Hiking Group

The OLLI Hiking Group meets Wednesdays at 1:00PM throughout the year, unless the weather or trail conditions are not suitable for hiking. Walks are approximately 90 minutes and are open to all OLLI members, with our target group being active and agile seniors. We do a brisk walk at a steady pace, occasionally pausing to focus on nature’s wildlife or plants. We hike throughout South County and all over Rhode Island, on trails maintained by the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, RI Department of Environmental Management, and local land trusts. It’s a great way to get to know your beautiful state!

Please note: This is not a stroll, and many trails have rocks, roots and slight inclines.

We have been meeting since May 2014, with the exception of the pandemic year. However, during this past year we (Cindy Opaluch and Sara Nelson) have explored 30 new trails to add to our repertoire of 30 trails we hiked prior to the pandemic! We also discovered the advantages of GPS-based hiking apps for trail maps.

Registered OLLI hikers will receive an email notification a few days prior to the hike, with the location and directions to that week’s hiking trailhead. We recommend looking up the location on Google Maps or GPS ahead of time to familiarize yourself with the location and time needed to get there.

If a scheduled hike needs to be cancelled, you will be notified by email the evening before or by 11:00 AM the morning of the hike.

You only need to register once each semester, and as a "HIKING GROUP" member, you can freely choose which hikes you would like to join.

What to wear/ bring:

• Please keep in mind that these are wooded trails with roots and rocks, small inclines and declines, so be sure to wear hiking boots or
• good walking shoes
• Make sure to bring water and maybe a snack.
• You may want to bring a hat and bug spray.
• Keep an orange vest in the trunk of your car, which is required to be worn on many trails during hunting season.
• We recommend spraying socks, pant legs, and shoes with a tick/ insect repellent. Permithrin is a highly recommended anti-tick spray for clothes (not skin) - available at REI in Cranston or online. Permithrin infused clothing is available through LLBean online and other sources.
• Please arrive 10 minutes before 1:00 to sign in so we may leave on time.

OLLI walks provide an enjoyable form of exercise, an opportunity to socialize with fellow OLLI members, and enable participants to connect
with seasonal changes and the beauty of nature. We look forward to sharing the trails with you!
*No Dogs Please

Facilitators: Cindy Opaluch  Email: CindyRI@cox.net  Sara Nelson Email: saramay51@hotmail.com