OverviewJerimoth Hill is the highest point in Rhode Island. It is hardly a mountain, but is of interest to Highpointers.
Jerimoth Hill had been the most restrictive state high point. The owners had only kept open it to the public only 5-times a year on open access days. In some cases, they shot at people who tried to highpoint any other day. Fortunately, new ownership now allows access every day from 8am to 4pm. This dramatic change is due to a long effort of good will by many dedicated people, so PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF THE OWNERS. Do not litter, and only show up during the hours when the highpoint is open.
The highpoint area is attractive, as is this part of Rhode Island, with lakes and verdant trees along the road. The summit is a large rock about 200 yards from the road, (ie. less than a 5 minute walk over flat ground. You only gain about 10 feet from the trailhead.) It would be about 100 feet if you started at the bottom of "the hill" by the lake.
*Although there is lots of information on the web about this highpoint, all you need to reach the summit is here on this page. There are many stories about previous owners running would-be highpointers off of their ground with shotguns, and they may be true, but if you wish to know more about it, consult other internet sites to indulge your curiousity.
Getting ThereJerimoth Hill is about an hour or so south of Boston, Massachusetts. The summit is off of Rhode Island Route 101. To get there, you would take I-395 to the 101 exit near East Killingly, Connecticut. Take route 101 East until you pass a small lake, below a big hill, and go to the top of the hill and there is a small sand parking area on the left, and the highpoint is across the road, on the right. In 2005, the Highpointers Club built a short trail to the summit, that you can take from the parking area to the summit without disturbing private property.
Red TapeThe Summit is [currently as of February 20, 2004] owned by Brown University, however the road to reach the summit runs over Private Land.
"The Hill" from route 101 going East.
Even though highpointing is arduous, and tough to make time for, it is important that we respect the private ownership of the land, and visit when time is provided by the land-owners. The property owner respects the spirit of highpointing, which is why they now provide open access from 8AM to 4PM each day of the year. If we abide by their rules, and respect their land, hopefully this will continue for many years to come.
Camping and Other hikingIf you are going to take the time to camp you may want to visit other major mountain areas in the region such as the Berkshires, the Adirondaks, or the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
Furthermore, several state highpoints are within a few hours drive, including:
Frissel SW Shoulder - Connecticut (About 1 1/2 hours)
Mt. Greylock - Massachusetts (About 2 hours)
High Point - New Jersey (About 3 hours)
Mt. Marcy - New York (About 3 1/2 hours)
Mt. Washington - New Hampshire (About 4 hours)
If you really can't travel very far away, check out this link where you'll find info on nearby campgrounds and hotels.
Local ConditionsCheck out the link page for the weather report.
Rock Climbing and hiking in Rhode IslandIf you want to find places to go hiking or rock climbing in Rhode Island, or the area near Jerimoth Hill, check out these sites:
Rock Climbing in Rhode Island
County Highpoints of Rhode Island
If you want a nice bike/wilderness trail, check out the North-South Trail, which reaches about a mile from the high point:
Unofficial Map
Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island
External Links Images
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