Access in Bristol RI
Bristol is a nice little town in RI with some good fishing spots, the big thing is some land owners had put up Keep Out signs to scare visitors away. Although you won't need a 4x4 or beach buggy to get to these spots there is the possibility of landing fish. I'm not sure if there are any beach spots that will allow a 4x4 but I could be wrong. Here is the info on public access in Bristol
Public access: Where to find it
The Bristol Harbor Commission has identified 37 public shoreline access points, otherwise known as rights of way (ROW), in Bristol under its just-updated Harbor Management Plan. The ROWs have been designated public either by the state Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) or the Town of Bristol. However, access to each varies. The list also does not include Colt State park or the Bristol Town Beach, both of which are public. A description of each recognized ROW follows:
1. Aaron Avenue: Known as "Narragansett Heights," this ROW has long been used and maintained by neighborhood residents. This access area is a large lawn with a great view of the bay.
2. Annawamscutt Drive: A wide, paved right-of-way with sufficient parking. Those who make the descent to the beach will find a cobble beach with a scenic view of Mount Hope Bay and Fall River.
3. Azalea Drive: A paved right-of-way located in residential area between two houses, leading to a steep dirt ramp to the Kickemuit River. It is possible to launch boats here, but it would be tricky, and there is no trailer parking. CRMC access point.
4. Beach Road: A narrow, paved ROW leading to a guardrail and two benches overlooking northern Narragansett Bay. Parking is limited on the narrow streets. CRMC-designated.
5. Burton Street: There is a seawall with sidewalk, but no access to the shoreline. CRMC-designated.
6. Butterworth Avenue: Small ROW. CRMC-designated.
7. Church Street: Nestled between the rug factory and the community center, this site offers a view of the urban waterfront of Bristol Harbor. No swimming or fishing is allowed from the town pier which is next to the Prudence Island Ferry dock.
8. Clipper Way: An extension of Clipper Way, this site is not clearly delineated and appears to be private property. CRMC-designated, the ROW is heavily wooded and is not easily traversed.
9. Constitution Street: This ROW provides access to a small beach via a ramp through the seawall at the end of the road. CRMC-designated.
10. Fales Road: This ROW is a concrete ramp leading down to a cobble beach on Narragansett Bay. Not suitable as a trailered boat launch, it offers a nice view of the bay and is popular for shell-fishing. CRMC-designated.
11. Fatima Drive: This narrow ROW leads between two fences to a seawall above a fringing salt march on the Kickemuit River. No parking is permitted, but there is limited parking allowed on the street. CRMC-designated.
12. Franklin Street: This ROW has been integrated into Independence Park.
13. Gibson Road: CRMC-designated, the ROW is offset to the south and occupied at its western end by a rip-rap drainage swale.
14. Independence Park: Perhaps the most well-known access point in Bristol, with plenty of parking.
15. Kickemuit Avenue: This is a paved ROW leading to a narrow dirt path through the reeds and down the rocks to a dirt shoreline of the Kickemuit River. No parking is permitted in the ROW but there is limited parking on the street. CRMC-designated.
16. King Philip Drive: This is a wide, grassy ROW leading about 40 yards down to a cobble beach with a view of Mount Hope Bay and Fall River. There is limited on-street parking available.
17. Low Lane: A 150-foot path at the end of the road leads to a cobble beach and a small breakwater. The site offers a nice view of the Newport Bridge, Hog Island, and passing boats. Parking is available for one or two cars, and there is limited additional parking on the street. CRMC-designated.
18. Mill Pond Inlet: Located off the south side of Poppasquash Road, at the inlet to Mill Pond on Bristol Harbor, this site is a small pull-off parking area. CRMC-designated.
19. Mt. Hope Farm: The property is owned by a non-profit trust, and has expansive frontage on Mount Hope Bay. However, there is no direct driving access to the water; visitors can park in a parking area and walk through the property.
20. Mt. Hope Fishing Area: Located off Annawamscutt Drive, this access has a single-width, concrete slab boat ramp with a breakwater fronting Mount Hope Bay. Adjacent to the boat ramp is a cobble beach and a fringing marsh. There is parking for about 10 vehicles with trailers or about 20 vehicles without trailers.
21. Narrows Peninsula: A sandy and gravely spit of land forming one side of the Bristol Narrows. This site is used mostly as a boat launch and fishing area. There is parking available on-site for vehicles and trailers. CRMC-designated.
22. Narrows Road: Adjacent to the Narrows Peninsula site.
23. North Street: This ROW is a dirt road leading about 30 yards to the shoreline of the Kickemuit River. There is a nice view of the river and boats, and the spot could be used for launching small boats. However, there is no onsite parking available and only limited parking on very narrow streets. CRMC-designated.
24. Oliver Street: The extension of Oliver Street forms the entrance to the shoreline road and boat launching area in Independence Park as well as the southern extent of the East Bay Bike Path. CRMC-designated.
25. Peck Avenue: Located at the end of Peck Avenue west of the bike path, this is a partially grassed and overgrown ROW located between two residences. The ROW appears to be a private property and is not clearly delineated or marked. CRMC-designated.
26. Platt Street: This site is off King Philip Avenue near the junction with Platt Street. There is a set of concrete stairs and a walkway leading down to a grassy area with benches and nice view of Mount Hope Bay, Bristol Narrows, and Fall River. Parking is available on the street.
27. Poppasquash Road: Located at the head of Bristol Harbor, this site extends generally southeast from a stone wall bordering Poppasquash Road, over a stretch of marsh grass, to a cobble beach bordering the head of Bristol Harbor. Popular with shellfishermen.
28. Portside Road: This access was dedicated to the town as part of a subdivision. A path leads through woods to a pebbly shore. Though there are no parking signs at the site, the town is reviewing the legality of these signs and may remove them, permitting parking there.
29. Rockwell Park: On Thames Street, a large waterfront park.
30. San Miguel Drive: A paved extension of San Miguel Drive ends at a gentle dirt ramp and a fringing march on the Kickemuit River. Boats could possibly be launched here. There is no onsite parking, but limited parking is available on the street. CRMC-designated.
31. Sherman Avenue: This site is a paved extension of Sherman Avenue with a concrete boat ramp to the dirt beach on the Kickemuit River. Boats could possibly be launched here. There is no onsite parking, but limited parking is available on the street. CRMC-designated.
32. Smith Street: This ROW is a paved extension leading to a rundown concrete boat ramp, to a gravel path, and on through a fringing marsh on the Bristol Narrows section of the Kickemuit River. No onsite parking is permitted but there is limited parking on the narrow street. This site is probably best for neighborhood use only; CRMC-designated.
33. State Street Pier and Boat Launch: Public boat launch with parking. CRMC-designated.
34. Sunrise Drive: A paved extension of the road leading to a rock step-down and cobble beach with a nice view of Mount Hope Bay, the Bristol Narrows and Fall River. There is limited onsite and streetside parking. CRMC-designated.
35. Surf Drive: Located at the northerly end of Surf Drive, a 100-yard path granted to the town as part of a subdivision dedication leads to a beach and rocky area. Pretty spot.
36. Union Street: A 40-foot wide ROW with a grassy area and benches. It leads down to a seawall and a ramp walkway to a sandy and gravel beach. There is onsite parking; CRMC-designated.
37. Walley Street: An expansive lawn slopes down to a cobble shoreline of Bristol Harbor. The grassy area is good for sunbathing, picnicking, or viewing the harbor and boats. There is limited parking on site. CRMC-designated.
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