Beavertail State Park

About Beavertail State Park

The Jamestown, Rhode Island, park is a state park known for a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, camping and fishing. The park attracts people from all over the country to enjoy the unspoilt surroundings of the park.

The most popular activity at Beavertail is sightseeing, but you can do it in any number of ways, including hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, camping and fishing. It also offers a naturalism programme that attracts hundreds of people every year.

The first Beavertail Lighthouse was built in 1749 and was the first of its kind in North Carolina and the oldest lighthouse in the United States. The rubble tower that replaced the wooden tower lasted until it burned down only four years later, while the present granite lighthouse was built in 1856. In 1938, the base of the old tower was exposed by a hurricane and is now marked by a granite slab erected by the Jamestown Historical Society.

The Lighthouse Museum itself is now run by the Beavertail L Lighthouse Museum Association, and the light has been reactivated to guide Rhode Island traders trading with China. The beacons, known for many years as Newport Light, were part of the triangular trade that helped Newport gain prominence during the Revolution, when ships transported molasses, rum and slaves to colonies in the West Indies and Africa. When the British withdrew from Rhode Island in 1779, they damaged the building in a fire.

At low tide, you can go to a nearby tidal pool to discover the flora and fauna and special programs related to crabs, fish and whales in the tidal zone.

Explore the geological history of Beavertail and learn how to read the history written there. Walk along the fault lines, tell stories about the rocks and explore the geology of the park and its history.

All facilities and programs are available to groups 7 days a week and the Beavertail Aquarium plans group activities. Bebe is able to use the facilities at BeAvertails State Park and all of our programs and activities for children.