Posted By auntie on August 4, 2019

4.2 miles; Coventry, RI

Nice walk through here… probably the quietest and most scenic of the Washington Secondary sections we’ve done. This walk ended a little to the west of Route 102 in Coventry. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the state is working on completing this trail through to the state line, but it’s not a done deal yet. This is, to date, as far as it goes.

Horse X-ing

One interesting feature of this part of the Washington Secondary is that it was created as both a bike and walking trail and an equestrian trail. Of course, the horse walking part isn’t on the pavement, but it does occasionally cross the paved path, hence the “Horse X-ing” crossing signs.

Sad Little Memorial

We did wonder who Gilbert Bolster was. We were all hoping it was a dog, but alas, Gilbert was a Coventry resident who died at the early age of 58, and who was apparently beloved in the community. He looked like a nice guy. You can see his obituary here.

Virginia Creeper

There was a lot of Summer Sweet (Clethra alnifolia) in bloom along the path. The scent was intoxicating. I bet this Virginia Creeper will be gorgeous come Autumn when it turns its characteristic fiery red.

Crossing Under 102

The trail weirdly narrows as it crosses beneath Route 102, maybe simply because of the rock walls on either side… it was probably less costly to just narrow the trail than blast through the sides.

Creative Graffiti

Not too much graffiti on the overpass, but I did get a kick out of this Darth Vader head advising us to “Enjoy the Dark Side.” Also, as you can see, the overpass is in pretty rough shape with the reinforcing rebar showing through the crumbling concrete. Can’t imagine the state can afford to leave this bridge unimproved for too much longer.

End of the Path

Contrary to the sign, the path did seem to continue past this point, but it was strictly dirt, and somewhat overgrown and bumpy with dirt bike wales. I explored it for a bit, but turned back when I came to a point that had been blocked off with big concrete barriers. The trail did veer off around the barriers but I had people to get back to or I would have explored further. Maybe another time…

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about and get maps of the Washington Secondary Bike Path at this RI Dept. of Transportation website. As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Categories: Rhode Island, Walks and Hikes, Washington Secondary Bike Path
Tags: 5–7 miles, Coventry RI, RI