Melville Pond Nature Preserve 2

Melville Pond Nature Preserve
Portsmouth, RI 02871
General Info-401-683-3255, Campground-401-849-8212

[Preserve, Habitat, and Access] [Trail Description] [Trail Map]

Trail Description

Melville Pond Nature Preserve has three marked trails, numerous side trails, walking access to Narragansett Bay and another trail planned, all totaling over 4 miles. Grassy and semipaved access roads are also present on the preserve, allowing walkers to mix up their trail choices and extend their walks. A path is also present along a bordering fence. There may be wet spots at certain times of year, so appropriate footgear is advised. Thorny bushes may be found on parts of all trails and, in July and August, mosquitoes and ticks may be present. Be on the lookout for Poison Ivy. It has been found at the extreme western extent of the blue trail, near the water. Although the trails can be traveled in either direction, the following descriptions assume a clockwise travel. All trails start at the bulletin board at the end of the road from the parking lot. Enjoy !!

Orange Trail
The orange trail is easy walking, except for a small wet spot and is about 0.6 miles. It takes you through a mature pine forest where the carpet of pine needles prevents much of the underbrush growth found elsewhere. An 1870s map shows this as the property of J. C. Mott and there are foundation remains up the hill to the east. The Navy planted the pine trees, probably in the early 1950's as a water conservation measure. At the bulletin board, take a right, easterly, up the slightly inclining semipaved road for about 0.2 miles to the second trail marker sign on the right. Turn right and follow the orange colored trail blazes. After about 1/4 mile, you will re-emerge on the semipaved road. A left turn will take you back to the bulletin board.

Yellow Trail
The yellow trail starts at the bulletin board at the end of the road from the parking lot and provides an approximate one-half mile loop. This trail was formerly marked with orange markers and many remain. Crossing the stream, on a new bridge, go left and pass the next-to-last of the Melville Ponds on your right. The yellow trail passes over another new bridge at the downstream end of this pond. It is believed that the dam here was one of many constructed by WPA and later used during WWII as part of the navy's reservoir system. Go straight for 0.1 mile, to the grassy access road. A small concrete pylon in the underbrush marks this spot. This road provides a power line right of way. Turn right onto the grassy access road and continue walking uphill for about 150 yards. Look for the path on the right. This one is a little harder to find. Follow it to yet another new bridge. Note that the stream under this bridge flows between stoned banks, probably also the work of WPA. Before crossing this bridge, you may want to take a sidetrip to the right around the little pond and pass near an abandoned standpipe. It was also part of the reservoir system. After crossing this bridge, you will find yourself recrossing the first bridge and soon back at the bulletin board.

Blue Trail
The blue trail, the oldest of the trails, was originally laid out as a Boy Scout project around 1980 and has served fishermen for decades. It also starts at the bulletin board and is intended as a loop that meanders all around Melville Lower Pond. This trail is about 0.7 miles and includes: up hill, down hill, rocks and a stepping stone ford, as well as scenic views of the water falls and the pond. From the bulletin board, follow the road to the left (west) until you reach a locked gate. Make a right and following the fence line, you will see the blue blazes for the blue trail. Follow the blazes to the left and around the pond. Poison Ivy has been found at the extreme western extent as the trail turns north away from the fence. Minimize your exposure by using the upper path, away from the water. At the spillway end of the pond, you will find the stepping stone ford. After heavy rains, this may be slippery and wet and extreme caution is advised. If it appears at all dangerous, do an about face and retrace your steps back to the bulletin board and approach the remainder of the blue trail from the opposite direction. (When finished, the red trail will provide a safe bypass for the stepping stone ford.) If passage is considered safe, proceed across, up the steps and turn right. In several places at this point on the blue trail, there are turnoffs to the left to bring you to the grassy access road. If you wish, you may take one of these and then turn right on the grassy access road, and return to the bulletin board via the yellow trail. Otherwise, continue on the blue trail, along the pond and by the waterfall, to where it joins the yellow trail and back to the bulletin board.

Red Trail
Coming Soon! A trail is planned which will branch left (west) from the blue trail just south of the spillway and follow west along the outfall brook from Melville Lower Pond. After a right turn onto an abandoned roadway, it crosses over the brook. Then, after a right turn onto the grassy access road and then, after still another another right turn, it rejoins the blue trail on the north side of the spillway. Total distance, 0.3 miles.

Trail To Narragansett Bay
The round trip distance to the bay is about 1 mile. From the bulletin board, follow the yellow trail directions to the grassy access road and take a left onto the grassy access road. The road gently meanders down to the bay, which you can see in the distance. At the end of the grassy access road, a path wends to the left, where, at its end, you can see 8 foot high cattails growing on the left. Also at the end of the Grassy access road is a path which crosses railroad tracks and leads steeply down over riprap to the water's edge of Narragansett Bay. The rail line is used for a tourist railroad but is not heavily traveled. The top speed allowed for the train is 10 MPH, allowing you to see it in plenty of time.