Lime Rock Preserve

Life Springs from Marble

© Jennifer Holske/TNC

Why You Should Visit
Ledges of dolomitic marble produce a special calcareous soil that nurtures 30 rare plant species - more than any other site in Rhode Island. Beautiful ferns and wildflowers grow along ridges of recrystallized limestone. In winter, look for animal tracks in the snow and learn to identify trees and shrubs by their silhouettes and buds. In fall, watch deciduous trees change color and walk along paths carpeted by bright orange and yellow leaves.

Location
Lincoln, Rhode Island, 10 minutes from downtown Providence. The preserve is adjacent to the Moshassuck River and the Manton Reservoir.

Size
130 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Preserve Visitation Guidelines

What to Expect
The preserve is laced with trails illustrating a wide variety of distinctive New England habitats including woodlands, forested swamps, streams, open water and calcareous ledges. An abandoned electric rail-bed on western edge of the property provides scenic views of the town reservoir. Some trails get wet and muddy. Please stay on the trails to avoid trampling plants and brushing against poison ivy.

Directions

• From Providence, take Route 146 to the Lincoln Woods exit (Twin River Road)
• Turn right at the end of the ramp
• At the first light, turn right onto Route 246 (Louisquisset Pike)
• Take 246 north to Wilbur Road (about 2.4 miles)
• Turn left onto Wilbur Road
• Roughly .5 miles on the right will be the entrance to the Lime Rock Preserve – a small pull-off from the road. It is somewhat difficult to locate, so keep a careful eye out.

© The Nature Conservancy

What to See: Plants
Red oak, hickory, a diversity of ferns, red and white baneberry, horse balm, violets, bellwort, nodding trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, trout lily

Why the Conservancy Selected this Site
Lime Rock's unique and abundant plant life drew notable botanists for the last 100 years. Only 10 minutes from downtown Providence, the preserve forms an oasis of tranquility and an important refuge for wildlife in an area that is heavily impacted by development.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The preserve was created in 1986, thanks to landowners Dorothy and Raymond Houghton, the Plante Family and the Wilbur Family. The Conklin Limestone Company donated mineral rights. Generous support from The Champlin Foundations and numerous individual donors made the protection of Lime Rock a success.