All stories

15 stops in route order. Everything is readable and playable here, whether or not you're on the trail.

• 1

  You're climbing onto the high ground of Wolf Hill now

  Geology

  You're climbing onto the high ground of Wolf Hill now. The rocky ridge beneath you is the reason Mercer Lookout can offer such a long view despite being only a short hike from suburban Smithfield.

  Listen Replay

  Best-effort placement along estimated route reconstructed from public trail maps/descriptions

• 2On a clear day the skyline appears on the horizon - a…
  Scenic View
• 3With better visibility, the view can stretch beyond…
  Scenic View
• 4On exceptionally clear days, hikers have reported…
  Nature
• 5Near the old lookout area, you'll find a surviving…
  History
• 6The cabin belonged to a Providence Boy Scout troop that…
  History
• 7The Scout cabin probably burned sometime in the 1940s
  History
• 8The town acquired this 24-acre property in 1997 through…
  Nature
• 9Part of your approach follows the ancient Wolf Hill Trail
  Nature
• 10The highway severed older local routes and permanently…
  Wildlife
• 11The blue blazes offer two approaches around the old…
  History
• 12The power-line corridor is part of the modern access…
  Wildlife
• 13Blueberries like this open, acidic upland terrain
  Geology
• 14The famous view wasn't guaranteed forever
  Scenic View
• 15The classic Mercer walk is just under a mile round trip
  History