The Story of the Yawgoog Trails
Seven Pond Path - Part II
Back: Seven Pond Path - Part I
The hike soon leaves Canonchet Road by heading right (east) on a dirt road at a gate. The road winds its way to the southern end of Blue Pond, the sixth on the route; the dam, which is just to the right (east).
Panoramic view of Blue Pond from the dam, before the dam failed
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Panoramic view of Blue Pond from the dam, after the dam failed
Postcard of Blue Pond from the southern end
(Cambridge: Colourpicture, [circa 1938])
When the dam failed on March 30, 2010, there were no injuries, but a significant amount of damage was done, as told by The Providence Journal:
Strained by that day's record rainfall, the earthen dam gave way at the top. The waters of Blue Pond sliced through it like a knife cutting cake, unleashing an estimated 179 million gallons of water -- 2.3 million cubic feet -- on a rampage through Hopkinton.
The blast of water hurtled through the woods, destroying about 2,000 feet of a local road that led to the pond. Hopkinton Public Works Director Douglas R. Reese said it took about 500 tons of gravel to get it back to where it could support emergency vehicles. It washed out the small bridge that carried Route 3 over Canonchet Brook, a loss that forced state Department of Transportation officials to use Route 95 between Exits 1 and 2 as a detour.
Farther downstream, water blew out culverts and flood control structures near the Lindhbrook Country Club, Reese said, before flowing through Woodville and hitting the Wood River, where it swamped two bridges and left one, the Woodville Road Bridge, impassable.
Reese said the Wood River sent what had been Blue Pond down to the Pawcatuck River and into Chapman Pond, possibly contributing to the surge that flooded Chapman Pond so much that it closed parts of Route 91.
"Every piece of road damage was because of it," Reese said of the effect the dam break had in town. "Twelve feet of water just disappeared overnight. This would have been spectacular to see." (Hill and Reynolds)
Although submerged for more than a century, tree stumps can still be seen in the exposed bed of the pond.
From the dam, the unmarked road turns left (northwest) and becomes a faint and lightly-used footpath. Hikers can carefully follow the western shore of the pond until the path reaches another dirt road. Turn right (east) onto the road and head toward the stone and concrete foundation of a former cabin. A corner of the foundation has long space that used to have a metal door that could be barred and locked. Perhaps this was a safe used to store hunting rifles or fishing poles.
A safe in the foundation?
A path leads northeastward from the foundation to another view of the pond from a large rock that juts into it.
Panoramic view of Blue Pond from the cabin site, before the dam failed
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Panoramicview of Blue Pond from the cabin site, after the dam failed
Another postcard of Blue Pond
(Cambridge: Colourpicture, [circa 1944])
The hike returns to the foundation and takes the second dirt road west to Canonchet Road. Turn right (west) onto Canonchet Road, again walking single-file on the left side of the road, facing oncoming traffic. Hikers will soon pass the parking space for the Long Pond fishing area, which was visited earlier on the Narragansett Trail. Canonchet Road climbs Bellyache Hill (as named in the RISPB map), passes Berrie Lane, and reaches an intersection with North Road; turn left (southwest) onto North Road. As a short side-trip, travellers may head right (northeast) from the intersection on Canonchet Road briefly and turn right (east) to the Rockville Cemetery. Josiah P. Palmer, a member of the Rhode Island house of representatives, and his family are buried there. The Palmers were the previous owners of much of what is now Yawgoog.
While walking along North Road a view of Wincheck Pond, the seventh pond of the journey, will be seen. The view looks northward from the end of a cove; on the opposite shore are private residences on Camp Yawgoog Road.
View of Wincheck Pond from North Road
At a horse farm along the way, a whimsical metal sculpture can be seen in a wishing well.
A sculpture lurks in a wishing well
A second view of Wincheck Pond can be seen from another cove off North Road, now a dirt road. The view looks northwestward to Long Cove in Yawgoog. At the end of Long Cove is the dam on Yawgoog Pond, where the hike will eventually end.
