I’d driven past Ryan Park in North Kingstown tons of times without really paying it all that much attention.

After seeing the practice fields, I’d mistakenly assumed that there wasn’t anything else there for me.

Well, boy was I wrong!

At the urging of someone in my circle, the hubs and I hiked several of the trails yesterday afternoon, after yet another yummy lunch over at Shayna’s on Brown Street in nearby Wickford Village, and I have to say it’s an utterly gorgeous spot for a fall hike.

The leaves are just starting to change colors and it’s a nice way to multi-task this month — in order words, get your daily steps in while taking in the early stages of fall foliage in the 401.

Furthermore, if you have a dog in your life, you’re going to want to bookmark this local park. We passed a handful people walking dogs during our hour or two exploring the property.

Also, we encountered some pretty big piles of horse poop on one of the routes that overlooks Belleville Pond, so be aware: look down and wear sturdy shoes or boots that you won’t cry over if or when they end up damaged or ruined. (You’re WELCOME!)

In addition to the dog walkers and that memorable (ugh 😫) horse manure, we spied folks fishing near the dam as well as quite a few mountain bikers zipping up and down the trails.

The place is hopping: No rabbits, mind you, but it’s fairly easy to stay socially distanced and everyone we passed had masks handy and on as we approached.

Who could or would have guessed that in another life this scenic spot used to be the town dump? Certainly not yours truly, but I did do a little entry level online research and that interesting tidbit popped up almost immediately.

Another thing you’ll want to know before you go? There are two entrances to Ryan Park, one on Ten Rod Road and another on Lafayette.

Finally, make sure your phone is charged up and ready to go because Ryan Park is a fantastic locale for taking autumnal phone photos to upload to your social app of choice.