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The Story of the Yawgoog Trails

Quick Reference Summary: Tippecansett Trail to Beach Pond

Total distance (one-way): approximately 4.9 miles (7.9 kilometers)
Total hiking time (one-way): approximately 2 hours

Caution: Hikers should be very careful, by wearing at least 400 square inches (2,580 square centimeters) of blaze orange material, such as a vest, when hiking north of Route 138 during hunting season. The Rhode Island hunting season starts on the second Saturday in October and runs through the end of February. Hunting is prohibited in Yawgoog.

The AMC Tippecansett Trail begins where the Blue Trail does and it follows the Blue and then turns right (east), leaving the Narragansett Trail behind. The Tippecansett Trail descends sharply to reach Dinosaur Rock. It continues to the left (north) while Yawgoog's Blue/Freeman Trail turns to the right (west) to head back to camp; painted arrows on the ledge and signs on trees will point the way for hikers.

The Tippecansett Trail leads north on or near the state line, but then turns right (east). About 10 minutes after leaving Dinosaur Rock, the path passes part of the former mountain biking trail to the right (south) -- a distance of roughly 0.3 mile (0.5 kilometer). (The mountain bike path rises to the top of Hill 431 in approximately 4.5 minutes; after Hill 431, it reaches the Blue/Freeman Trail in about 4.5 minutes -- approximately 0.4 mile/0.6 kilometer in total length.) The main Tippecansett Trail leaves the bike path juncture behind by heading left (northeast). About 6.5 minutes after leaving the bike path (distance is about 0.25 mile or 0.4 kilometer), the trail meets the Galkin Trail, which enters from the right (south).

The Tippecansett leaves the Galkin Trail behind and eventually reaches an intersection of grassy roads; two stone-lined cellar holes are a few yards to the right (south). Straight ahead (southeast) is a short, overgrown road that leads, away from the trail, to Rhode Island Route 138 (Spring Street/Beach Pond Road); a much clearer road with yellow trail markings is to the left (north). The left-hand road leaves Reservation property and passes by two houses on the left (west) before reaching Route 138, about 5.5 minutes after leaving the intersection (0.3 mile / 0.5 kilometer). The Tippecansett Trail follows the paved road left (northwest) about 150 yards (145 meters) then crosses it at the Exeter/Hopkinton town line.

Following the road, known as Noah's Ark Road, the trail passes by a private dirt road and the blue-blazed, AMC Dye Hill Trail in roughly five minutes; both will be to the right (east). In approximately 2 minutes, the trail reaches another intersection, with a dirt road entering from the left (west); bearing right (north), the trail crosses a stream on a simple bridge in just about 3 minutes. About 6 minutes (0.4 mile / 0.6 kilometer) after crossing the stream, the road/trail reaches yet another intersection; a road to gated private property leads right (northeast), while the trail bears left (northwest). In about 4 minutes, the trail passes a stone state border marker to the right (east). Another intersection is reached in approximately 2 minutes. The red-on-blue blazes of the southern Pachaug-Tippecansett Crossover follow a dirt road left (northwest) to the Pachaug Trail. The yellow blazes of the Tippecansett Trail follow a dirt road right (north). In about four minutes, the trail reaches another intersection, leaves the road and heads north. Now a footpath, the trail passes a geodetic marker embedded in a boulder on the state border; the path meets an unmarked path on the left (north) and takes a sharp turn right (east). In about 3 minutes the trail descends to meet a dirt road, turning left (northeast). The trail follows the road briefly, turns right (east) to leave the road behind, then crosses a stream about 2 minutes later. About 7 minutes after crossing the stream, the Tippecansett Trail reaches a vista on the shore of Beach Pond.

The trail crosses another stream and climbs to a four-way intersection. The white-blazed AMC Deep Pond Trail bears right (southwest) while the yellow-blazed Tippecansett Trail bears left (northeast). An unmarked path climbs straight ahead (southeast) to the edge of the Hemlock Ledges rock formation. White blazes turn left (northeast) through a cleft in the rock, climbing to a vista of Beach Pond.

Starting from the four-way intersection, the yellow blazes lead northeast then northwest along the shore of the pond and cross Audette Bridge in about 3 minutes. About 10 minutes (0.5 mile / 0.8 kilometer) after crossing the bridge, the trail reaches a small parking area on Route 165. Hikers can cross the street carefully to Beach Pond, then return to camp by going back the way they came -- possibly taking the Blue/Freeman or Galkin trails along the way.