reached via a dirt road leading
off corn neck road, across
from a yellow Victorian house,
just two miles north of the
town beach pavilion. A para-
dise for walkers, Clay Head
Trail leads to the northeastern
shore of the Island and me-
anders along the scenic bluffs
of clay Head for more than a
mile until it reaches settlers
rock. Branching off the main
trail are several other trails,
which have given the area the
nickname "the Maze." One
such trail leads directly to the
beach north of Jerry's point
where you can still see rem-
nants of the glacial formation
called "pots & kettles."
Rodman's Hollow, named af-
ter an early Island doctor, is a
rolling terrain left from a melt-
ing glacier. The hollow is the
haunt of hawks, white-tailed
deer and several rare species
of wildflowers. In the 1960s,
developers bought it and
proposed building a dozen
houses on the slopes. This so
alarmed Island residents that
they formed the Block Island
Conservancy, with the late
Captain Rob Lewis as their
leader, and raised enough
money to buy it back so that
it could be forever wild. Walk-
ing trails lead to Black rock
Beach.
Black Rock, which gives the
area its name, is a popular
surfing and fishing spot.
located in about 15 feet of
water, about 150 feet offshore,
the rock itself is only visible in
extreme low tide. When swells
expose the rock, it is said to
resemble a huge black whale.
Today, waters around Black
rock attract striped bass and
bluefish, but in years past,
ships were known to meet
their doom here. The Jacob
S. Winslow, a four-masted
on march 1, 1914. The timber
from the ship strewn on the
beach was salvaged and used
to build a barn on Lewis Farm
and the original electric plant.
Mohegan Bluffs, to the west
of the southeast lighthouse,
provide a magnificent view
of the southern coast and its
high cliffs, with Montauk, N.Y.
often visible 20 miles away. At
Payne Overlook, you'll find a
wooden stairway that was built
with funding from the Rhode
Island department of envi-
ronmental management. It is a
difficult climb, and the footing
at the bottom is extremely
challenging, but the climb is
worth it. Be careful though,
since swimming conditions
dangerous.
Abrams' Animal Farm has
a diverse collection of exotic
and domestic animals main-
tained by Justin abrams and
family, owners of the 1661
Inn and Hotel manisses. The
small farm between Spring
and High streets is home to
camels, llamas, emus, sheep,
donkeys, goats, swans and
ducks. Visitors can view and
pet the animals. Here you'll
also see the Hotel manisses'
extensive garden. open to the
public from dawn to dusk.
Ocean View Pavilion is a place
for rest and reflection with
wonderful views. The Ocean
View Foundation is a nonprof-
it organization that secured