Posted By auntie on December 1, 2014

6 miles; hopkinton, ri

another month, another new beginning. decided to see what the entire canonchet trail was like to do from the route 3 trail head to stubtown road and back. verdict? it’s hard. there are a couple of easy stretches, but mostly it’s bouldery and hilly. which is not to say it’s bad… just not a beginner’s hike.

bouldery trail

i started from the route 3 trail head, as i said, and followed the blue-blazed hoxie trail for its approximately 1-mile length up to lawton foster road north. then i headed up into the nature conservancy’s canonchet brook preserve on the yellow-blazed canonchet trail. don’t pay attention to the trail signs! this is 3 miles out, and 3 miles back, no matter which way you go.

watery self-portrait

another canonchet brook crossing, this time a little south of stubtown road. i am planning a post about all the canonchet brook crossings made on the many trails throughout south county. stay tuned.

BIIIIIGGG rock

i have no way to show you the scale of this, but this is the HUGE rock i’ve mentioned before. i am not kidding when i say it’s as tall as a two-story house. giganto! humongous! seriously, you need to see it.

old mill site from, where else, a canonchet brook bridge

also, i just need to say again what an amazing and beautiful complex of cellar holes you encounter as you head south on the yellow trail from lawton foster road. they’re huge, and complex, and beautiful. you won’t find better short of the wonderful foundations at the start of the mid-state trail in the douglas state forest.

you can find info on the canonchet brook preserve in the hikefinder.

Categories: Rhode Island, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 5–7 miles, Hopkinton RI, RI