Road Tripping Through the National Parks: Rhode Island

Our next edition of “Road Tripping Through the National Parks” brings us to the country’s smallest state. It makes for a short road trip, but the state does surprisingly have two national park sites. The easiest way to access Rhode Island by plane is through Logan Airport in Boston where you can pick up a rental car.

It’s an hour and fifteen minute drive to your first park site: Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. The park preserves remnants of the Industrial Revolution in the Northeast and has multiple districts in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The most famous unit of the park is the Slater Mill district in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I have visited this district on two occasions. The first time was a couple of years after it was established in 2014, and the second visit was in 2021. It’s amazing how much this park has changed in that time frame. There’s so many informational waysides and an updated museum that have completely changed the character of this park since its creation. The highlight of the park is the outdoor park where you can walk along the historic mill and the canal that has been created around the Blackstone River. I haven’t been to other districts of the park, but they do range from more forested settings to more of the city-like area that you will experience at Slater Mill. However, this park (like most parks in the Northeast) is only open from May through October so make sure you plan your trip during these months.

Rhode Island’s second national park site is only a fifteen minute drive away. Roger Williams National Memorial is a memorial park dedicated to the Puritan founder of Rhode Island and religious freedom advocate. The park is located in the area of the original Providence settlement, which has now turned into Rhode Island’s biggest city. The park’s visitor center is rather small and the memorial itself comes across as just a typical city park. In terms of memorials in the National Park Service, it leaves a lot to be desired. However, on a nice summer day it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and walk through the shaded stretches of the memorial. Once you’re finished soaking up the scenery, your trip has concluded as you can officially say you have seen all of Rhode Island’s national park sites.