24 - 25. UP NORTH / DOWN SOUTH


A couple of easy 1-2 hour loops in the Carolina Management Area in southern RI. Wear orange from October through the end of February as hunting is allowed in this area.

Checked box - OK 18 April 2011

Carolina Management Area is located on both sides of Pine Hill Road, south of Hope Valley and Wyoming, RI and north of Wood River Junction and Carolina, RI. The main hunters' parking lot can be reached by driving on Pine Hill Rd 0.7 mile east from Hope Valley Rd / Switch Rd. (north of Chariho Regional High School) or 1.6 miles west from Richmond Town House Rd (Rt. 112) just north of the "octagon house". The parking lot is on the south side of the road, along with a red DEM building, an old outhouse, and a small cemetery.

A. Carolina - North.

From the main parking lot, head west on Pine Hill Rd., crossing Meadow Brook, and turning north on dirt Meadowbrook Trail. If you need to make a shorter loop, you may drive up this dirt road about 3/4 mile, following the North - South Trail markers. Almost immediately after the log barrier, bear left on the unmarked Jerue Trail, while the N/S Trail arrows point right. Just past where the Gardiner Trail branches right and where you will notice one of several aberrant N/S Trail markers, there is a convergence of stone walls, also on your right. Continuing to the "T" junction, turn left (SW) onto the Habrek Trail and follow this path gently downhill, passing a 10ft boulder on you right. When you see the remains of a large foundation on your right, head off trail to its southern corner, then take 15 steps along the western side of the eastern wall of the enclosure to the highest remaining stone and sift through the leaves in the cranny below. Then continue just a short distance to the next junction and turn left uphill on the unmarked Shippee Trail. If you are doing the shorter loop, bear left onto the Essex Trail and then turn left on Meadowbrook Trail following it back to your car at the log barrier. If you are doing the longer loop, turn right at the Essex junction, then bear left onto unmarked Duprey Trail for a pleasant, easy-going mile to Pine Hill Rd., on which you briefly walk east back to the main parking lot.

B. Carolina - South.

Relocated June 5, 2002 due to poison ivy encroaching on old location.

From the main parking lot, bear left (SE) past the outhouse and then keep heading south along the old gravelly road, passing several wildlife clearings and side trails. After a little over a mile, turn left at the "T" junction, keeping a line of pines on your right through which you can see an open field beyond. Just before entering that field, bear left at the fork, heading generally east along the edge of a larger field, passing an old tumble-down barn, until you reach the North - South Trail opening with its blue markers. Go NE gently down this pine needle covered path, passing a canoe camp on this upper part of the Pawcatuck River reached via a short unmarked spur trail to the east. Soon the blue blazes curve N, NW, and W to take you to the white picket fence of the Kenyon cemetery on your right. Directly opposite perpendicular to the trail is a stonewall. Look behind a trap door located five or six steps along the east side of this wall. Then continue along the main path to the next junction. From here you have about a mile to go, whether you bear left on the grassy path and then right on the gravelly road you started in on, or continue on the N/S Trail to paved Pine Hill Road and then walk west back to your car.

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