EAST BAY BIKE PATH:

PROVIDENCE-BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND

COLT STATE PARK TRAILS:

BRISTOL, RI

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Last Updated:     August 16, 2023

Length:                East Bay Bike Path; 14.3 miles

                              Colt State Park Loop Trails; Short Loop: 4.3 miles  Long Loop: 5.6 miles

                              On-road detour to Warren Bike Path; 1.4 miles

Difficulty:            East Bay Bike Path; Easy. Paved trail, mostly flat with a couple of hills on the northern end in East Providence.

                              Colt State Park Trails; Easy. Paved flat trails.

Directions:

To start in Providence from India Point Park (Northern End); From I-195 eastbound take exit 1A. Turn left on Portugal Parkway (previously called India St) and the India Point Park parking lot will be on your right. From I-195 westbound take exit 1D. Turn left on Gano St and travel underneath I-195. Take your first left and follow Portugal Parkway (previously called India St) to the India Point Park parking lot on your left.

To start in East Providence (Northern End); There are two parking areas along Veterans Memorial Highway in East Providence. Take exit 1B off of I-195 eastbound and follow Veterans Memorial Highway south for approximately a ½ mile. The first parking area will be on your right. Another mile will bring you to a second parking lot on your right.  

To start in Bristol (Colt State Park/East Bay Bike Path )(Southern End); From I-195 in MA take exit 5 to Route 136 south through Warren into Bristol. From the Bristol town line continue 1.3 miles and take a right on Gooding Ave. Follow to Route 114 and turn left. Turn right on Asylum Ave and look for the crossover to the East Bay Bike Path parking lot. A paved trail will bring you down to the intersection of the East Bay Bike Path. 

To start in Bristol (Southern End); From I-195 in MA take exit 5 to Route 136 south through Warren into Bristol. From the Bristol town line continue 1.3 miles and take a right on Gooding Ave. Follow to Route 114 and turn left. Follow Route 114 south to Independence Park in Bristol.

The East Bay Bike Path runs along the abandoned Providence and Bristol Railroad bed from Independence Park in Bristol, through the towns of Warren, Barrington and Riverside, up to East Providence. It then crosses over the Seekonk River via the Washington Bridge Pedestrian Plaza where it enters India Point Park in Providence. The trail is very scenic with views of the Narragansett Bay, Bristol Harbor and Providence River. The Colt State Park Trails are easily accessed from the East Bay Bike Path in Bristol and you can easily get to the Warren Bike Path in Warren. In Providence's India Point Park you can also access the India Point Park Loop Trail , Providence River Trail which takes you into downtown Providence alongside the Providence River and Blackstone River Bikeway; RI . See; Ten Mile River Greenway and Woonasquatucket River Greenway for two other close by trails. For more information check out; BIKE RI &  EAST BAY BIKE PATH .

East Bay Bike Path:

Head north through the tunnel underneath Portugal Parkway. Follow the paved East bay Bike Path up to I-195. Here the trail heads east crossing over the Seekonk River via the Washington Bridge Pedestrian Plaza. When they rebuilt the Washington Bridge, they kept the old stone towers and incorporated them into the pedestrian plaza. Informational signs located along the bridge. The paved bike path is separated from a pedestrian walkway. After crossing the bridge the trail brings you down to Warren Rd in East Providence. Map Board located here. Continue straight on-road (low traffic) along 1st St to the Veterans Memorial Highway. The paved trail picks up again on your right. The trail travels up a slight hill alongside the highway bringing you to the Veterans Memorial Highway parking lot #1 at 1 mile. Mile Markers are painted on the trail every 0.5 miles (from both directions). Up ahead you'll find a Map Board. Continue alongside the parking lot passing by a Map Board. The trail travels alongside the highway before passing by the Veterans Memorial Highway parking lot #2 at 1.9 miles and heading down a slight hill where the trail travels along a causeway between the Providence River and Watchemoket Cove. Check out the large wind turbines across the river. Old RR tracks parallel the trail as you cross over a bridge. Informational signs are posted all along the trail. You'll cross over another bridge at 2.6 miles as you travel along a second causeway. You then pass by the Squantum Association on the right, jutting out into the bay. Up the road to your left is Squantum Woods SP. Cross a third bridge along a causeway at 3 miles. To your right will be a small island with a gazebo on top. Next you'll pass by the Boyden Heights Conservation Area before traveling underneath some large gas or oil pipes. Keep an eye to your right to spot a small lighthouse on an island. The trail now heads inland and travels underneath Bullocks Point Ave before passing by the Washington Ave parking lot at 3.3 miles. The trail travels through Riverside (Food available) and passes by an old railroad station before a cross-light takes you over Lincoln Ave. Here the trail travels along a shaded residential corridor before crossing a causeway and bridge and coming to Crescent View Ave at 5.3 miles. The next section is more open with views of Bullock Cove. You pass by the entrance to Haines Park in West Barrington after 5.8 miles. Map Board located here. Restrooms located in the park. Travel alongside Brickyard Pond at 7.6 miles and pass by the YMCA parking lot at 8.3 miles before entering Barrington where you'll find more parking. A cross-light takes you over busy Routes 103 & 114 at 8.6 miles. Cross the Barrington River on a long wooden bridge, pass through Tyler Point and cross a second bridge over the Warren River at 9.4 miles as you enter Warren. The trail travels along Belcher Cove before skirting downtown. Come to Child St (Route 103) at 10.2 miles.

