Steve Fagin: Arcadia's green, glowing grandeur

Dec. 15—As friends and I hiked on a hilly path at Arcadia Management Area last week, late-afternoon sunlight that slanted through evergreens bathed the forest in iridescent shades of emerald.

Gazing at verdant carpets of moss, pine seedlings, mountain laurel, princess pine and wintergreen — Phil Plouffe could only exclaim, "Amazing!"

"It looks more like the middle of Maine than the middle of Rhode Island," Maggie Jones noted.

"Or Middle Earth," I said. "I feel like we're in a scene from 'Lord of the Rings.'"

The three of us set out on what was supposed to have been a 6.5-mile loop around Browning Mill Pond in Exeter, but after inadvertently straying from the route — perhaps transfixed by such splendor — we wound up far afield.

I'll get into our misstep later, but first, more about Arcadia.

Miles of single-track trails and logging roads crisscross this 14,000-acre protected parcel, which winds through Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton and West Greenwich.

Arcadia, Rhode Island's largest recreation area, adjoins 27,000-acre Pachaug State Forest in eastern Connecticut, as well as the 2,300-acre W. Alton Jones Preserve in West Greenwich, R.I. The three parcels combine to form one the largest undeveloped stretches along the East Coast.

Although hikers, runners, mountain bikers, horseback riders, kayakers, canoeists and other outdoor enthusiasts typically flock to Arcadia, we had the woods and streams to ourselves — not surprising, considering that only a few hours of sunlight remained on this chilly December day.

After parking at the Appie Clearing lot on the south side of Route 165, also called Ten Rod Road, we picked up the Mount Tom Trail, and soon came to an intersection. A hiking website had advised turning left at the Dove Crest Trail, but there was no signpost naming this path, so we continued hiking straight on the Mount Tom Trail.

After continuing half a mile or so, it became clear we should have made that left turn. At that point, it would have been prudent to turn around and retrace our steps, but the Mount Tom Trail was so appealing — sandy soil covered with soft pine needles, a Rhode Island hallmark — we decided to keep going. Eventually, it seemed, another trail would lead us to Browning Mill Pond.

And so we pushed ahead, crossed a bridge over the Wood River, and then veered onto a desolate dirt road with a name that didn't exactly inspire confidence: Blitzkrieg Trail.

By this time, the sun began to dip below the trees, we had already hiked more than five miles, and a map Maggie pulled up on her phone showed that we had to cover at least that distance to get back to the car. We've hiked much farther on previous outings, but never this late in the day.

Then, a hundred yards ahead, a miracle: A man — the only other person we'd seen — was walking his dog.

We quickened our stride and caught up just as he reached his parked car and opened the door.

"Excuse me!" I called. "Is this the best way back to Route 165?"

"Whoa, that's a long way from here," he replied, explaining that we would have to walk at least another mile to the Arcadia Road intersection, then hike another few miles, recross the Wood River, turn onto Summit Road, and hike several more miles on the Sandy Brook Trail before reaching the Mount Tom Trail and our car at the parking lot.

"I can give you a ride," he offered.

"Thanks, but I think we can make it," Maggie responded.

The man shrugged his shoulders and got in his car. But as he began to drive away, he rolled down the window and cautioned, "You won't make it back before dark. You sure you don't want a ride?"

Maggie, Phil and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. A moment later, we climbed into the car, introduced ourselves, and thanked our host, Kyle Ellis.

"I've been in the same situation," he said. Kyle lives nearby in Hopkinton and frequently walks with Ruby, his English Setter.

"You'll be happy to know that you're the latest in a long line of people who have bailed us out," I said. During years of rambling on trails throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island, friends and I have hitched rides with kindhearted strangers on more than one occasion.

"We've never actually gotten lost," I told Kyle. "Sometimes we've just taken a wrong turn. There's a difference."

"It's all part of the adventure," he agreed. An avid outdoorsman, Kyle said he has hiked most if not all of Arcadia's trails, and never gets tired of the varied terrain.

Had we continued hiking on the Mount Tom Trail, we eventually would have reached the 420-foot summit of Mount Tom. Other prominent Arcadian features include 453-foot Dive Hill; 395-foot Bald Hill; 323-foot Skunk Hill; 44-acre Breakheart Pond; and Stepstone Falls, a series of cataracts that tumble over a jumble of massive granite slabs.

Maggie, Phil and I have hiked through many parts of Arcadia in previous excursions, and plan to return soon so we can take the recommended trail around Browning Mill Pond.

Yes, I should have studied the map more closely before hitting the trail last week, but then we wouldn't have enjoyed a pleasant detour on Blitzkrieg Trail, and wouldn't have met Kyle, a fellow wanderer and kindred spirit.

So, as The Bard once observed, all's well that ends well.