Get Outside With Us!
Happy Spring everyone!! It’s that time of year when we love to extol the virtues of the great outdoors:) Activity and movement are cornerstones of mental health - they are guaranteed to increase your endorphins (the “feel good” brain chemicals), increase blood flow to your brain, and increase your heart rate, in turn producing norepinephrine, which is a brain chemical that helps you deal with stress more effectively. Moving your body will help your brain, mind, and soul to feel better - which will increase your ability to benefit from the hard work of therapy.
The wonderful benefits that the combination of movement and therapy brings inspired us to open our Walk & Talk Outdoor Office last year. Walking therapy is a great opportunity to target both your physical and mental health at the same time. Not only is it good for our clients, it’s a great opportunity for our therapists to get out of their chairs and incorporate healthy movement into their day as well. And a happy and healthy therapist is a benefit to our clients. It’s a win-win situation for all:)
Our walk and talk therapists can meet you for walking sessions in different parts of Rhode Island - from Blackstone Boulevard in Providence, to mid-state locations such as Meshanticut Pond in Cranston, to a variety of trails in South County.
One of our newest therapists, Alexandra Cardi, currently has openings for walk and talk sessions! If you’re interested, please reach out to us at office@mepsychotherapy.com to set up a session in our “Outdoor Office”.
Not all walking has to be therapeutic though! Sometimes a walk is just a walk:) Your walk can be solo and silent, used for meditative contemplation or pure physical exercise. Maybe you need to exercise your dog. Perhaps you want to get out and be active with your family or you want to plan a fun date day. Sometimes groups of people like to get together for socialization via a hiking club. Whatever your reason for hitting the trails, here’s some of our local favorites:
Long Pond - The Long Pond trail is located in Hope Valley and is considered to be a moderate hike. It has lots of fun boulders and a beautiful view. It’s my kid’s favorite trail in RI and they pretty much never want to go anywhere else. This walk is 4.5 miles and is an out-and-back trail. No dogs allowed unfortunately - but I have definitely seen dogs on the trail. Fun fact - scenes from the movie “Moonlight Kingdom” were shot on this beautiful trail!
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge Trail - Sachuest Point trail is a 2.4 mile loop trail located in Newport. This lovely trail is right on the coastline and considered to be an easy hike. It is a popular spot for bird watching. This trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly but dogs are not allowed. Deer sightings are common on this route.
Yawgoo Pond Loop - Yawgoo Pond Loop in Exeter is a 1.5 mile easy loop trail that is currently closed for maintenance, but we hope it opens back up soon! It is a short and sweet walk in the woods. There are plenty of mountain laurels and a place to stop and meditate by the pond. The trail needs some major construction work. You can donate directly to the planning and construction of the redirected trail which will restore access to the trail HERE.
Cliff Walk - The Cliff Walk is one of the most well-known trails in Rhode Island and is located in Newport. This is considered a moderate hike and is fairly long - 7 miles out and back. It’s totally worth the time - the trail runs along the ocean and is basically the backyard of many of Newport’s famous mansions. Leashed dogs are welcome. You can’t beat the views on this walk!
Purgatory Chasm - Purgatory Chasm is located in Blackstone, Massachusetts, so it’s a bit of a ride but definitely worth the trip. Thought to be formed by glacial movement, the chasm is full of giant boulders and has several short trails to explore. There are several trails here, check out the trail map HERE. Another big favorite of my kids, it’s grown in popularity over the years and is usually very busy. If you’re looking for solitude - this isn’t the spot - but it’s super cool and they have picnic tables, a playground and other facilities that make it easy to spend the day there. Dog friendly.
Narragansett Trail To Green Fall Pond - Narragansett Trail runs through Yawgoog Scout Reservation. It can be a little tricky to follow the trails here, as there are a couple. Our favorite is the trail to Green Fall Pond, which is a 5 mile loop. There is a really pretty stream/river running through the trails and the scenery is great. There are several other trails nearby and the marking can be a bit confusing so it’s helpful to download a map ahead of time. This trail allows leashed dogs.
Whale Rock Trail - Whale Rock Trail is another coastal walk, located in Narragansett. It’s a 0.8 mile out-and-back trail that ends at a little spot at the water where you can play around in the tide pools. It is considered an easy quick trail and is great for walking with young kids, although it’s not the best place to bring a stroller. Also - no dogs allowed and parking can be tough.
Napatree Point - Napatree Point trail is located in Westerly. This easy shoreline walk is a 3.2 mile loop trail along the water. It can be windy and you will want to check tide times before planning this walk. Dogs are not allowed on the beach between 8-6pm, May 2 through Labor Day. The rest of the year they are allowed when leashed. The views on this walk can’t be beat!
Ryan Park - Ryan Park is an easy 2.1 loop trail in North Kingstown. It’s great for a walk but is also popular with mountain biking. There are plenty of little offshoot trails to explore and it’s dog-friendly!
Clay Head Preserve - Clay Head Preserve is located on Block Island and is an easy 3.5 mile out-and-back trail. If you’re ever visiting Block Island, definitely check out this dog-friendly walk. There are several trails located here and you get a combination of wooded and coastline views. Enjoy some delicious blackberries if you’re there in late summer but watch out for the poison ivy!
We love the All Trails app for exploring outside. Before you head out for your nature adventure, make sure you check the rules of the trail. Depending on the time of year, you may need to wear blaze orange if you’re hiking during a hunting season. Sometimes dogs are allowed and sometimes they are not. Some trails might not be good for young kids or for wheelchairs or strollers. It also helps to look into the parking situation ahead of time too. Make sure you pack water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray - and HAVE FUN!!
What’s your favorite walk? Share with us in the comments below:)