interstitialRedirectModalTitle

interstitialRedirectModalMessage

interstitialRedirectModalRedirectCTA
interstitialRedirectModalDismissCTA
Skip to content

Places We Protect

Ell Pond Preserve

Rhode Island

A yellow blaze on a tree trunk marks a rugged path over smooth granite boulders between tall rhododendrons.
Rugged Rhody Enter an enchanting forest unlike any other in Rhode Island, climbing over boulders and looking up at ancient rhododendrons. © Tim Mooney/TNC

One of the most challenging and beautiful hikes in Rhode Island.

Overview

Description

Ell Pond Preserve is a gateway to the Long & Ell Ponds Natural Area and one of the most spectacular trails in Rhode Island. 

A mile-long section of the Narragansett Trail winds through a beautiful forest of hemlocks, Atlantic white cedars and giant rhododendrons. A short side trail leads to a stunning view of Long Pond. The rugged terrain requires scrambling over boulders and bedrock, but footbridges, stone steps and even a small ladder guide hikers over the most challenging obstacles.

The forest surrounding Long and Ell Ponds is co-managed by TNC, the Department of Environmental Management and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

Dogs are not permitted at this preserve.

Hunting is permitted on state land, under rules updated annually by DEM. Hikers are required to wear fluorescent orange during hunting season.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Dogs are not permitted at this preserve.

Hours

Open year-round during daylight hours.

Highlights

Hiking and birdwatching. Mountain laurels and rhodondendrons bloom in summer.

Explore our work in Rhode Island

Photos from Long & Ell Ponds

Tag your preserve visits on Instagram with #EllPond to have your photos featured here!

Small songbird with black and white stripes facing downward holding a green caterpillar in its bill.
Stiff, green pine needles and cones on a tree branch against a blue background.
A female hiker looks up a tall granite rock face framed by a leafy canopy.
An oak leaf's overall crimson color contrasts with light green along the veins.
A high granite outcrop juts out into a pond surrounded by oak forest in the fall.
A weathered black plaque with raised bluish lettering, mounted to a granite boulder.
A grapefruit-sized cluster of white flowers with pink highlights and gold flecks.
A green bullfrog with large bulbous eyes pokes its head out of a pond between large lilypads.
A group of small, green, lobed plants covered with sticky, pink glands arranged like a pincushion.
Aerial photo of a forest in fall looking down at the orange and green treetops.
Small songbird with black and white stripes facing downward holding a green caterpillar in its bill.

Black-and-white Warbler: These early spring migrants arrive in Rhode Island as caterpillars emerge. © Jason Major

Stiff, green pine needles and cones on a tree branch against a blue background.

Pitch Pine: These small, hardy trees grow out of rock crevices, where few other trees can thrive. © Russell Laman

A female hiker looks up a tall granite rock face framed by a leafy canopy.

Contemplation: One feels very small looking up at the giant rock formation; the best route the top is to the left. © Russell Laman

An oak leaf's overall crimson color contrasts with light green along the veins.

Flaming Oaks: Oak leaves extend the fall foliage season into November. © Russell Laman

A high granite outcrop juts out into a pond surrounded by oak forest in the fall.

Monadnock: Looking back at Long Pond's famous overlook with the help of a drone. © Russell Laman

A weathered black plaque with raised bluish lettering, mounted to a granite boulder.

National Natural Landmark: Shaped by a glacier, Ell Pond has attracted the attention of scientists for decades. © Russell Laman

A grapefruit-sized cluster of white flowers with pink highlights and gold flecks.

Rhododendron: These giant shrubs light up the forest with their blooms in mid-July. © Tim Mooney/TNC

A green bullfrog with large bulbous eyes pokes its head out of a pond between large lilypads.

Bullfrog: In summer, frogs can be heard croaking and trilling across much of the preserve. © Russell Laman

A group of small, green, lobed plants covered with sticky, pink glands arranged like a pincushion.

Sundews: These carnivorous plants use sticky nectar to capture insects. © Russell Laman

Aerial photo of a forest in fall looking down at the orange and green treetops.

Fall Fireworks : A mixed forest of hardwoods and pines creates a stunning mosaic of colors and textures. © Russell Laman

Things to consider when visiting

  • The trailhead and parking for seven cars are located at 360 North Road in the Rockville section of Hopkinton. Note that this stretch of North Road is unpaved and may be rutted at times. 

    Parking is also available at DEM's Long Pond Fishing Area at 225 Canonchet Road. 

