Snake Den Park

8/10 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊Mommy Approved Smiling Faces

2321 Hartford Ave

Johnston, Rhode Island 02919

https://riparks.com/Locations/LocationSnakeDen.html

The name Snake Den draws your attention.  We didn’t see any snakes here though.  This hike  was really different in that it is positioned next to Dame Farm.  Throughout the hike you can find evidence of the farm on the trails.  For instance, there are some old abandoned tractors set off to one side of the trail as you get to the field before the trail head.  Also we saw corn and other crops growing in the fields.  Another clue was the stone walls found on this hike.  I learned from our hike in Little Compton’s Simmons Mill Pond that the walls were used to separate animals and corral them back in the day by farmers.

This hike had mostly wide trails with forest ground to walk on.  They were blazed orange and easy to follow.  There were openings to farmland throughout.  At one point we got to a meadow and quickly realized this wasn’t part of the hike.  It was fine though because it gave us the opportunity to see the sunny sky and some pretty colorful dragonflies fluttering around.  

This trail has various elevations and slopes throughout with branches here and there sparsely running across the path but easy enough to climb over.  There are many stones on the trail and tree roots.  Some people may not like this as it is a tripping hazard, but my kids enjoyed playing “Don’t Touch the Lava” by hopping from rock to rock without touching the ground in between.  Although we did not see any running water, it did look as though there was water at some point in the form of a stream or a brook.  Once we went down a big hill my daughter even pointed out that there is a place that looks as though it “had” water but now doesn’t.  (Smart cookie!)  We enjoyed identifying the trees here, especially Sassafras because we find those the most obvious ones to identify since they have such unique leaves.  We also enjoyed finding and catching small frogs and making “lichen / moss dinner” for one another.  The things you do for entertainment when there is no television around!  We also played a fun gave of “I Spy” with nature items such as a burl.  Another fun fact we learned from Simmons Mill Trail.

The Skinny:

• • Weather : This is an outdoor location so I recommend a good dry day
  • Parking and Admissions :  FREE parking and admissions we followed the GPS to get here.  There is a little brown sign on Hartford Ave. that leads you to the back for the fire station-pretty bizarre to find, signage should  be more obvious in my opinion.
  • Location : Snake Den is 1,000 acres of land  with trails and farm land nearby from Dame Farm.  From what I can tell from All Trails, we hiked the lower loop which is 3.5 miles but it looks like there are a few other trails offering different entrances, bridges and parking so I feel as though We’ll be back here for more exploration in the near future
  • Hours : Dawn to dusk daily
  • Duration : We spent 3 hours or so here and it was enjoyable the entire time.
  • Tips and Recommendations : Good sneakers, bug spray water and a snack.  We found no tables for sitting but we enjoy nature and have no issues sitting on the rocks for a snack.

Jewel Approved👍🏼

Jamison Approved👍🏼