It's funny because my husband got our dog an orange reflective jacket from Duluth for her walks.

What! Holy crap. Great idea. When I was younger, I used to think that having a membership in Audubon society was like a Victorian privilege...🤦‍♀️. I grew up poor. Please don't judge too harshly.

One of my teachers was a member, and she'd bring stuff to class about the birds, and I was like 😳 in wonderment.

This was going to be my next question. Like an app on my phone? But thank you

Wait..... 🤚.... worms that come down on threads...😳. New fear unlocked.

Thanks, my list is getting so full.

Thank you.

No judgement at all. I've never been to the Audubon society, and only remembered it through seeing it on Groupon. I think I paid $22 for the year

It's okay to be cautious, but with this attitude, why even bother leaving the house?

Being in New England, ticks are everywhere. My dog picks them up even just being out in our yard. Keep them up to date on Frontline/Nexguard/etc, and be vigiliant with checks. But getting a dog out for a nice long hike/walk is great for you and the dog.

My wife and I just did a short hike at Norman Bird Sanctuary this past Sunday and it was great. You park at the welcome center and then it's more like a walk to reach the different trails available. There are some portions that feel like a hike (uphill, over rocks), but it's really casual.

They will start charging $7 per adult on April 1 but before that date it is free to walk the trails. That's only a few days notice but if you have Thursday or Friday off then it's free on those days.

This sounds like a wicked fun time. Thank you so much!💜