Town Owned

Official Description (from location's homepage)
Quiet woodland trails, second growth forest, a chimney and fireplace remaining from a Boy Scout cabin, blueberry bushes and a panoramic view of the Providence skyline.
Note: (from a visitor) "in it's current condition, the road to the parking area can only be accessed with a 4 wheel drive vehicle with plenty of clearance underneath. The dirt road has several heavily eroded spots where the rocks stick out a good 1 to 2 feet out of the ground. Anyone with a normal passenger car would have to stop after about 50 feet and back out again". July 14, 2004

Another secluded gem owned by the town of Smithfield. Cascade Brook is nestled just off Route 44 and features a nice circular path around the 27-acre property. The path crosses the area's namesake brook fairly early on and later, at one edge of the area, borders an apple orchard. The entire area is nicely wooded but also very open and airy.

The path is very rocky and hilly, though not necessarily difficult; our 4 year old had no problem with it, though younger children might. All in all a great place for a relaxing but not boring hike.

Former home of a Cistercian monastery, the grounds now surrounding the Cumberland Public Library provide abundant opportunity for outdoor fun. The numerous dirt trails are fairly flat and well-packed, enough so that you can easily push a child in a stroller. The grounds contain both woodlands and fields as well as a stream and a few ponds, and even during our pre-spring walk we saw numerous birds and ducks. Some of the trees are even marked with their types, so walks can be both fun and educational.

In front of the library there is also a large and well-equipped playground that even includes a small outdoor theatre. After our most pleasant walk we unleashed the kids into the playground and enjoyed watching them play while we relaxed.

The monastery was a true delight, even on a cool mid-March day. I look forward to exploring it when the trees are green and the air is warn.

Official Description (from location's homepage)
Hidden in the forest at the far end of a residential tract, this 66 acre property may be a surprise to even long-time Smithfield residents. Once part of the Connors family farm, it looks nothing at all like a farm. The inviting trail, which is a bit strenuous in places, is just under 2 miles long. Built by the Boy Scouts in 1994, it takes visitors to the top of one of the most rugged ledges in the area. Here you can see unique rock formations and stone slabs that seem to have spilled down the steep slope yesterday. They were, however, left this way by the retreating glaciers thousands of years ago.

Wolf Hill Forest Preserve is an interesting little area that I don't know much about. Parking is available across the street, behind the Smithfield Police Station. A trail entering the preserve starts almost immediately across the street from the police station; you drive by the trail entrance on the way to the parking lot. It seems like there should be some pleasant views of Stump Pond from the trail, though I haven't hiked enough of it yet to know for sure.

Though I wouldn't use the word "scenic" to describe the first part of this trail – it runs alongside a swamp, under a deteriorating bridge and past two industrial buildings – the remainder of the trail is quite pleasant. The latter part of the trail runs alongside Stillwater and Capron Ponds, and is very peaceful and scenic. The trail is wide and flat, making this a great trail to walk with the whole family.

You can access the trail from Farnum Pike (Rt 104), almost right at the intersection of Routes 104 and 116. There are small dirt parking areas on either side of the road. There is a sign on the eastern side of the road marking the start of the trail.

A few images of the trail, including the parking area at the Rt. 104 end, can be found here.

Mowry is a fairly small but secluded area that's a bit bland visually but very pleasant to walk through. The tree are tall and numerous, giving the area an airy and open if very brown feel. The trails are marked well enough and only slightly hilly, making this a good place to hike with young children.

The small river at the entrance, and the bridge that spans it, are a fun way to start a walk. Your kids, no doubt, will enjoy throwing rocks and sticks into it too. The entrance area clearly once had picnic tables as well, and if it did it would be a great place to sit and enjoy lunch.

In sum, this is a great place for a short, simple, quiet walk without or without kids. It quickly became a family favorite.