I arrived here around 10 am and it was already freakin' hot and humid. Despite the brutal weather I enjoyed the ride and hope to return to check out more of the park. The trails are great - fast and flowy and there is a lot of twists and turns and ups and downs (but no extreme climbing) that keep it interesting.
As you can see from the maps, I only did a small section of the park. There are a myriad of trails - all great but not really blazed and there is no signage. I used MapMyRide to try and keep track of where I was. I got a little nervous of getting lost plus the heat and humidity were not making it easy so I turned around after 75 minutes and made it out in 45 minutes. Two hours was not enough time to really explore the vast network.
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| My ride (I went in and out the same way...) |
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| Elevation changes |
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| At the Start |
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| Great trail flow |
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| This is fun riding! |
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| Boardwalk |
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| A few glacial erratics |
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Hot, sweaty and ready to head home
(it was like a hot sauna!) |
Further Info
Maps
Other Big River Rides (and Ride Maps)
History
- New London Turnpike - In 1821, the New London Turnpike toll road opened shortening the trip from Providence to New York by taking passengers on a more diagonal overland route connecting with the New York steamships at New London, Connecticut. Developed late in the turnpike era, the introduction of railroad and steamboat service soon rendered the Turnpike obsolete and its owners were forced to abandon it. More Info >
- Hell's Acre - Along the New London Turnpike, small village and taverns sprung up to cater to travelers. One particularly notorious area was known Hell's Half Acre, a place where murder, gambling, and prostitution were rampant. More Info >
- Big River Reservoir - The Big River Reservoir was acquired by Water Resources Board to build a reservoir many years ago. Through eminent domain 8,600 acres of land was condemned by the state and 351 owners evicted. In 1990, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded that the land was too sandy and porous to support a reservoir and during the same year the project was blocked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More Info >
The Desert of Rhode Island
^ Yep this is Big River! Glacial silt accumulation...
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