clayhead nature trail

Possibly the most beautiful walk in the northeast. Walk along the bluffs into the forest, though The Maze. Incredible views. Then take a swim on a beautiful beach when you're done. Unbelievable!!

Loved the walk out and around as a side trip from our bike adventure on the island. One of the nice parts about biking around the island is the opportunity to get up close to different terrain and scenery.

Tell no one. At the end of a pleasant 1/2 mile walk through some lovely woods is a gorgeous, semi-deserted beach. Sandy not rocky, cool but not cold, waves but not life- threatening... Strap on a beach chair, bring your dog and a soft cooler (and be nice and take your trash out with you when done) and feel like you are in on an awesome secret. It's a great place for rock collecting....though hauling them out is a bit of a schlep.

Have been to BI multiple times, but for some reason had never been to Clay Head trail until last week. Better late than never. Gentle sloping sandy trail that rises from remote beach up to bluffs on north east side. Views as good as at Mohegan Bluffs (though admittedly not so high) without the crowds. Family friendly hike. Only challenge is, if you are driving to parking lot, the last 100 yards is really bumpy and may be a challenge for a vehicle with low clearance above ground.

This is a must-do hike -- takes you all along the coast in a largely secluded spot with very few other travelers. At the start of the hike, you can go down to the beach, which is pristine. The hike is moderate, some ups and downs but not too strenuous, and has gorgeous outlooks at several points.

We were lucky we met some locals on the ferry over who told us about Clayhead beach. By far the best beach on the island. It is beautiful, the stones, the tide pools, the rocks and birds. The waves were great and there were less than 10 people on the beach at any time, most of the time it was just us. We did have a 4 wheel drive vehicle to get there but some drove regular cars and got there fine. The trail is an easy walk, and picturesque as well.

Very nice hike. Paths run along high cliffs over looking ocean and beaches. Maze trails here also. If you enjoy nature.... you'll enjoy this walk.

It's a great trail to hike, with easy access to the beach. If you have a low car, don't try to drive down to the parking area, park on the main road.

Gorgeous views and easy trails. You will see alot of wild life, and the huge expanse of the Atlantic against dune grass and sand is perfect. Great for kids.

Clayhead Nature Trail is also known as "The Maze" or "Bluestone." This is a lovely trail at any time of the year however, in the spring it a knockout! The owners of the land have, over the years, planted tens of thousands (some may even guess hundreds of thousands) of daffodils and narcissus which bloom late into the spring. The most photographed field of flowers can be located in front of the Bluestone, a large stone marker at the top of the hill. (The home at the bottom of the field is a private residence, please respect their privacy).The land makes up a portion of the 48% of preserved open space on the island and the twisted trails here are referred to locally as "The Maze".Before you reach Bluestone you will come upon the beach. This is a beautiful little beach, perfect for a picnic or relaxing in the sun. It is rocky and there is a small fresh water stream that empties out onto the beach. Often you can find beach glass or nice driftwood here. It is a popular spot to stack rocks into little beach sculpture towers.If you decide to continue along the path towards the North Light, you will have some nice views back towards Old Harbor. If you want to walk to the North Light, but don't want to deal with the threat of poison ivy or ticks (neither of which have presented a problem to us, but a previous reviewer was bothered), then head north along the beach. On a recent walk we were rewarded by several interesting "finds" along here; a swordfish skeleton up on the beach and a baby harbor seal sitting at the waters edge.The Chamber of Commerce in Old Harbor and the Block Island Conservancy office on Weldon's Way both sell trail maps ($2) produced by the local Nature Conservancy office which would be helpful.

We went for a walk and this place is just beautiful! Since it was the Fall, the trees were changing their colors, it was just so peaceful! Great place to go with children (not too young though) and have them enjoy the great outdoors!

The walk is easy and the views are amazing! Perfect thing to do when the weather does not let you get to the beach!

An amazing almost deserted beach walk that goes on and on and on. Surf on one side, cliffs with interesting features on the other.

The trail is not well marked but easy to follow. Many gorgeous views of the shore and of a pond. Only problem was that when we reached the north end of the trail, we were driven away by biting flies.

Not easy to drive down access road. Lots of ruts and only small parking lot. Short walk (1/4 to 1/3 mile along easy path to beach) Very pretty and off the beaten path. Would recommend on a day you want to get a little exercise and enjoy lunch at the beach in a pretty setting.