The Grills Preserve is a 544-acre property in Bradford, Rhode Island, and is the largest park the Westerly Land Trust maintains. It’s only minutes from downtown Westerly and features about 2.5 miles of frontage along the Pawcatuck River, meandering through some of the region’s most beautiful woodlands along the way.
This preserve has a significant amount of history, as it was inhabited by the Narragansett Tribe for centuries. In 1632, the Pequot Tribe took the land during the Battle of Mystic before the Eastern Niantics and Narragansetts retook the area in 1637.
In 1660, a private company from Newport purchased the entire region in what is now known as the Misquamicut Purchase. Newport resident Edward Larkin then bought a 1,800-acre plot of land, including the present-day Grills Preserve, and turned it into a farm. The foundations of the original farmhouse and barn from the 1660s remain in the park today.
The land passed from family to family throughout the 1700s and 1800s, even becoming a mill and hosting a baseball team at one point. It was also broken down into smaller plots, the largest of which was eventually owned by the Grills family.
The Grills family sold the property to the Westerly Land Trust in 2003, and the organization purchased more parcels in the following years when creating the preserve.
Today, the Grills Preserve is one of South County’s top hiking areas and well worth your time on your next vacation to the region. Here’s a look at what it’s like to hike through this scenic park in Bradford, RI.
Where to Park
Despite being such a large preserve, you won’t find much parking at this location. However, there is a dirt lot at the end of Bowling Lane in downtown Bradford that’s free to use.
There isn’t much signage directing you toward the parking lot, but if you follow Bowling Lane through a residential neighborhood, you’ll eventually get there.
Trails to Explore
After parking, you’re only seconds to the first hiking trail at the Grills Preserve. This first option is the Orange Trail, which is 1.5 miles long and loops through a forest and Douglas Park. There’s a hunting blind in this part of the preserve, so make sure you wear bright colors during hunting season.
The Orange Trail connects to the Blue Trail, perhaps the preserve’s most popular section. Once you get on the Blue Trail, you’ll follow it along the banks of the Pawcatuck River and onto Kedinker Island. This island is an excellent spot to do some wildlife watching and is full of little brooks and inlets to explore.
After exiting the island, but still on the Blue Trail, you’ll reach the Polly Coons Bridge. Crossing the bridge takes you to Tomaquag Trail, which is part of the Hopkinton Grills Sanctuary.
If you don’t cross the bridge and continue on the Blue Trail, you’ll reach the Yellow Trail. This trail stretches along the river and through some woods, allowing you to extend your hike. It’s a 2.3-mile loop, so you can walk a fair distance if you’re enjoying your time in the area.
You don’t have to exit the Blue Trail when it intersects with the Yellow Trail, though, because it continues to meet up with the Red Trail. This trail is popular because you can take it to Big Hill, a scenic lookout with views of the preserve and beyond. You can also wander a short distance off the trail to see the foundation of the Larkin farmhouse.
After climbing and descending the hill, you can follow the Red Trail back to the Blue Trail, which will bring you to a historic cemetery before meeting back up with the Orange Trail and taking you to your vehicle.
Overall, this preserve has over six miles of trails, and there’s even more to explore if you cross the Polly Coons Bridge, so you can spend an entire day getting to know this beautiful piece of Rhode Island history.
Your Day in the Woods
The Grills Preserve doesn’t get overly busy because it’s away from most of South County’s tourist spots, making it the ideal place to escape for a few hours. Getting to this park will take some effort, but it allows you to see a historic section of the state that remains one of its most beautiful locations.
Take the time to visit the Grills Preserve or one of the other secluded hiking areas in South County to truly make the most of your Rhode Island vacation.