Walking

We took a pleasant hike through part of Durfee Hill in early March. The (unpaved) road we walked on was easy to follow, even with a bit of snow on the ground. It's not necessarily the easiest walk, but the area is certainly quiet and peaceful. The only interesting thing we saw was a man-made waterfall, though apparently there's a good place to go rock climbing somewhere inside Durfee as well. All in all a good place to go for a hike in the woods.

According to the maps I've seen (here and here) there are apparently four or five separate areas that comprise Durfee Hill. We were clearly in the largest section; I look forward to exploring the others.

Official Description (from location's homepage)
Two distinct forest types - old and young - tell the story of this land. Large oaks, tulip poplar, and white pine that have stood for several generations speak of the past. Other areas of the preserve were more recently cleared for agricultural use, causing a young forest of mixed hardwoods and evergreens to spring up. Streams and wetlands are scattered through the forests. In places the terrain is steep and rocky, and the downslopes are littered with large boulders, so wear sturdy hiking boots. Use caution and wear orange if walking the preserve during hunting season. Some hunting activity has occurred in recent years even though The Nature Conservancy prohibits hunting on this preserve

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.

Official Description (from location's homepage)
Situated at the mouth of the Newport Harbor, Fort Adams State Park offers an exceptional panoramic view of both Newport Harbor and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. The park offers a wide range of activities including salt water bathing, fishing, boating, soccer, rugby, and picnicking. Fort Adams is perhaps best known for its annual summer concerts when the JVC Jazz Festival-Newport, and the Apple & Eve Newport Folk Festival draw thousands to enjoy the music and beautiful surroundings.

The Colt State Park homepage calls it "the gem of the state parks system". One look around and it's easy to see why - thereis ample parking, spacious picnic and play areas, it's on the water, there are good clean bathrooms... everything you could ask for in a place to spend an outdoor afternoon. I will say that I think it's hard to "hike" here - I think "walking" is a much better description - but it's a fabulous place to do that, as the roads run along the water's edge.

All in all a wonderful place to have a family picnic, play catch or just go for a walk.