Scenic Walks in Scituate

The following two sites have been preserved by the Town with assistance from the Land Trust and the Conservation Commission.

 Lawton Farm

 Access:  From Scituate Avenue (RI 12) head south on Seven Mile Road 6/10 mile to the Lawton Farm entrance sign on the west side of the road.  Follow entrance road to the end for parking.

 Hiking time:  30 to 45 minutes                 Distance:  ¾ to 1 mile

 Route:  From the parking lot head northerly 100 feet to a break in the brush.  Follow marked path downhill approximately 750 feet to a small stream.  Cross stream and head west about 700 feet along south edge of field.  As you approach the edge of a woodland, turn right and follow trail along westerly edge of field.  Keep an eye out for some nice American beech trees on your left.  You will walk gradually uphill for about 700 feet.  At northwesterly edge of field turn right and walk along northerly edge of field.  You will walk past an old stone wall and some nice Eastern red cedar trees.  Follow path as it bears right and downhill.  You will come back to the small stream you crossed at the beginning of your walk.  Turn left and follow the path up a gradual hill to the parking lot.

 Please Note:  The woodland to the west of the field is owned by the City of Providence Water Supply Board and is therefore off-limits to the public.

 Features:  Field habitat, American beech, Red cedar, small stream, variety of songbirds.

 Westconnaug Meadows

 Access:  RI 102 to Clayville.  In Clayville, turn onto Field Hill Road.  Follow Field Hill Road to George Washington Highway.  Clayville Elementary School is on the right.  Turn right onto George Washington Highway and continue for ½ mile.  The parking lot is on the left in front of the baseball field.

 Hiking Time:  45 min. to 1 hour                              Distance:  1 to 1.25 miles

 Route:  Start at the north end of parking lot.  Cross over the stone wall and into the woodland.  Head northerly about 250 feet and turn right.  Note old field white pine and gray birch, signs that this area was cleared at one point.  Head gradually uphill.  Note that tree species change to mixed upland oaks as the site gets drier.  Go about 1100 feet to fork in path.  Follow left fork and head down a short hill.  As you walk, note small piles of stones and scattered American chestnut sprouts.  After about 1800 feet, you will come to a small scenic overlook that looks down on the headwaters of a small stream that runs to the Scituate Reservoir.  You will follow along this small ridge for a while.  Note some nice Red oak and hickory trees in the ravine to your left.   You will pass by an occasional glacial erratic boulder left behind by the glaciers.  Follow marked route back to the first fork in the path.  Turn left and follow path back to the parking lot.

 Features:  Red maple swamp, American chestnut, old field species, glacial boulders, Woodland that is the result of the impact of agriculture, overcutting, fire, and land abandonment.

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