Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk Difficulty: Easy Distance: 5 miles
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge is an easy first foray into the great outdoors. It’s managed by the Audubon Society of RI, which is responsible for the preservation of roughly 9,500 acres across RI and MA.
Once you arrive at the easy-to-find parking area, stop by the large white barn. Inside the office you’ll find trail maps and a list of activities permitted on the refuge: hiking, photography, nature study, snowshoeing, bird watching and cross-country skiing. Pets aren’t allowed, neither are jogging, picnicking or camping. The red trail is short and sweet, taking about 20 minutes to complete. It runs along field edges and peeks into forested areas. Both the blue and yellow trails take a bit longer, an hour each, and give you an opportunity to fully explore the forested and wetland habitats.
Open sunrise to sunset, the trails are well marked and relatively level, there are even guided walks throughout the year. They wind through fields, wetlands and forests. Because it’s a refuge in the truest sense of the word, it’s a place to seek serenity and enjoy the preserved open space. Staying on marked trails ensures the refuge remains intact for its wildlife inhabitants. In the summer, birds nest throughout the property, and in the fall more migrate through on their way down south.
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