Palmer River Salt Marsh, Warren, RI

Cirsium horridulum (yellow thistle), Warren, RI, photo credit, DMcGrady

This walk, the second in our 2018 series Plants & Their Places which is offered in conjunction with the Connecticut Botanical Society, takes us to Palmer River Salt Marsh, Warren, RI.

The Warren Land Conservation Trust has preserved a beautiful salt marsh on the Palmer River. Behind the marsh is a Maritime Woodland community with large oaks and red maples, with a lush understory. Some uncommon species we might incur include Ptilimnium capillaceum (Atlantic mock bishop-weed), Polygala cruciata (drum-heads milkwort), Bolboschoenus robustus (sea-coast tuber-bulrush), Cirsium horridulum (yellow thistle).

See Doug’s flickr album of Palmer River Salt March

Important
• The walk is slated for 4 hours but could be shorter.
• This walk will be a little rough.  We will spend time off trails, bushwhacking.  There is mud 1-3” deep and perhaps some shallow water.  At times, we will be passing through thickets of greenbriar, Phragmites, knee-high poison ivy, and other shrubs. 
• Wear appropriate clothing for the above conditions and take protective measures against sun and insects.
• Bring food and water

Directions: We will meet at the cul-de-sac on New Industrial Way, Warren RI.  Enter this on your phone map: 41.751150, -71.274417.  Do not park in the FedEx parking lot or access road.

From I-95 in Providence:

-Take I-195 east and go about 8 miles to Massachusetts exit 2.
-Bear right onto MA-136 south and go 1.5 miles to Old Market St.
-Turn right onto Old Market St and go 400 ft to New Industrial Way.
-Turn right onto New Industrial Way and go about 700 ft to the cul-de-sac.
-Park on the right in the cul-de-sac, or on the left in the driveway stub.

Walk Leader: Doug McGrady – demcgrady@hotmail.com – 401-935-5367 cell

This walk is a part of our Plants & Their Places Series.  See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details about these walks and other types of walks that we offer.