Location: 41°38'39.8"N 71°36'46.8"W
Town: West Greenwich
Driving Landmarks: Take exit 6 off I-95 in West Greenwich. If you are coming from the north (Warwick), turn left at the end of the ramp; if you coming from the south (Westerly), turn right. This will put you on Route 3 (Nooseneck Hill Road) heading south. Go 0.6 miles and look for a dirt pullout on the left just after the bridge.
I paddled about 3.8 miles on Big River (should be called Tiny River!) today, 3/22/24. I tried to paddle here last summer, but it was too shallow and overgrown, but this time of year, it makes for a great paddling route!
I started paddling south from the launch point, which is upstream. The flow is fairly gentle, and I was able to power through it with a single blade the entire time. The river is full of very sharp twists and turns (like 150 degrees regularly), and there are a few tricky spots, but not major strainers or other hazards. It would be trickier in a kayak with all of the sharp maneuvering I had to do. My solo canoe and single blade paddle were the right choice for the habitat and conditions.
You'll hear traffic from the launch point and about another mile from there, but after a while traffic sounds fade to silence and it is completely remote - no houses or any development at all.
I spotted malard ducks, wood ducks, red-winged blackbirds, canadian geese, a beaver, and a muskrat.