  • Starting from North Road, the Narragansett Trail, blazed yellow, enters a lush forest of Atlantic white cedars and rhododendrons. Just 300 feet from the trailhead, hikers encounter their first scramble over a granite outcrop. The rocks are slippery when wet, and this first challenge is a good place to gauge one's ability to tackle the rest of the trail.

    After 0.2 miles, the trail climbs up a steep section of bare granite to reach a crossroads. The unmarked trail to the left leads to the base of a giant rock formation. If you're adventurous and steady on your feet, find your way around to the left and up to the top for an incredible view of Long Pond.

    Turning right at the crossroads leads to a short spur trail to the Ell Pond National Natural Landmark plaque or, with a quick left, to the continuation of the Narragansett Trail. Please avoid bushwacking to the shore of Ell Pond. The ecosystem is fragile and easily damaged.

    The yellow trail descends between two rock walls, into an area known as the Cleft or the Cathedral. Stay to the right and use the stone steps. After a short distance, a footbridge crosses a stream flowing out of Ell Pond.

    At this point, the trail only gets more rugged and wild. Take your time on steep sections and pause to enjoy the overlooks across Long Pond. The trail winds down over a long, gentle spine of exposed bedrock.

    A hike from North Road to Canonchet Road and back (including the side trails) is about 2.7 miles. Please allow three hours to complete this difficult but amazing adventure.

  • The Long & Ell Ponds Natural Area is home to an amazing mix of habitats, supporting songbirds and other wildlife that require large, undeveloped areas to thrive.

    Plants: The preserve’s lush wetlands and exposed bedrock areas support a variety of forest types, from hemlock and white cedar to pitch pine and chestnut oak. Impressive patches of mountain laurel and rhododendron burst into bloom in June and July, respectively.

    Birds: In spring and summer, the forest is filled with songbirds that migrate to Rhode Island from Central America, South America and the Caribbean basin. Look and listen for ovenbirds, scarlet tanagers, black-and-white warblers and worm-eating warblers.

    Animals: The preserve's streams and wetlands provide habitat for frogs and turtles. Common woodland mammals in the area include fisher, mink, bobcat, red fox and red squirrel.

  • We hope you enjoy visiting TNC's preserves in any season. We ask that you please observe the following guidelines:

    • Stay on marked trails and please leave the fragile shorelines of Ell Pond and Long Pond undisturbed.
    • Dogs are not permitted on this preserve.
    • Respect preserve hours (one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset). Fires and overnight camping are not allowed.
    • Do not ride horses, bikes or any motorized vehicle through preserves or on the trails.
    • Hunting is permitted on state-owned sections of the Long & Ell Pond Natural Area.
    • Do not remove any materials from this preserve, including firewood, stones or historic artifacts, or disturb any vegetation.
    • Metal detectors and paintball guns are not permitted.
    • Remove any trash you create and, if possible, any garbage that you see left by someone else.
    • Dress in long pants and socks to avoid deer ticks. After any walk on a preserve, it is a good idea to check for ticks when you return home.
    • Be careful! Your safety is your responsibility.

Explore Long & Ell Ponds

Daybreak It's a challenging hike to the top of this rock, but the view is worth it. © Russell Laman
Decision Point Turn right for Ell Pond or follow the yellow trail down into the Cleft. © Russell Laman
Great Rhododendron Growing conditions are just right for wild rhododendrons, which bloom two months after their cultivated cousins. © Russell Laman
Ell Pond This L-shaped kettle pond was formed by a huge chunk of ice left by a retreating glacier. © Russell Laman
The Cleft Whether you call it the Cleft or the Cathedral, this spot is a highlight of the Narragansett Trail. © Russell Laman
Take a Leap Ell Pond Preserve is a hiker's paradise, with new challenges around every corner. © Russell Laman
Dawn breaks over a small pond surrounded by forest, as viewed from atop a high granite outcrop with two small pine trees.
Sunrise A new summer day arrives at the Long & Ell Ponds Natural Area. © Russell Laman

History

The Long & Ell Ponds Natural Area is part of the traditional homeland of the Narragansett, Mohegan and Pequot people.

The Nature Conservancy acquired 50 acres around Ell Pond in 1972, adding to a growing area of contiguous protected lands along the Rhode Island-Connecticut border. More than 50 years later, TNC continues this work in partnership with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and the Department of Environmental Management.

in 1974, Ell Pond was designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

In 2011, parts of the Wes Anderson film Moonrise Kingdom were filmed on Long Pond and along portions of the Narragansett Trail.

Nearby Preserves

Need more nature? Visit The Nature Conservancy's other preserves.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See the Complete Map

Support Our Work

Your contributions help us continue our conservation work in Rhode Island.

Donate Now