If you’re looking for some outstanding hiking trails that are a bit on the shorter side, look no further! These hikes are all under five miles, gorgeous, and definitely deserve a spot on your bucket list. You might, in fact, consider them some of the best hikes in Rhode Island.

1. Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge - Parking, 99 Pardon Joslin Rd, Exeter, RI 02822, USA
Flickr/Royston Kane
This five-mile trail through the wildlife refuge offers stunning views. While it includes acres of open fields, small ponds, and diverse wildlife, it is also ideal for snowshoeing in the winter months.
2. Ocean View Loop Trail at Sachuest Point Refuge, Middletown
Ocean View Loop Trail, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge, Ocean Vw Lp Trl, Middletown, RI 02842, USA
Flickr/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Flickr/Christine Riggle
This 1.5-mile trail is situated along the ocean and is one of the most breathtaking spots in the state. You definitely don't want to forget your camera for this picturesque trail that meanders along the coast.
3. Barton Woods Trail, Tiverton
Fort Barton and Ft. Barton Woods, 360 Highland Rd #340, Tiverton, RI 02878, USA
All Trails/Corry Thibault
This 3.5-mile trail is located at Fort Barton in Tiverton. The trail is set aside the Sin and Flesh Brook with beautiful wildflowers and many other beautiful views to behold. This trail is considered intermediate. Learn more about Fort Barton in our previous article.
4. Kimball Sanctuary at Watchaug Pond, Charlestown
Watchaug Pond, Charlestown, RI 02813, USA
Flickr/Madhu Madhavan
This 1.5-mile hike is found in Charlestown and boasts beautiful views of Watchaug Pond. The pond, also known as Kettle Pond, is glorious and makes for a wonderful place to take a break from your short hike to enjoy a picnic. Find out why Watchaug Pond is bucket list-worthy by reading our previous article.
5. Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd, Greenville, RI 02828, USA
Flickr/Shaun C. Williams
This beautiful refuge is not only home to the Rhode Island Audobon Society's headquarters, it also possesses more than 100 acres of beautiful woodlands. The hiking trail is 2.5 miles long and is uniquely beautiful. Learn more about Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge.
6. Cemetery Trail at Pardon Gray Preserve, Tiverton
Flickr/This.Usually.Works

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Pardon Gray Preserve Trailhead & Parking, 3460 Main Rd, Tiverton, RI 02878, USA
Flickr/Don Rogers
This 3.5-mile trail is an easy walking path through a historic cemetery and beautiful fields in Tiverton. It is also connected to two additional trails, giving you the option to extend your hiking adventures.
7. Lincoln Woods Trail, Lincoln
Flickr/he Celebrated Mr. K
Lincoln Woods Road, Lincoln Woods Rd, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA
Flickr/The Celebrated Mr. K
This 3.4-mile trail is great for all skill levels and features a stunning lake. It is particularly beautiful in the fall when the leaves are changing. Read more about this easy hike in Rhode Island in our previous article.
8. Canonchet Brook Preserve, Hopkinton
Canonchet Preserves, Main St, Hopkinton, RI 02833, USA
Flickr/Matt
This winding trail includes stunning glacial erratics, old foundations, and other unique sites. It is two miles long and can be found off North Road in Hopkinton. Visit the official website of Canochet Brook Preserve for more information.
9. Tri-State Loop, Pascoag
Tri-State Marker, Thompson, CT 06277, USA
Flickr/This.Usually.Works
This amazing hike is just around five miles and is found in the northern part of the state. The trail momentarily passes through sections of both Connecticut and Massachusetts, as the name suggests and is as fun as it is lovely.
10. Cliff Walk, Newport
Flickr/m01229
Cliff Walk, Newport, RI, USA
Flickr/Fernando Sanchez-Magrane Follow
The 3.5-mile path along the cliffs found in Newport are simply out of this world. This trail is definitely crowded with tourists in the summer months, but for good reason. It might be one of the most memorable walks you'll take in the state, and offers dozens of magical photo opportunities. Take a peek at these fascinating facts about the Cliff Walk in Newport.

What are the best hikes in Rhode Island under 10 miles? Let us know in the comments! For another beautiful trek, follow this paved path in Rhode Island.

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More to Explore

Best Hikes In Rhode Island

Beth Price-Williams | July 01, 2022

What are some easy hikes in Rhode Island?

We can all probably agree that Rhode Island sits at the top of the most beautiful states in the entire country. How could it not? It’s brimming with pure natural beauty – from the stellar views from Mohegan Bluffs on Block Island to sweeping ocean views from so many darling small towns. One of the best ways to explore our beautiful state is on a hiking trail. And good news, too. You’ll find a ton of easy, kid-friendly hikes around Rhode Island. It’s a great way for the whole family to enjoy the golden sunshine and to get a bit of exercise. Plenty are short, too, tallying around one-mile or so. When you’re on Block Island, for example, follow Rodman’s Hollow. The short and sweet trail boasts absolutely jaw-dropping views of the ocean. During the summer, you’ll also pass bushes brimming with berries and wildflowers. The Melville Park Blue Trail in Portsmouth features a fairy tale footbridge and a tiny waterfall. Feel like you’re on top of the world – or at least at the highest point in Rhode Island – when you set off on the .03-mile Jerimoth Hill Trail in Foster. It’s short, sweet, and takes you to a marker celebrating Rhode Island’s highest point.

What is there to do at Colt State Park in Rhode Island?

Often considered the gem of the state park system, Colt State Park in Rhode Island is a perfect day trip destination. Measuring 464 acres, the beautiful state park is perhaps best known for its pristine shoreline. You’ll definitely want to try to catch a sunrise or a sunset here. Make sure you carve out time for a walk along the shore, and don’t forget your camera. There are photo-worthy moments along every step at this spectacular state park. On breezy days, bring along a kite for a bit of kite flying. The park is also picture-perfect for a leisurely picnic.

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