Mountain Biking at Woody Hill in Rhode Island
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After spending several months in the little New England state of Rhode Island, I’ve grown pretty fond of the mountain biking here. Sure, there may not be the big elevation gains and losses that you get in more mountainous states, but what the trail crews and communities have put together here is pretty impressive.
One of my favorite mountain bike networks in Rhode Island is Woody Hill. Located in the southwestern corner of the state, this 723-acre plot of land is crisscrossed with flowy mountain biking trails sprinkled with fun natural and man-made features.
In this blog post, I cover everything you need to know about exploring the mountain bike trails in Woody Hill. So grab your bike and head to Rhode Island!
How to get there
Woody Hill is located in the southwest corner of Rhode Island near Westerly on the Connecticut border. It’s about a 50-minute drive from Providence, Rhode Island.
Where to park
The main parking area for mountain bikers is off Bradford road at the Westerly Youth Lacrosse Fields. If it’s your first time visiting, I recommend parking here. There is a large dirt lot, but no facilities.
There’s another smaller parking area off Woody Hill Road. This parking area provides quick access to trails via DEM Cart Road, but you miss a fun downhill back to your car.
What to expect
The mountain biking at Woody Hill is actually quite unique and diverse. There’s a little bit of something for everyone. Here are a few things to expect:
A note about ticks
Rhode Island is notorious for its ticks, especially during the summer months. It’s a good idea to wear high socks, spray bug spray around your ankles, and take a shower immediately after riding.
Watch my friend Jason Ride Little Sister – the hardest trail at Woody Hill
Trails to Hit & Trails to Skip
These are the main trails in the Woody Hill Trail Network. The ones I didn’t include are mainly link trails to get you to/from the ‘highlight’ trails.
3 Route Recommendations
There are about 33 miles of trail in the Woody Hill network, so there’s definitely enough riding to keep you busy for a few days.
Below I’ve highlighted my top three ride recommendations in Woody Hill with some options to customize them depending on what you’re looking for.
Woody Hill Mountain Biking Map
Woody Hill Route recommendation
1. Sunday Cruise Novice Loop
This is a great loop for newer riders or families. It hits the four ‘easiest’ (and flowiest!) trails at Woody Hill: Naughty Nurse, Alter Ego, Hansel & Gretel, and Driving Miss Hazy.
Route directions: Moorehouse Road Parking (limited parking here, there’s better parking at the Woody Hill Road Parking) > Waheenta Blue > PBR > DEM Cart Road > Naughty Nurse > Alter Ego > Hobbit Juice > Flying Jenny > North Main > Hansel & Gretel > Driving Miss Hazy > Waheetna Link > Orange Dot > Blue Dot > White Dot
Route notes: Navigation can be tricky. I highly recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.
Do more: Add a short lap on Leaning Chimney before Hansel and Gretel (ride Leaning Chimney east to west).
Woody Hill Route recommendation
2. Woody Hill Fund Ride – Blue
This loop adds a few more miles and a bit more tech compared to the route above, but it’s still suitable for intermediate riders.
Route directions: Lacrosse Fields Parking > XC Up > Woody Connector > Through the Pines > Hop Boogie > Derivative > Yo Mama > North Main Street > Captains Daughter > Never Tomorrow > Main Street > Naughty Nurse > Alter Ego > DEM Cart Road > (Skp the Fallon Loop, it’s not very good) > Blue Dot > Orange Dot > Waheetna Link > Driving Miss Hazy > Hansel & Gretel > XC Down
Route notes: Skip the Fallon Trail loop section unless you want to bushwack
Do more: See Red Trail option below
Do less: There are lots of ways to finish this ride early if you run out of juice. Just skip one of the many shorter loops.
Woody Hill Route recommendation
3. Woody Hill Fund Ride – Red
This loop is almost exactly the same as the Blue loop above, except it includes Little Sister and Pour Judgement (my favorite trail). Little Sister is the hardest trail in Woody Hill and it’s three miles long without any option to bail.
Route directions: Lacrosse Fields Parking > XC Up > Woody Connector > Through the Pines > Hop Boogie > Derivative > Yo Mama > Little Sister > Flying Jenny > Pour Judgement > Main Street > Captains Daughter > Never Tomorrow > Main Street > Naughty Nurse > Alter Ego > DEM Cart Road > (Skp the Fallon Loop, it’s not very good) > Blue Dot > Orange Dot > Waheetna Link > Driving Miss Hazy > Hansel & Gretel > XC Down
Route notes: Skip the Fallon Trail loop section unless you want to bushwack
Do less: If you want to hit Little Sister, but don’t want to do the full 18+-mile loop, I recommend skipping the Driving Miss Hazy/Hansel & Gretel Loops. Instead, route back to The Other One, which parallels Hop Boogie.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoy the riding in Woody Hill. It has a good mix of flowy singletrack, technical terrain, and optional natural and manmade features. If you find yourself in Rhode Island with your mountain bike, definitely check it out!
If you need some buddies to ride with, the Rhode Island Mountain Biking Facebook page is very active and there are a lot of group rides posted.
Happy trails!
RELATED POSTS
Looking for some more Rhode Island two-wheeled adventures? Check out these related blog posts:
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