Go Paddling:
ExploreRI has information on fresh and saltwater paddling in RI and the Narragansett Bay watershed, from the Blackstone to the Wood-Pawcatuck, to the Taunton River in Massachusetts! Here are some ways to find your next paddling destination and paddle safely:
Go for a Walk:
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ExploreRI has information about walking trails all across Rhode Island, from Newport to Glocester and Westerly to Little Compton. Whether you want a casual, easy walk for a sunny Saturday afternoon, or a more challenging day-long hike, there’s a trail here for you!
Paddle Across Rhode Island!
This June a small team of people led by RI Blueways’s Chuck Horbert will be making the first attempt in the modern age to paddle north to south across the state of Rhode Island using a primarily inland route. We’ll be posting updates about the trip here, and you can also follow the project on the Facebook page for the journey.
Schedule, Events and Route Map
Press Release on May 3, 2013
The Water is Still COLD!
Spring is here and summer is coming but please remember that the water warms up much more slowly than the air and so the water (especially in the ocean/bay but also in rivers, lakes and ponds) is still very cold. So, when heading out to go paddling please remember to wear clothing that will keep you warm even if you get wet (e.g, a wetsuit or drysuit or at a minimum wool or synthetics) and use extra caution, especially on the bay and on larger lakes and rivers, and always, always: Remember to wear your life jacket!
Hunting Season Reminder
Remember, in Rhode Island all users of state management areas and other designated undeveloped state parks must wear at least 200 square inches (e.g., a hat or vest) of solid daylight fluorescent orange clothing from the third Saturday in October to the last day of February and from the last Thursday in April to the last day in May, except during shotgun deer season (generally in December) when all users must wear 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange clothing (e.g., a hat AND a vest). For more details contact RI DEM or the park or management area you plan to visit.
Similar regulations apply in Massachusetts except that hunting is not permitted on Sunday so orange clothing is not required on Sundays. For more information contact the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife or the park or forest you plan to visit.
The original funding for the ExploreRI website was provided by the Rhode Island Rivers Council. The National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program helped launch the project and continues to provide important input and assistance. For information about the Rhode Island Blueways Alliance, which now leads this project, see the about us page.
National Geographic Names Rhode Island’s Blueways a “Best Adventure Destination for 2012”
Read the write-up on the National Georgraphic website and get out and paddle Rhode Island's Blueways! We have put off until next summer the led trips along the new water trails so stay tuned for more information in the spring.
20 New Paddling Trail Maps!
See the Water Trails page for 20 new paddle trail maps for paddling routes across Rhode Island! There are trips for all skill levels, all across the state, on rivers and lakes and salt ponds, all! These maps were created in partnership with ten watershed organizations across the state, with funding from the Rhode Island Foundation.
You can also see the water trail routes on our new mapping system, and then click on the routes to get the detailed water trail maps.