Arcadia: Breakheart and shelter trails

Breakheart Pond Arcadia

On a crisp mid November morning I decided not to go bike riding and instead hike one of my favorite trails: breakfast trail in Arcadia forest in Exeter Rhode Island. 

First let me warm you,  Arcadia is big! If it's small compared to parks in new Hampshire or Maine.  But one wrong turn, and you could be hiking a few more hours than you planned.

I parked at Breakheart pond which is located off ft 165. There are plenty of areas to park.  The trails are well marked. Breakheart has yellow blaze markings and shelter tall is white. Break heart pond has a nice dam and some interesting rock formations to check out.

Trails are well marked

Follow the yellow trail,  which is break heart,  around the pond and you will get on a small single track tail.  You might still see some mountain bikers on this trail, but it's mainly good for hiking. I know when I've mountain biked it, I had to dismount a few time because of the rocks. 

After about 3 miles on the yellow  tail,  you will see markings for the white trail which is called shelter trail and that is also clearly marked. Shelter trail will take you back to plain road which is a dirt road that you can easily take to 165. There is an interesting abandoned campground on shelter trail and be careful to stay on the white trail at this location. I found myself getting off the train a few times because it was not marked very well and the leaf litter made finding the trail difficult.

Overall Breakheart and shelter trails are very difficult to hike. They are well marked, not many steep climbs and not too rocky. These trails are good for trail running and average for mountain biking. If you are in Arcadia in the fall, make sure you wear orange! There re plenty of hunters! 

One of the many creeks

On Shelter trail (the white blazed trail), on top of a hill, there are the remains of an old campground. there are many run down cabins and this impressive fire place. 

You'r friendly trekker

Blue Pond Hopkinton RI

Yesterday 19 OCT2015 I ventured out to Blue Pond in Canonchet village, Hopkinton RI.

 Blue Pond used to be a local Victorian vacation spot where many people used to camp and fish in the late 1800 and early 1900s. Many of the old timers living in Hopkinton still talk about catching a weeks worth of fish back when Blue Pond was fully loaded and fully stocked.

Access to the pond area is off of Canonchet Road in Hopkinton. If you are heading from RT 95 and RT 3, take Canonchet Rd and go past Green Plastics. You will see Ashville pond on the left and a little further up there will be a parking area on the right. That is one of the entrances to Blue Pond. There is another entrance (that has a steel gate) that goes straight to the old earthen damn in between the parking area and Ashville pond.

Here is a link to the hiking paths in the area:
http://www.mdc.net/~dbrier/yawgoog/trails/img/long-ell-ponds.jpg

In 2009 the earthen damn failed due to the 3 days of heavy rain and flooded all of the Canonchet area. I went out to see the damage for myself a few years later. Much of the old roads were washed out and not suitable for mountain biking anymore. The terrain is very rocky, there are a few downed trees blocking the paths.

A shadow of what Blue Pond used to be. This pond was at least 10 times bigger! 

Notice the size of the earthen dam, It's at least 10 feet tall. 

When I got to the pond I was amazed to see the pond is now about a tenth of what it used to be! The only water left is on the north area. The level of the water is easily ten feet below the high mark of the damn.

This is where the dam failed. You can see the granite slabs at the bottom that was used to control
drainage. This trench is approx. 10 feet deep.

Blue Pond area is still beautiful. There is still plenty of hiking available and lots of water fowl. I do not recommend the area for mountain biking, but it is a good day hike.