A trip of only a day to Rhode Island’s Block Island, if not longer, still provides an opportunity to see much of the preserved and quiet outdoor beauty of the island in traveling by bicycle or other means. Some 12 miles off the state’s southern coast, it can be reached by ferry from the Rhode Island mainland; Long Island, New York; and Connecticut.
Known for restored Victorian-era inns, bed and breakfasts, and shingled cottages that look out upon the ocean, the pork chop shaped island (approximately seven miles long and three miles across) has a range of publicly accessible hiking trails a short ride from the primary ferry arrival port of Old Harbor, a designated National Historic District, where bike, car, moped rentals, and taxis are available.
Biking to North Lighthouse on Island
One possible route for a biking tour from Old Harbor is heading toward the North Light lighthouse at Sandy Point on the island’s northern tip, which is also the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge. On the way along the moderate hills of Corn Neck Road are captivating views of the surrounding water, windswept bluffs, and beaches (all of which, unlike on nearby Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, are public).
At the end of the road is a cobble barrier beach on Rhode Island Sound, marked by Settlers Rock, a stone plaque erected in 1911 that designates the landing site of the first English settlers who colonized Block Island in 1661 (Dutch explorer Adrian Block charted the island in 1614 and named it for himself).
The granite North Light dating from 1867 is a quarter of a mile hike down the beach. Bikers can leave their bikes at racks on a parking lot before the beach. A small fee is charged to enter the Lighthouse Interpretative Center housing a maritime museum with exhibits on loan from the Block Island Historical Society. The beach extends several miles west from Sandy Point to Great Salt Pond and is favored for bird and sunset watching.
The area around the Wildlife Refuge and lighthouse is an environmentally fragile one and visitors on foot are asked to stay off the vegetation and sand dunes. Swimming too is prohibited at Sandy Point due to the water’s strong tidal currents. Four-wheel drive vehicles with permits may go as far as Sandy Point, where fishing often takes place. (Another popular island activity, where allowed, is shellfishing for clams in ponds.)
Among the dirt trails and meadows on the trip back off of Corn Neck Road is the Sacred Labyrinth, built of stone and marked by a wooden stairway. Differing from a maze, it is a single winding path leading to the center point and back out again. Hikers there can view the northwest side of the island.
Hiking Along Trails of Wildlife Preserve
Another nearby stop off is the 24.8-acre Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve, a meadow with gentle slopes known as well as Hodge Farm panoramically overlooking Block Island Sound facing west toward Connecticut. The conserved habitat, established in 2002, is the outcome of the 20-year efforts of conservation groups and individuals to protect the land.
At different times of the year the property, with a variety of trail options, is full of daffodils and wildflowers such as milkweed and goldenrod and of winterberry in the holly family along with migratory songbirds and species such as the eastern kingbird, Carolina wren, and black-capped chickadee. Visible on the branching trails is Middle Pond, one of the larger coastal ponds on Block Island and a wintertime viewing place for ducks.
While returning to Old Harbor, another diversion can be taken off the main road by going west to Ocean Avenue and Great Salt Pond and New Harbor, where the ferry from Montauk, New York arrives through October. New Harbor, which was the site of the island’s first protected harbor, is where most private boaters to Block Island dock and anchor.
As to any concerns about getting lost on the way back, regardless of the direction taken, bikers will eventually wind up back in town. Following the right way back to the ferry will always be a downhill trip.
Enjoying Island in Different Seasons
The island, which the New York Times in 2009 described as “blissfully undisturbed by the current of commercialism” and compared to the coast of Ireland, can be enjoyed beyond the end of the traditional summer season and into fall, including for views of the autumn foliage. For those staying more than a day, it offers accommodations, restaurants, art galleries, specialty shops, farmer’s market, and live entertainment. New Shoreham is the single town located on Block Island.
The island has an estimated 900 to 1,000 year-round residents. During the summer height, the population can peak at around 25,000.
Scheduled summer ferry service runs from New London, Connecticut; Montauk, Long Island; Newport, Rhode Island; and the Port of Galilee village near Port Judith in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The ferry runs year-round from Galilee offering both high speed (35 minutes) and somewhat slower service (55 minutes) to the island. Vehicle reservations must be made for the traditional ferry.
If driving to Galilee, take Interstate-95 to Route 1 and then Route 108 toward Narragansett and Point Judith and follow the Block Island Ferry signs.
Air service is available on New England Airlines, a 12-minute flight from the Westerly Airport in Westerly, Rhode Island. Flights leave hourly during the summer.
John Seidenberg - John Seidenberg has worked on newspapers, newsletters, radio news, and produced specialized news publications as well as freelance ...
