George Washington Management Area

About George Washington Management Area

See all hotspots at George Washington Management Area

With over 4,000 acres of land, George Washington Wildlife Management Area is Rhode Island’s second-largest state property. There are no paved roads on the property, all are gravel and the ones closest to the campground are fairly well maintained. However, these roads, called ‘Trails’, further from the campground area can be quite rocky and impassible for most passenger cars. In winter these gravel roads are used by snowmobiles.

The property closest to Route 44 is a state campground with tent and trailer camping. A boat launch and beach for swimming are part of the campground.

The land was acquired during the 1930s by the US Government and developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. During WWII the land was turned over to the State of RI. The white-blazed Angell Loop trail follows the shore of Bowdish Reservoir and then passes by a section of the property used for tent camping. In the late 1960’s Australian Navy sailors on temporary duty in Newport created what is known as the “Walkabout Trail”, a series of three connected walking trails blazed blue, red, and orange. This walking trail can be rocky in spots and passes through wetlands via ‘corduroy’ log bridges, a white cedar swamp, dry upland forests, and a hemlock grove. A stretch of the orange-blazed trail near the Pulaski Wildlife Marsh is used for an annual bird survey.

Some of the Walkabout Trail is also the route of Rhode Island’s North-South Trail, which starts near the ocean and ends at the Massachusetts state line. North-South Trail markers can be seen on those stretches of trail.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has descriptions and maps of the trails in the George Washington Management Area.

Content from George Washington Management Area Official Website