Town Pond Trail
Town Pond
Portsmouth’s Town Pond features a half-mile trail that winds along a restored estuary before reaching the old rail line and the waters of Mount Hope Bay. Spur trails lead north from the federal Bertha K. Russell Preserve to the beach along Mount Hope Bay. Town Pond offers wonderful opportunities for bird watching, with osprey nesting on nearby platforms, egrets foraging along the shore, and songbirds dotting the shrubby habitat along the trail. The site has frequently-occupied osprey platforms and excellent birding across the cove. Parking is available off of Anthony Road.
The 46-acre property was the site of a major restoration project completed in 2008. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Save the Bay, DEM, Town of Portsmouth, ALT, and others converted the site from a barren mudflat filled with dredging spoils into the healthy estuarine ecosystem it is today. It is owned by RI DEM but the trail is maintained by ALT, which holds a conservation easement on the property.
Please review the Rules & Regulations for Town Pond. You can support ALT’s land conservation mission by becoming a member or donating to our annual fund. We hope that you enjoy your visit!
Trail Volunteering
Enjoy using our trail? Why not help out! ALT has an Adopt-a-Trail program for ongoing trail monitoring and maintenance. Duties include monitoring the trail on a consistent basis, picking up litter, light maintenance, and trail improvement projects as they come about. For more information fill out our Volunteer Form and/or contact Stewardship Manager Sean Grandy at 401-849-2799, ext. 115 or sgrandy@ailt.org
ALT Rules & Regs
Have Feedback?
We always want to hear feedback on the condition of our trails and new ideas for the trail! Please contact Conservation Director Alex Chuman with any comments at 401-849-2799, ext. 114 or achuman@ailt.org