Note; You can access the Warren Bike Path from here via an on-road detour. Head left along Child St (Narrow road, with a narrow sidewalk available). After 1.1 miles turn right on Cole School Rd and merge onto Asylum Rd where the trail crosses after 1.5 miles.

Just past the Railroad Ave parking lot on your right you'll pass by the YOUR BIKE SHOP on the left. This is where the abandoned Warren-Fall River Railroad Spur used to connect to the Providence and Bristol Railroad. Hopefully one day this is where you'll connect into the Warren Bike Path. Cross-light over busy Main St at 10.6 miles. Pass by Burrs Hill Park and head through a tunnel underneath Bridge St. The trail opens up as you pass by Jacobs Point Salt Marsh. Cross into Bristol and come the Audubon Society boardwalks at 11.6 miles.

Note; The right boardwalk takes you down a ¼ mile to the shores of the Narragansett Bay (No bikes allowed). The left boardwalk takes you a ¼ mile to the AUDUBON SOCIETY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER . (A fee is charged to tour the center).

Reach Asylum Road after 13.3 miles.

Note; To access the Colt State Park Trails head right on the paved trail alongside Asylum Rd. SEE BELOW. 

Pass by Mill Pond and then travel alongside Bristol Harbor. After 14.3 miles you come to Independence Park where you'll find a Map Board. Restrooms are located across the street. Paved paths circle around the park. Parking lots located here .You can go into downtown Bristol for restaurants and shopping. Downtown Bristol included on the Map Board.

Colt State Park Trails:

Starting from the intersection of Asylum Road and the East Bay Bike Path in Bristol [Eastern End]; Head right on the paved trail alongside Asylum Rd. Bristol Town Beach & Park straight ahead. Turn left via a cross-walk over Asylum Rd where the paved trail enters Colt State Park. After 0.5 miles you cross *Colt State Park Road and come to an intersection. Head right along alongside Colt SP Rd which then merges with Colt Drive next to a boat launch. Your then afforded nice open views of Narragansett Bay along your right and a salt marsh on your left. Cross a stone bridge over an inlet where the trail veers left traveling between the inlet and Colt Drive. Come to a **Map on a signpost at 1.3 miles. A crosswalk right leads to another paved trail. Continue straight, this is where you'll Loop back too. Come to a second crosswalk and cross Colt Drive. The trail turns inland passing by the Park Headquarters in the old stone cow barn. Yes that large stone building was a barn!

Beginning in 1905 Samuel P. Colt began to assemble the parcels of land which would become Colt Farm on Poppasquash Neck. Colt Farm, now Colt State Park, became a showcase of wealth. The entrance to the property sported a pair of bronze bulls (still there at the parks entrance off Route 114). Colt prided himself on operating the farm to breed prize Jersey cattle. The magnificent cow barn is one of the surviving structures in the park. For more history see; COLT STATE PARK HISTORY .

Here the wide paved trail travels through a corridor of trees and stonewalls before crossing Colt Drive at 2 miles where the trail now follows a seawall alongside the Narragansett Bay. Picnic tables, restrooms and wide grassy expanses located here. Just before a pier you'll come to a paved trail on your right.

Note; Straight the trail takes you past an informational sign board and the pier before ending near the inlet.

Head right inland along the paved trail crossing back over Colt Drive and through the center of the park. You'll come to an intersection where the trail turns left. Straight ahead is a restroom. Cross over Colt Drive and you'll return to the **Map on a signpost next to the inlet at 3 miles. Head left and retrace your route back to the crosswalk over *Colt State Park Road after 3.8 miles. 

Note; You have two options. You can cross Colt SP Rd and return to Asylum Rd and the East Bay Bike Path for a 4.3 mile Short Loop or continue straight for a Long Loop. 

Continuing straight the trail turns right along the eastern side of the inlet (although their are few views of the inlet through the shrubs). Open woodlands and picnic tables. Pass by a restroom at 4 miles and you'll loop around another park area before turning east and traveling through open meadows. Come to the Poppasquash Road parking lot at 4.3 miles. The next section is on-road along a low volume road. Turn right out of the parking lot and you'll come to Poppasquash Rd. Head left on-road along a causeway alongside Bristol Harbor before returning to the East Bay Bike Path at 5 miles. 

Note; Right, the East Bay Bike Path takes you 0.5 miles to its terminus at Independence Park in Bristol.

Head left along the East Bay Bike Path to return to Asylum Road after a 5.6 mile Loop completing the Colt State Park Loop.

HH

CLICK HERE FOR EAST BAY BIKE PATH MAP

CLICK HERE FOR COLT STATE PARK MAP

BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE

WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER

BIKE IT OR HIKE IT

HOME PAGE