Big River Management Area

Friday, June 26, 2009

Big River is over 8000 acres of forest and wetlands, mostly in West Greenwich. I was completely unfamiliar with it, largely because the guidebooks I use don't mention it. I saw it on my Greenways map then picked up the Great Swamp Press map. Apparently, many years ago, the state decided to condemn the land to built a reservoir. Some 200 houses once existed there. That reservoir was never created and instead we got ourselves a nature area.

I set foot on the property a couple weeks ago but haven't found time to hike it until today. I had driven by a parking area in the eastern side near Tarbox Pond, but today decided to park on Congdon road. I was a little put off by the No Parking sign, but decided that they just didn't want me parking by the river near a pipe. With the exception of water, my pack was ready to go. I started following Sweet Sawmill Road, picking my way to Sweet Pond. It was 3:10 pm.

Many trails are former roads from when this was a neighborhood. The map also shows many side trails. What the map does not show are the many, many other side trails, some of which go nowhere. Mapping them all would be futile and make the map even more busy than it already is. Much of Big River is mature white pine. There were the usual oaks, maples, beech, and birch you see most places, but pines dominate the landscape.

The forecast called for thunderstorms, but the skies were clear and it was hot. Coming from work, I was wearing blue jeans. Shorts would have been in order, but I didn't think of packing a change of pants. I had deet in my pack, but I made the decision not to use it. Perhaps I should have. The bugs were bad. When I sweat up, and boy did I sweat up, large flies were dive-bombed my head.

I found a Eastern Ribbon Snake on the way that seemed to want to be photographed. Of course I obliged. At the pond I banged a left and came upon an old cemetery. Someone had been by not too long ago to leave plastic flowers and American flags by some of the stones. I couldn't read any of them.

The path was well worn with the signs of mountain bike tracks. It appears as if there was some sort of race there in the recent past. There are arrows nailed to trees pointing the way. The area is off limits to ATV traffic and there was a sign saying so at the parking area. Clearly it went unheeded as I saw some ATV tracks as well, some with serious tread on them.

I didn't see a single person on my walk, but I certainly saw evidence. Trash everywhere. Shotgun shells, snickers, beer cans, and the leftovers from a trash fire. I kept an ear out for gunshots. On the first sign, my legal orange would have gone on and I would have picked the fastest path out of there. I don't recall if hunting was allowed, but clearly that point is irrelevant.

I followed Burnt Sawmill back to Sweet Sawmill and started back for my car. Then an 'aw what the hell' feeling came over me and I doubled back to continue on Burnt where it crossed Sweet. Here I found less small trash, but more large trash.

The truck is not native to the New England mixed forest. I don't know if you can tell, but that light bulb is huge. It could not have been there very long.

I heard the call of birds above me. At first I thought they were crows, but saw them and knew they were hawks. They were clearly angry, maybe at me. They continued circling around. I didn't think I could get a shot of them, but they persisted. So I pulled my phone out, put it into video mode, and they were gone. Go figure.

I took another side trip to an unnamed pond. There were side trails away but the map did not show them, and I was eager to get back to the car. I was hearing rumbling from the North. I got to my car, happy to be in air conditioning and away from the bugs. it was 5:30.