Rhode Island
Hike, don’t drive, to beautiful Stepstone Falls
- Entry: Off Route 165 west, take Escoheag Hill Street north for one mile to the trailhead by an outdated cabin.
- Parking: Accessible in lots.
- Canine: Allowed, however should be leashed.
- Issue: Reasonable, with some rocky ridges and stream crossings.
EXETER — Stepstone Falls, a collection of tumbling cascades over a terrace of flat, easy stones, is a formidable, distinctive function within the Arcadia Administration Space.
Each Rhode Islander ought to make a number of journeys to expertise the falls in numerous seasons. Within the spring, the Falls River gushes and crashes over the rocks, making a low rumble. However In dry summers, the water trickles quietly downstream over the stone steps.
However don’t simply drive down Falls River Street to the bridge simply above the falls — hike there. The journey might be as fascinating, academic and enjoyable because the vacation spot.
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Our son, Daniel, and I set out for the falls from Escoheag Hill Street by a small, boarded-up cabin constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) within the Thirties. We walked by a barred gate on Austin Farm Street and went a brief distance to the precise and down one other gravel lane that was lined with a stone drainage ditch. The channel was additionally constructed by younger CCC staff who stayed on the close by Escoheag Seaside Pond Camp.
The trail makes a loop, and on the far finish, a trailhead marks the beginning of the Escoheag Path. Escoheag is a Native American time period for “origin of three rivers.” We took the white-blazed path by some giant boulders and noticed on the precise the roofline of a shelter on a excessive outcropping. We took a aspect path to the stone-sided and floored pavilion, initially constructed by the CCC and restored in 2011 by the Rhode Island Trials Membership, a bike group. The shelter was as soon as a vacation spot within the Ledges Picnic Space, a preferred spot for weekend guests. However it appeared to be deserted, and we discovered little proof of any picnic tables or fireplaces.
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Again on the path, the trail runs down a ridge and throughout a number of small brooks, some with picket bridges and others requiring some hops throughout the rocks. The path winds by means of the hole below beech and oak bushes and over different streams earlier than crossing extra ridges.
Forest scarred by moth infestations and drought
At one level, the path runs alongside the bottom of low cliffs earlier than climbing to the highest of a ledge. The trail then crosses some flat floor earlier than reaching a ridgeline the place the oak bushes had been devastated in 2016 and 2017 by a spongy moth caterpillar infestation and drought. The Rhode Island Division of Environmental Administration has cleared a number of the useless bushes, however many stay.
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The path then runs down a hillside, passes an overgrown cemetery with small, unmarked gravestones and intersects with Barber Street. The Mount Tom Path breaks off to the precise, however we stayed straight on the white-blazed path that led us down a slope to a large, pine-needle lined path that merges with the blue-blazed North South Path. We adopted the trail to Austin Farm Street, took a proper and walked 100 yards to the Falls River, which flows southeast to the Wooden River. A bridge over the river has been rebuilt with horizontal metal beam helps, however the outdated stone helps are nonetheless seen below the bridge.
On the opposite aspect of the bridge is the Breakheart Path and Penny Hill to the northeast.
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A major location for trout fishing
We turned left earlier than the bridge to choose up the yellow-blazed Ben Utter Path, named for a pioneer of the state’s path community. The trail follows the river upstream and crosses a number of picket bridges over tributaries of the clear, fast-running river. From the financial institution, we famous many mini-waterfalls, some pure and a few artifical by inserting logs anchored by stones within the river.
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The work creates swimming pools under the small dams and supplies good spots for trout fishing. Anglers report catching rainbow, brook and brown trout there. I realized later that the DEM and the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Limitless are finding out the higher Wooden River Watershed to kind a plan to protect the native fish and determine habitat-improvement initiatives that will improve the world’s pristine ecology.
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As we walked, we additionally noticed the overgrown stays of an outdated grist mill on the left. Extra clues about how individuals made a dwelling alongside the river have been simply forward. We discovered an earthen dike that had been constructed to carry again water from a channel dug from the river. Under the impoundment, there’s a millrace that funneled water to a stone basis that after held a water wheel that ran a vertical sawmill. Water nonetheless seeped by means of the rocks that at the moment are lined with thick, inexperienced moss.
Hike’s star attraction: Stepstone Falls
Daniel and I continued on the path till reaching a fork. The yellow-blazed path went left, however we turned proper on the white-blazed River Path, which crossed a rocky and at occasions muddy part crossed by a number of streams. After a bit, we reached a large footbridge with railings that spanned the Falls River. Trying upstream, we may see Stepstone Falls. After the bridge, the trail turns left and follows the east aspect of the river by piles of giant granite blocks left from a quarrying operation, now lengthy deserted.
