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 hand-carried boats such as canoes or kayaks.
Site Name: Union Street, Downtown Bristol
Town: Bristol
Driving Landmarks: Coming through Bristol on Hope Street/Route 114 south, go past St. Michael's Church and in another 2/10 mile look on the right for a right-of-way to the shore where Union Street meets Hope Street.
Approaching downtown Bristol from the south on Hope Street/Route 114 north, the right-of-way is 2/10 mile north of the Herreshoff Museum.
ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no
Shoreline: The shoreline is a sandy beach. Access to the beach is down a shallow set of stairs.
Float/Dock: no
Approximate Length of Carry between Car Access and Water: 150 feet
Parking: parking lot, 4 spaces
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:This 40 foot wide right-of-way leads down to the shore at the south end of Bristol Harbor. There is a broad set of steps leading down to the shore here but they should not be a serious obstacle for hand carrying small boats. The shore itself is a small sandy beach. Putting in here puts you south of much but not all of the busy east side of Bristol Harbor.
Bristol Harbor is a busy harbor with much to look at, but also plenty of boat traffic to watch out for. The Prudence Island Ferry runs from a dock a bit north of this put-in.
Heading out the east side of Bristol Harbor puts you under the Mount Hope Bridge, at the junction of Mount Hope Bay and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, an area where there are likely to be lots of boats of all sizes, including freighters, tugboats and barges, as well as strong tidal currents and more wind and waves.
Heading out the west side of Bristol Harbor takes you around Poppasquash Point and then on to Colt State Park. The shoreline here is pretty, but be aware that large vessels use the shipping channel just offshore to get to the Port of Providence. The area around Poppasquash Point and on up to Colt State Park and beyond is often windy and rough.
Especially around the points and in narrow areas such as under the Mount Hope Bridge and around Poppasquash Point the tide can interact with the wind to create particularly rough conditions.
On most days the southwest wind fills in strongly throughout this area in the morning and blows through the afternoon, producing significant waves, so be prepared for this when planning your trip. Mornings are often calmer and less windy, and so are usually a better time to paddle.
This map and guide, created by the RI Blueways Alliance, has more details on paddling routes in Bristol Harbor.
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.