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• Entry: Off Route 165 west, take Escoheag Hill Street north for one mile to the trailhead by an outdated cabin.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.

John Kostrzewa, a former assistant managing editor/enterprise at The Windfall Journal, welcomes electronic mail at johnekostrzewa@gmal.com.