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We stopped at a low granite overlook to look at the river move downstream over Stepstone Falls. Some logs and branches had been carried downstream throughout excessive water seasons and caught on the rocks. I attempted to depend the variety of terraces that kind the waterfalls however misplaced monitor whereas listening to the boring roar of the falls. We walked to a bridge, crossed the river and walked down the west financial institution only a quick distance to a flat plateau of granite the place guests sit to look at the falls. Among the stones that kind the terraces appeared pure, however others seem to have been lower through the quarrying operation. There was additionally a rope swing that hung from an oak and will carry swimmers over a pool between the falls.
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After a break and a snack whereas sitting on the fringe of a waterfall, we headed again south on the yellow-blazed path however took a detour on the precise to climb stone steps uphill to a path to a different deserted picnic space. We noticed a shed that maybe lined a pumphouse, a stone water fountain, tables and fireplaces. There’s additionally a pavilion initially constructed by CCC staff and renovated by the Appalachian Mountain Membership. The construction has picket beam rafters and enormous fireplaces on every finish.
Previous the picnic space, one path runs right down to the river and retraces the yellow-blazed path to Austin Farm Street. We stayed straight, although, and walked south on what will need to have been the outdated street to the picnic floor. We reached Austin Farm Street, turned proper and walked up a steep grade and round a horseshoe bend to return to the gate the place we would parked.
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In all, we walked about six miles over three hours.
Stepstone Falls is a good reminiscence. However I’ll recall the hike to get there as a lot as the swift-running water tumbling down the stone steps.
Path Tip
Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Consciousness and Preservation Week options dozens of free excursions, clean-ups, headstone conservation demonstrations, open homes and academic packages all through the state. For extra info, go to: preservation.ri.gov/ricw-calendar.
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John Kostrzewa, a former assistant managing editor/enterprise at The Windfall Journal, welcomes electronic mail at johnekostrzewa@gmal.com.
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Rhode Island
Cost of living in RI, Biden’s ballots, golf courses worth the drive: Top stories this week
Taking a tour of the historic Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Dennis Tardiff, captain and chairman of Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, leads a tour of the historic Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Here are some of The Providence Journal’s most-read stories for the week of July 21, supported by your subscriptions.
• It doesn’t get more Rhode Island than a tour of a lighthouse, except maybe if you brought along a Del’s. While some of the state’s lighthouses have been accessible for years, the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse – after years of renovations – is now open to view. The Journal’s Antonia Noori Farza recently toured the site and talked with the volunteers who made it happen.
• We finally got a break from the heat and humidity this week even if it meant a couple of gray days – apologies if you were on vacation – were in the mix. If you’ve grown tired of summer temperatures and are dreaming about sweater weather and pumpkin spice the Old Farmer’s Almanac says you might get some relief this fall.
• For the latest sports news, including The Providence Journal’s coverage of the Little League championships in softball and baseball as well as the latest in high school sports go to providencejournal.com/sports.
Here are the week’s top reads on providencejournal.com:
How expensive is it to live in Rhode Island?
How expensive is it to live in Rhode Island?
According to a new Forbes.com report, it’s really expensive and it’s housing costs – both mortgages and rent – driving up the cost of living in the state.
Forbes looked at several data sources to see how every state ranked in various measures ranging from cost of living to income taxes. Still, in Rhode Island, a lack of housing supply proved to be costly as rent and the cost to buy a house keep going up.
The good news? It is not as expensive as one of our neighbors.
Cost of living: Forbes pegs RI as one of the most expensive states to live in. Here’s what is driving that ranking.
Rhode Islanders who have a Rhode Island Energy account for electricity or natural gas will notice a slew of changes starting Aug. 19, the most noticeable of which will be that their bill will look different.
In addition to a different looking bill, RI Energy will have a redesigned website, a new bill-processing system and a single phone number to reach the company’s new 300-person customer service center in Cumberland.
Customers will also be able to send a text to alert the company about an electrical outage.
Here’s why these changes are happening.
Electricity: Big changes are coming for RI Energy account holders. Here’s what to know.
This headline is going to make some people laugh, but they don’t live here. They’re not like us.
If you’re from out of state and happen upon this, these golf courses are not out of the way. They’re actually all very convenient to get to compared to what you’re used to.
But if you’re from Rhode Island, the idea of playing one of these spots might give you a second thought. Only in the Ocean State is a spot that is not directly off the highway or takes more than 40 total minutes of driving considered “out of the way.” It’s a stereotype, but it’s a stereotype for a reason.
