This hike was a nice surprise for us when we went in summer 2020. After a short but pretty steep walk along a paved road from the parking area to the fort, we were rewarded with amazing views of Narragansett Bay. Fort Barton Woods itself was beautiful; it consists of 83 acres of heavily wooded land featuring some boardwalks and bridges. The red trail, which is about three miles, included a pretty significant climb up and down some stairs. This trail is definitely not stroller or wheelchair friendly. Bring the bug spray–you’ll need it for the mosquitoes in the summer–but smelling like DEET was a small price to pay for this awesome experience! (Full disclosure: we did this hike last summer before we had the blog–so there is no video and not that many pictures. But we LOVED this hike and wanted to share it with you anyway! We’ll update the post the next time we go back!)
HOW TO GET THERE
343 Highland Rd
Tiverton, RI 02878
This address/parking is by the Town Hall.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION & MAP
P.I.N.T. Score
Rated on a scale of 1 (difficult/not good) to 5 (easy/awesome!)
P – Parking & Access – 2 (Parking is a bit tricky as there are only 12 spots.)
I – Interest Level – 3 (The hike was buggy and the three mile loop tired the kids out. They were less impressed by the climb up and down the stairs on the trail than the adults were…but they loved the view of the bay from the observation tower.)
N – Navigation – 4 (The trails are well marked.)
T – Terrain – 4 (The terrain is rugged, and the climb up and down the stairs at the beginning of the loop is not stroller or wheelchair friendly.)
The P.I.N.T. Score represents our opinions of this trail. It reflects our experience, perception, and physical health. Therefore, the scores are not intended to be expert advice, nor will they be accurate for everyone: we cannot judge what may or may not be appropriate for each individual’s different abilities. Consult a physician or medical expert before attempting any new physical activity. Hiking contains inherent hazards, so hike at your own risk. You should always make your own decisions about what level of physical activity is appropriate for you and your family. Weather and other factors may affect trail conditions. Remember, trail conditions may change suddenly and drastically at any time.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- The boulder by the parking area
2. The view of the bay from the observation tower
Here are some photos from the rest of our hike
lots of “stairs” 
snack time after the hike! 
Nearby
Down the street in nearby Little Compton is Walker’s Roadside Stand, the most awesome farm stand we’ve been to yet while exploring! Maybe it just hit the spot after the hot hike or maybe it really is the best place in RI–all we know is we were grateful for it! 🙂 The best part about the stand, as far as we were concerned, was the little bakery that had amazing coffee and delicious sandwiches. We left with full bellies and plenty to eat for dinner that night (fresh tomatoes and corn!).