Welcome to the ExploreRI Mapper
This mapper will help you locate boat launches and other points of interest to for small boat recreation throughout the state of Rhode Island. To get started, click anywhere on the map to zoom in on that area. To zoom out use the zoom control to the left of the map. Once you have zoomed in, boat launches and other points of interest will show up on the map as clickable red icons (see the key below the map). Click on an icon to get more information about that location. If you prefer to search by criteria or simply look up a site by name, try the boat launch search page. If you have a high-speed Internet connection (e.g., DSL or Cable), you may want to try our Google-based mapping system which also includes sites in the Narragansett Bay Watershed in Massachusetts.
KEY
Hand Carry Boat Launch
Boat Ramp
Portage
Other Type of Site
The location you clicked on is a site for launching boats from trailers. Boat ramps can normally be used to launch canoes and kayaks but please do your best to keep the boat ramp clear for boat trailers.
Site Name: Fort Wetherill
Town: Jamestown
Driving Landmarks: From Route 138 east (coming from the mainland) take the Jamestown exit (shortly before the toll booth for the Newport Bridge) and follow Conanicus Avenue through the center of Jamestown. South of downtown Jamestown, Conanicus Avenue becomes Walcott Avenue. Just keep following it until you get to the park, about a mile south of downtown Jamestown.
From Route 138 (i.e., coming from Newport) take the Jamestown exit (just after the toll booth). Turn right at the end of the ramp and go 0.4 miles to the T-junction with Conanicus Avenue. Turn left on Conanicus Avenue and follow it through the center of Jamestown. South of downtown Jamestown, Conanicus Avenue becomes Walcott Avenue. Just keep following it until you get to the park, about a mile south of downtown Jamestown.
ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no
Shoreline: The boat ramp is steep and in poor condition, but is suitable for launching hand carried boats. There is a sand and gravel beach next to the ramp.
Float/Dock: no
Hours of Operation: Sunrise to sunset, year-round. Seasonal facilities open May 1 through October 31
Parking: parking lot
ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? no
Water 'Features' At Site: ocean/bay
Note: Because one boat launch can access, say, both a lake and a river or both the upstream and downstream portions of a river, not all paddling trips at a given site will necessarily encounter all of the features listed.
Comments & Overview:While there is a boat ramp here it is very steep and only recommended for light boats and especially hand-carried boats such as kayaks. The shoreline here is very scenic but the rocks are unforgiving and there is little shelter from the open ocean once you leave the tiny cove on which the ramp is located, so this area is best for experienced paddlers. This site is within Fort Wetherill State Park and as you would expect there are various parking lots as well as restrooms and other amenities. The parking lot closest to the boat ramp can fill up in the summer but there is more parking in the upper lots.
On most days the southwest wind fills in strongly in this area in the morning and blows briskly throughout the afternoon, producing strong waves once you are outside of the immediate harbor area, so be prepared for this when planning your trip.
For more details see the full site report
The data on this website comes from many sources, including volunteers and organizations across the state of Rhode Island and nearby parts of Massachusetts. We have done our best to make sure the data are accurate and up to date, but any information critical to the success of your trip should be confirmed before you start. The maps and information on this website should not be substituted for nautical charts, topographic maps, or other more detailed maps and guides. We welcome corrections and additions. To send a correction or provide other feedback, please use our feedback form.
Credits: The data for the base maps was provided by the Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS) and the Office of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. The site data came from numerous sources and organizations. Much of it was collected through the hard work of volunteers for various conservation, watershed and outdoor recreation groups around the state of Rhode Island.