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Places We Protect

Rodman’s Hollow

Rhode Island

Looking across a pastoral setting, with two shadbush trees with gnarled trunks in the foreground.
Rodman’s Hollow The birthplace of conservation on Block Island, Rodman’s Hollow has a fairy-tale quality that keeps visitors coming back. © Nat Rea

No visit to Block Island is complete without a stop at Rodman’s Hollow.

Viewing

Overview

Description

This 230-acre glacial outwash basin, located in the southwest part of the island, is considered the birthplace of conservation on Block Island. It was preserved through a 30-year partnership between the Block Island Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, the Town of New Shoreham, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Plants

This preserve has the largest population of the state-endangered bushy rockrose in Rhode Island. The hollow’s maritime shrubland ecosystem supports bayberry, shadbush and arrowwood. Visit in early to mid-May to see spectacular shad bloom.

Animals

The state-threatened northern harrier feeds and nests here, and the only natural population of federally threatened American burying beetles east of the Mississippi lives here.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The birthplace of conservation on Block Island.

Hours

Sunrise to sunset

Highlights

Hiking, birding, panoramic ocean views

Size

230 acres

Explore our work in Rhode Island

Block Island trails and information: Full color map showing all 28 miles of walking trails. Available at our office on High Street, at a drop box near the shed. Also available at the Tourist Information Building in Old Harbor.

To be a good visitor and to help us protect this special place, we ask that you observe the following guidelines:

  • The best way to explore Rodman’s Hollow is on foot.
  • Please do not bike on the trails. The island’s many dirt roads offer excellent off-road biking opportunities.
  • Please respect all signs marked “private.”
  • Lyme disease is common on Block Island, unfortunately. Take precautions to avoid deer ticks.
  • Staying on marked trails will also help you avoid poison ivy.
  • Dogs are permitted, but please keep them leashed. They can disturb wildlife and other hikers.
  • Take only photographs; leave only footprints. Please remember that the dunes and bluffs are very fragile. Please stay clear of them for your safety.

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.

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