Another view of Wincheck Pond from North Road
The route continues southeastward on North Road. It passes the parking area for Long and Ell ponds, and retraces the way back to the Reservation on the Red Trail (see its full description for more detail). The Red Trail will be taken all the way to its end at the Three Point dining hall, taking in more views of Wincheck Pond at Eagles Roost and the nearby campsite.
Note: Horses are prohibited in Camp Yawgoog (land north and west of North Road). If horse riders, hoof prints or feces are observed on trails, please contact Narragansett Council. A sign noting the prohibition of horseback riding and other activities is posted on the trail to North Road; please notify the Council if the sign is missing. More information is available.
Driving Directions to Ashville Pond Area from Yawgoog: Turn right (southeast) at the intersection of Route 138 (Spring Street) and Camp Yawgoog Road and immediately veer right (southeast) onto Wincheck Pond Road, until it ends at Canonchet Road (less than 0.25 mile/0.4 kilometer). Turn right (south) onto Canonchet Road for 0.4 mile (0.6 kilometer) and, at the intersection with North Road, veer left (south) with Canonchet Road. In 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) the parking lot for the Long Pond fishing area (on the Narragansett Trail) will be reached on the right (west). The parking area for the Blue Pond fishing area will be to the left (northeast) in another 0.3 mile (0.5 kilometer); a gated road to Blue Pond will be to the left (east) in another 0.4 mile (0.7 kilometer). In less than 0.25 mile (0.4 kilometer) the Ashville Pond fishing area will be to the right (west). After another 0.2 mile (0.3 kilometer), turn right (west) onto Stubtown Road. In just under 0.5 mile (0.7 kilometer), turn right (northeast) into the parking lot of the former swimming area of Ashville Pond; the western terminus of the Narragansett Trail is here.
Driving Directions to Ashville Pond Area from Interstate 95: Take Exit 2 to Route 3 South (Main Street) via Woodville Alton Road. Turn left onto Route 3 for 0.5 mile (0.9 kilometer), then turn right (northwest) onto Canonchet Road. Follow Canonchet Road for 1 mile (1.7 kilometer) and turn left (west) onto Stubtown Road. In just under 0.5 mile (0.7 kilometer), turn right (northeast) into the parking lot of the former swimming area of Ashville Pond; the western terminus of the Narragansett Trail is here. Back at the intersection of Stubtown and Canonchet roads, follow Canonchet Road north for 0.2 mile (0.3 kilometer) to the Ashville Pond fishing area, which will be to the left (west). A gated road to Blue Pond will be to the right (east) in less than 0.25 mile (0.4 kilometer). The parking lot for the Blue Pond fishing area will follow on the right (northeast) in another 0.4 mile (0.7 kilometer). The parking lot for the Long Pond fishing area (on the Narragansett Trail) follows on the left (west) in 0.3 mile (0.5 kilometer).
Trail-related Links
- Map: Long and Ell Ponds Area (JPG)
- Ell Pond Preserve
The Nature Conservancy's portion of the area. - Long Pond Woods
The portion owned by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. The Society offers Scouting programs. - Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Park and Management Area Regulations (PDF)
- Wildlife Management Area Maps (Arcadia, Rockville, etc.)
- Camping and Hiking in Black Bear Country
Important safety tips from The American Bear Association. Black bears have been seen in Connecticut and Rhode Island. - Images from the Appalachian Mountain Club, taken March 31, 1940.
- Long Pond
- Part of Ell Pond, with part of Long Pond in the distance. Note the clear view of Ell Pond that existed then.
- Francis Tanner Cemetery (HP 7)
Listing in the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission (RIHCC). - Bookmarked Geocaches
- A discussion on maintenance of Scouting-related geocaches.
- Bad Ideas
Cautionary tales of geocaches placed without landowner permission or careful thought about location. - Scouting Geocaches
Geocaches in southern New England created by Scouts or Scouters, or caches that may be of interest to them. Map. - Narragansett Trail
Selected geocaches on the Narragansett Trail. Note: The Audubon Society of Rhode Island (ASRI) prohibits geocaching on its portions of the Long and Ell ponds area; see the map.
Unofficial