Frenchtown Park, East Greenwich

Friday, July 17

July is Scout Camp and this year was no different. I intended on spending my time better than in years past, so I planned on taking a hike around Yawgoog Pond and becoming Wilderness First Aid certified. I found no time for the former, so no hike to report there. As far as the second is concerned, I am now certified to apply first aid, provided I drag the victim into the wilderness first.

I asked a co-worker where I should hike this Friday. He told me of a property owned by the East Greenwich Land Trust. Despite being assured to the contrary, I had low expectations for this hike. A fairly small piece of land, broken up by housing developments. I didn't expect to be able to spend more than a half hour looking around. Happily, I was wrong.

Frenchtown Park is on Frenchtown Road, west of route 2. There is parking behind a building that appears to have been an elementary school in a previous life. Here is a shot of the trail map I SHOULD have taken BEFORE the hike so I could refer to it. I thought I got more of the map. There is another wide area North of what the photo shows. The narrow part it between two housing developments. I stepped on the trail at 3:15.

You start south of the beautiful mill pond and walk over two dams. I went east to view the ruins of former mill buildings that are popular with people who drink "Natural Light" and enjoy burning trash. I lingered for a while and crossed the stream. There are a lot of side trails here, many of which lead nowhere.

I headed back to the pond then continued west on a wide and flat trail that lead out of the forest. Doubling back, I walked north to see the other half of the property. At this point I was very close to private property. Unfortunately, water soon made the way impassable to me and my work sneakers, so I turned around.

I dawdled on some side trails. I didn't have any difficulty judging my location. Using the streams, the mill pond, and the forest road as landmarks, I was always certain of my position. I helps that I was carrying my work Blackberry which has Google Maps.

Back at the dam I turned onto another side trail to kill more time. Here I found this little friend making haste. It's quite difficult to take a clear photo of a fast moving beetle while holding a cell phone camera. This is about the best possible.

Back to the dam I ran into the first people I saw, two boys on bicycles. I soon saw more walkers. It was 4:30 when I got to my car.

It was cool to see the mill ruins and rivers always make hikes more interesting. I sent a couple photos to my co-worker, but he didn't reply. I'll find out Monday if he got them. Next weekend I go to the White Mountains. Can't wait.