So who made the list? The Journa’s Eric Rueb has played all these courses at one point or another — including two recently — and can tell you, without a doubt these are the five courses that are worth the drive.
Golf: Ready for a road trip? Here are five out-of-the-way golf courses in RI you need to play
If you want to build a granny flat, a carriage house or an accessory dwelling unit here, what are the rules?
After a new state law passed legalizing what’s known as ADUs statewide, there are fewer rules than than city leaders would like.
“It put us in a bit of a tricky situation, as it didn’t give us any time to revise local ordinances,” Providence Deputy Planning Director Bob Azar said. “We will have to evaluate new applications based on what’s in state law.”
Providence is trying to craft an ordinance that still complies with the state law and will put some strictures and limits on accessory dwelling units. Here’s the plan.
Housing: With granny flats now legal, Providence looks to pass restrictions. Here’s what the city wants.
The biggest news of the week was President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race for president.
The decision does raise the question for Rhode Islanders: Who will replace him on the ballot?
Biden quickly endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee.
LeeAnn Byrne, chief of staff to Secretary of State Gregg Amore, said ballots have not yet been created in Rhode Island.
“September 12th is the deadline for each national party to certify to the RI Department of State Elections Division the names of individuals nominated as the party’s candidates for president and vice president,” Byrne said. “Federal law requires us to send ballots to military and overseas voters 45 days before the election, so those ballots are finalized well in advance of Election Day. Once those ballots are printed and sent to military and overseas voters, we would be unable to change the ballot.”
Election 2024: What happens to ballots in Rhode Island now that Biden has dropped out of the race?
To read the full stories, go to providencejournal.com. Find out how to subscribe here.
Rhode Island
Oregon wildfire explodes to half the size of Rhode Island
By Rich McKay
(Reuters) -Winds and lightning strikes have sparked and fanned wildfires across the Pacific Northwest this week, including the largest fire currently burning in the U.S., which was rapidly expanding near the Oregon-Idaho border on Friday.
The Durkee Fire near Huntington, Oregon, has scorched 600 square miles (1,600 square km), an area more than half the size of Rhode Island’s land mass, authorities said. It is threatening several towns.
The blaze was set off by lightning on July 17, and wind gusts up to 60 mph (100 kph) drove the flames across brush, timberland and ranches, killing hundreds of cattle. The fire was only 20% contained on Friday, officials said.
While there is zero chance of rain through next week, winds have dropped and cooler air is in store, said meteorologist Marc Chenard of the National Weather Service.
“Hopefully it gives firefighters a break,” he said.
As of Thursday, wildfires this year have burned almost 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) in Oregon and 125,900 acres in Washington, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland, Oregon.
In 2020, the worst year in recent memory, Oregon wildfires scorched more than 1.14 million acres, according to a tally by CBS TV affiliate KOIN.
In California, the Park Fire, believed to have been started by an arsonist, has forced the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents in Butte County, about 100 miles northeast of Sacramento.
A suspect was arrested on Thursday, accused of pushing a burning car down a bone-dry gully.
The fire grew uncontrolled overnight from 125,000 acres on Thursday to 178,090 acres on Friday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than a hundred buildings had been damaged or destroyed.
“The biggest challenge with this fire is getting to it,” said Fire Captain Dan Collins. “It’s steep land with almost no roads. It’s hard to get our people and equipment to the fire lines.”
More than 1,600 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze, CalFire said.
Forecasters warned that winds would reach 30 miles mph (50 kph) on Friday and through the weekend. Combined with low humidity, it is a recipe for rapid growth, officials said.
Smoke from fires in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest have brought hazy skies and unhealthy air from the Rocky Mountains to Minneapolis and as far east as Detroit, weather reports said.
Denver had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Friday and ranked the 30th worst in the world, according to IQAir, a group that tracks air pollution across the globe.
Much of the smoke coming into the Central and Eastern U.S. comes from a raging wildfire in the mountainous Jasper National Park in the Canadian province of Alberta.
The park and the town of Jasper, which draws more than 2 million tourists a year, were evacuated on Monday, displacing 10,000 residents and 15,000 park visitors. As much as half of the structures in the town could be damaged or destroyed, officials said, as the blaze burned more than 89,000 acres as of late Thursday.
Videos posted on social media show entire streets leveled by the blazes in the Alberta province, with scorched trees, charred metal skeletons of cars, and nothing but rubble where homes and businesses had stood.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Rod Nickel, Sandra Maler and William Mallard)
Rhode Island
EG's RIM Best of Rhode Island Winners
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