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Print Friendly MapImagine a wealthy 19th-century textile mill owner building an 8-mile railroad to get coal to his plant or products to market, and then adding accommodations to carry vacationers to beach resorts or voyagers to steamships: that’s the story of the short-line railroad that later became the William C. O’Neill Bike Path. At just over 7 miles, the trail runs from Amtrak’s West Kingston Station to within about a mile of its original destination in the town of Narragansett Pier.
About the Route
A good place to start is the Amtrak station in the West Kingston community. Built by the New York, Providence, and Boston Railroad in 1874, the station was shared with the Narragansett Pier Railroad to transfer passengers heading to the beaches. The trail heads southeast from here under a dense canopy of trees. Although it isn't visible from the pathway, the University of Rhode Island is nearby; as you approach your first mile on the trail, you will reach the URI Bike Path, which heads north to campus.
This wooded area fringes the Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area, where, particularly in the spring and fall, you’ll encounter flocks of migratory birds. Also in the woods is the Tefft Historical Park, where archaeological sites date from early Narragansett tribal occupation through Colonial settlements. At about mile 4, the trail enters the Tri-Pond Park, where there are ponds, streams, nature trails, and a nature center.
Emerging from the woods in Peace Dale (named for the railroad builder’s mother), the trail takes Railroad Street for 0.2 miles. About midway on the left sits the renovated train depot, now a business. Crossing Church Street, the trail is once again off-road. In 0.7 miles, the trail crosses Main Street in Wakefield and passes a replica train station. Arriving at the commercial center on Kingstown Road, the trail follows MacArthur Boulevard for 0.2 miles, then veers right back onto the trail. The trail reaches its eastern end Mumford Road.
Connections
Just past Ministerial Rd., the William C. O'Neill Bike Path connects to the URI Bike Path.
Trail History
The William C. O'Neill Bike Path is named for the late senator who spearheaded the development of the trail, previously known as the South County Bike Path. (Washington County is locally known as South County.) It follows the railbed of the Narragansett Pier Railroad, opened in 1876 by a man who owned mills in Wakefield and Peace Dale. In 1921, rail buses—actual buses adapted to ride the rails—replaced the passenger cars. Locals affectionately called these unique buses Micky Dinks after two of the drivers. Passenger service ended in 1952, though freight service continued for another 25-plus years. The first section of the rail trail opened in 2000.
William C. O'Neill Bike Path runs between Kingston Station, 1 Railroad Ave. (Kingston), and 53 Mumford Rd. (Narragansett), with parking available at both ends.
Parking is also available at:
Kingston Station is an active stop on Amtrak's Northeast line between Boston and Washington, D.C. Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA) buses also serve the station.
Please see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
This is my childhood bike path, it’s a lot shorter than I remembered now that I have the speed and endurance I do. Still a wonderful ride through the swamp and forests of south Kingstown, through peace dale and wakefield , to the beaches of Narragansett.
Great ride on a beautiful Saturday mid-June. However, all parking was taken at the Amtrak station area and even at the "Additional Parking" lot. On the other hand there was plenty of parking around the URI campus and the URI bike trail (2 Miles) connects with the O'Neill. The O'Neill trail is mostly shaded, in excellent shape and surprisingly not that crowded. There's numerous road crossings but cars were typically very accommodating to stop. At trails end we went another mile into Narragansett to check out the town and beach scene. All in all a very enjoyable afternoon.
Gorgeous and very well kept trail. Very shady! We started at the Amtrak Station. Beautiful ride all the way to the end. Took the left at the end down to The Towers and Narragansett Beach. We had wonderful lunch at the Coast Guard House. Great view! Helps to have a reservation but we were able to get in.
Though the trail itself is ok, there are elements of crowd that bike and frequent this path that made us never want to visit here again as a family, from a bicycling safety, child safety, and family safety stance.
Last time we went as a family, we were safely bicycling along just past that univ. of rhode island side where there is an outlying farm and we encountered several people who either did not give proper way to others or just sped along carelessly, but the terrifying part that jolted us into never wanting to visit again was: A guy, probably in his late 60's, grey beard, and wearing a Stedman's Bike Shop t-shirt came speeding along, probably 25mph, on his road bike and heading towards us and some walkers (though we were in the right lane), and he came head on, suddenly squealing his brakes in our faces and yelled at our child and my spouse, "What are you doin!!! What the hell are you doin'!!!" Making us feel like our slow riding and safe riding got in the way of his clear path to the rushing high of speed, speed, speed, the guy grunted through us and other walkers and shockingly, simply sprinted off. All we could think was just nasty and that the guy either runs the bike shop or is a shop team rider or who knows what and what a gross shop-rider sham of a partnership risking others' safety and peace of mind.
So we proceed on a bit and then head back with a gross feeling about the whole family bicycling experience here. I take a couple of weeks weeks off and then decide to visit the path again just with our child this time. We bicycle along up before that wakefield center and encounter two guys drunk and spewing violent cussing language out of their mouths. Had to call the police this time because we were afraid the guys would get violent on us as they occupied a part of the pathway directly in front of us. No thanks rhode island, for bicycling safety, family safety, and child safety. Children are impressionable and they, more than adults, retain indelible memories of such horrors, lifelong.
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