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A Brief History:
According to the South Kingstown Land Trust's Trails & Maps section of their website, the Browning Woods Farm, approximately 165-acres, was purchased from Harold Browning Jr. in 1999 and is the largest of the three parcels that encompass the Browning Woods Trail. The other 92 acres are divided into two lots adjacent to the main parcel. These properties were purchased in 2001 and 2003 from the Kenney family, and the Animal Rescue League. In all, the 2.5-mile trail spans three parcels and was funded by The Nature Conservancy, a forest legacy program sponsored by Rhode Island’s DEM, the Town of South Kingstown’s open space bond program, and RI Greenways Council. Together, contributions from these programs and funds have made viewing the Browning Homestead and other abandoned remnants a possibility for all visitors. Overall, according to an Exeter Historical Association article titled, The Horn Heap, the Browning Woods Trail is a historically significant location that was part of the original Pettaquamscutt Purchase, a series of transactions between local Indigenous Peoples and colonizers. Together, the historical significance of the Browning woods Trail and its beauty contribute to the area's importance as a site for people to see and comprehend.
Observations:
On the Browning Homestead, you will see the old foundations of the homestead, as well as a cleared area that appears to be the location of an operation in the past. Furthermore, you will see lots of rock walls throughout the hike, which serve as indications of the farm activities in the past, as well as the vastness of the family’s farm. In certain areas that have fewer trees and are more similar to upland game habitats, you will see lots of birds and animals enjoying the peaceful expanse of Browning Woods Farm. Later on in the hike, there is another sort of foundation that appears to be an old cellar for storing goods, etc. At the moment, there is a large tree that has fallen into the cellar, which appears to be too large to cut up and move. Another interesting aspect of this trail is the work done to label a variety of tree species. At the very beginning of the trail, there are little plaques marking maples, oaks, pines, spruce, etc., including their scientific names written in binomial nomenclature. This is a neat aspect of the trail that has required a lot of time and effort to pull off. Generally speaking, like the Biscuit City Trail, the Browning Woods property is a diverse stretch of land that can be enjoyed by birders, hikers, and people who are curious about Rhode Island’s past.
The Experience:
Another historically significant site was the Browning Woods Trail, a fascinating property with a plethora of stone walls and open space. Like the Biscuit City Trail, this property makes you revisit the history of the land and brings about a sense of joy and curiosity due to its variety of scenery. This trail is ideal for people looking to see different kinds of habitats or embark on one of SKLT’s longer trail systems. In the beginning, the trail starts with a winding section through a sort of intermittent stream/swamp habitat, before emerging out onto the Browning Homestead. At this point, the loop begins and the trek across the homestead is underway. I might also add that you will walk about a half-mile in before the fork trail in the trail appears. Here you will have to choose whether to go left or right, but this part of the trail is a loop, so all of the scenery will be the same. In general, seeing the history of the Browning family and the beauty of the preserved land is a great reason to visit the Browning Woods trail.
How I Felt About It:
While I was hiking the Browning Woods Trail, I was thinking about how much the land has changed since the Browning's first acquired the land, and how it has transitioned from farmland to deciduous forest. Considering that the land would have been completely cleared and used for agriculture/livestock, it is amazing that over time every inch of land has grown back. I was also feeling a little bit confused when I hiked this trail. It was hard for me to understand why such a large farm and homestead would be out in the middle of nowhere. I was thinking that there must have been some kind of road or cart path that connected the properties, goods, and services to the rest of the area. However, I was also thinking that there was probably less trading going on back when the Brownings operated the farm because I think most people were pretty self-sufficient. Despite all of the conflicting thoughts, I was more intrigued by the number of rock walls and the varying degrees of vegetation in certain areas of the trail. I think this is probably in my top three SKLT trails because of the unique landscape and history, but also because it is roughly 2.5 miles long. This is a pretty good size trail for anyone, and it seems to fly by because of all the different things to look at. Altogether, I think the aspects of history and nature make this trail pretty special and intriguing for just about anybody.
Where Am I Parking?
From what I have found, the Browning Woods Trail does not have an address, however, the trailhead is directly across from Moraine Court, where there is ample parking. If you are heading to the trail from Route 1, you will follow Shannock Road for roughly 1.5 miles and the parking area will be on your right.
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