Honestly, most people driving through Charlestown just see the signs for the beaches and keep going. They miss the turn. They miss the quiet. If you’ve ever felt like the popular Rhode Island trails are getting a bit too "Disney World" on a Saturday morning, the Francis C Carter Memorial Preserve is basically the antidote. It’s 1,112 acres of pure, unadulterated South County wild.
You aren't going to find paved paths here.
There are no gift shops.
What you do get is one of the largest protected patches of pitch pine and scrub oak barrens in the state. The Nature Conservancy manages this place, and they’ve done a killer job keeping it feeling like the 1800s, minus the horse manure. Mostly. It’s part of a massive corridor of protected land that links up with the Burlingame State Management Area, creating this huge green lung that stays surprisingly cool even when the humidity in Westerly is hitting 90%.
Walking Through the Grasslands and Barrens
When you first step onto the trail from the parking lot on Route 112, you might think you’re in a standard New England woods. You're wrong. Within ten minutes, the canopy opens up into these wide, sweeping grasslands that feel more like the Midwest than the Ocean State. This is the Francis C Carter Memorial Preserve showing off its unique ecology.
The "barrens" aren't actually barren. That's a bit of a misnomer. They are thriving with life that specifically evolved to love fire and crappy soil. Pitch pines (Pinus rigida) dominate here because they have this thick, corky bark that laughs at forest fires. If you look closely at the trunks, you’ll see weird little tufts of needles growing directly out of the bark—that's epicormic sprouting, a survival trick most trees can't pull off.
✨ Don't miss: Charleston SC Temperature: Why You Should Probably Pack an Extra Shirt
The grassland section is actually a restored meadow. Back in the day, this area was probably used for grazing or timber, but now it’s a sanctuary for the American Woodcock. If you’re here at dusk in the early spring, you’ll hear them. It’s this weird peent sound, followed by a crazy "sky dance" where the males spiral hundreds of feet into the air. It’s erratic. It’s loud. It’s one of the coolest things you can see in the Rhode Island woods, hands down.
Navigation and the "Lost" Feeling
People get turned around here. Frequently. The trail system is a mix of old woods roads and narrow single-track paths. You’ve got the blue trail, the yellow trail, and the white trail, but they cross each other in ways that can be kinda confusing if you aren't paying attention to your GPS or a map.
The main loop is about 6.5 miles if you do the whole thing. It’s flat. Like, really flat. If you’re looking for mountain climbing, go to the White Mountains. If you want a long, meditative walk where you don't have to look at your feet every two seconds to avoid tripping over a root, this is your spot.
Why the White Trail Rules
Most people stick to the main fire roads. Don't do that. The white-blazed trail takes you deeper into the interior where the vegetation gets dense and the birdlife gets diverse. You might spot an Eastern Towhee—they're the ones that sound like they're yelling "drink your tea!" from the bushes.
The silence back there is heavy. You’re far enough from Route 2 and Route 112 that the tire whine disappears. It’s just you, the wind in the needles, and the occasional rustle of a garter snake in the leaf litter.
The Wildlife Reality Check
Let's talk about the bugs. It's Rhode Island. It's the woods.
If you come to the Francis C Carter Memorial Preserve in June without DEET or Permethrin, you are going to have a bad time. The ticks here are legendary. Because of the tall grass in the meadow sections, it's basically a Five-Star hotel for deer ticks. Stay in the middle of the path. Wear long pants. Check your dog. Seriously, check your dog twice.
But the trade-off is the rare stuff. This preserve is one of the few places in the region where you might stumble upon a Frosted Elfin butterfly. They are picky eaters; their caterpillars only eat wild indigo and lupine. Because the Nature Conservancy does controlled burns here, those plants thrive, and so do the butterflies. It’s a delicate balance that most hikers walk right past without realizing.
A History You Can Feel
This land wasn't always a "preserve." It’s named after Francis C. Carter, who was a huge figure in local conservation, but the land itself has layers of history. You’ll see old stone walls snaking through the woods—the "Rhode Island ghosts" of farmers who gave up on this rocky, sandy soil over a century ago.
There's something sorta humbling about seeing a massive oak tree growing right through the middle of a wall that someone spent months building by hand. Nature always wins here. The preserve was established in the early 2000s, and since then, it’s been a bit of a battle to keep the invasive species out. You might see crews occasionally working on removing autumn olive or multiflora rose. It’s constant work.
Photography and Lighting
If you're into photography, bring a wide-angle lens. The sky at Carter Preserve is bigger than anywhere else in Charlestown. Because the trees in the barrens are stunted and the meadows are wide, you get these incredible "golden hour" views. The light hits the dried switchgrass and turns everything a deep, burnt orange.
It's also a dark-sky-adjacent spot. While you can't camp here, if you're leaving near sunset, the lack of light pollution makes the stars pop way more than they do down at the beach where the streetlights ruin everything.
How to Actually Get There and Hike It
Don't just plug "Carter Preserve" into a random map app and hope for the best. The main entrance is on Route 112 (Richmond Townhouse Road) in Charlestown. Look for the small wooden sign and the gravel lot. If the lot is full—which rarely happens except on peak October weekends—don't park on the road.
📖 Related: St John Virgin Islands: Why This Tiny Island Hits Different
- Length: 6.5 miles for the full perimeter, but you can easily loop back for a 2-miler.
- Difficulty: Easy. It’s a stroll. Good for kids, good for older dogs.
- Gear: Water. There are no fountains. A tick key is a smart move.
- Dogs: Allowed, but keep them on a leash. The coyotes in South County are no joke, and they've been known to be territorial.
Practical Steps for Your Visit
Don't just wing it. To get the most out of the Francis C Carter Memorial Preserve, you need a bit of a plan.
First, download the Avenza Maps app or a similar topo map tool. The Nature Conservancy usually has PDFs available that show the specific trail colors. The physical blazes on the trees are okay, but in the middle of the barrens where the trees are short, they can be easy to miss if you're daydreaming.
Second, timing is everything. Go on a weekday morning. You’ll likely be the only person there. There is something deeply therapeutic about having a thousand acres to yourself. If you go on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll run into families and the occasional mountain biker, though it never feels crowded.
Third, look down. Most people look for deer or hawks, but the real magic at Carter is in the ground cover. Look for pink lady's slippers in the late spring. Look for the weird, prehistoric-looking clubmosses that stay green even in the dead of winter.
Finally, check the weather. Because of the open barrens, there is very little shade in certain sections. On a 95-degree day, that meadow feels like an oven. Save the long loop for a crisp autumn afternoon when the air smells like dried leaves and pine resin. That’s when the preserve is at its peak.
📖 Related: Map of Mongol Empire: Why Most People Totally Misunderstand the Scale
Grab your boots, pack more water than you think you need, and actually take the turn off the highway this time. You won't regret it.