Plan Your Visit

What to Expect

To find Iver Mudslider in North Kingstown's Ryan Park, look for the three newly installed Kiosk Trail Maps marked with a Troll footprint (shown, left) for Iver's location. These large scale maps can be found at each entrance to the park that has an adjacent parking lot (on Oak Hill Rd, Lafayette Rd, and at the start of the ADA-accessible Overlook Trail near Bellville Pond). 

When you're exploring Thomas Dambo's RI Troll Trail and looking to mark Iver Mudslider as "found" on your progress in the worldwide Trollmap, please keep in mind the following:

  • The troll is located along a natural trail in a local park. Please watch your step for uneven ground, roots, rocks, and other natural hazards. Sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing is recommended for your visit.
  • This artwork is a temporary installation made from materials that will naturally decay. Iver Mudslider is artwork, not a play structure. 
  • The troll is intended to be temporary and for public enjoyment for several years, but will age naturally as the artist intended. Please help keep our troll "healthy" by treating Iver and his habitat with care and respect.
  • Please refrain from climbing up to, and on, the troll. Do no remove or add anything to the immediate area.
  • All visitors assume their own risk; the Town of North Kingstown assumes no responsibility for injury, damage or loss upon your visit to Ryan Park or others.
  • While climbing up to or on to Iver Mudslider is prohibited, we encourage picture taking  from a safe location and vantage point. 
  • Record and share your visit! Tag @NorthKingstownRecreation (Facebook) or the artist, Thomas Dambo @thomasdambos (Facebook) with hashtags along the lines of #IverMudslider, #ThomasDambo, #recycleart, #RITrollTrail, #gianttrolls, #IverMudsliderTroll, #thomasdambotrolls, #dambotrolls, or similar.

Explore More!

North Kingstown is proud of its rich history, vibrant arts scene, and close-knit community. Whether you're visiting us for the day as you adventure for the Thunderstone on the Rhode Island Troll Trail for all of Thomas Dambo's giant trolls, or you're exploring your own extended backyard that is North Kingstown, we invite you to discover the many organizations and destinations that make our community unique and memorable.

While a small overview is provided here, South County Tourism and North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce are two independent organizations that are also experts in our regional tourism offerings.

Cultural & Historic Destinations

  • Veterans Memorial Park: https://www.northkingstownri.gov/1217/Parks-Paths-Points-of-Interest Situated across from the renovated historic North Kingstown Town Hall at 80 Boston Neck Road, Veterans Memorial Park is a quaint place for rest or reflection amongst shade trees and some open space, and on the several memorial markers honoring the service and sacrifice of North Kingstown’s veterans POWs over several centuries of our nation’s conflicts.
  • Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum:  https://gilbertstuartmuseum.org/ Visit the restored 18th-century home of famed portrait artist Gilbert Stuart, nestled in a peaceful wooded setting along the Annaquatucket River.
  • Historic Casey Farm: https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/casey-farm/Located by the bay on the ancestral homeland of the Narragansett People, Casey Farm once produced food for local and coastal markets and was one of many plantations tied to slavery. Today, farm managers raise organically grown produce for a CSA program and the seasonal Casey Farm Market. The historic farm offers a wide range of farm-based education programs, tours of the farmyard to visit the animals, and visits to the cemetery where generations of Caseys are memorialized. The farm house museum gallery featuring family portraits and cultural objects representing all the people of the land.
  • Smith's Castle: https://smithscastle.org/ The oldest surviving plantation house in America. It is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, offers several education and social events along with a membership program to sustain historic preservation of the site and it's significant cultural heritage resources.  Step back in time at this 17th-century plantation house and museum, offering guided tours, educational events, and a look into Rhode Island’s colonial past.
  • Seabees Museum & Memorial Park https://seabeesmuseum.com/ A privately owned and volunteer-operated museum dedicated to the men and women who served in the Seabees Battalion, highlighting the deeds of the United States Naval Construction Battalions during both times of war and peace.
  • Thomas Dambo’s Rhode Island Troll Trail https://www.thomasdambo.com/works/thethunderstone Designed by world-famous recycle artist and activist Thomas Dambo, unique, giant wooden trolls are installed in communities with the help of Dambo’s team and volunteers from the communities where they come to live.
    • Iver Mudslider: North Kingstown, RI (Ryan Park); Mrs. Skipper: North Providence, RI (Kettle Point Pier); Young Boulder: Richmond, RI (Arcadia National Park); Greta Granite and Erik Rock: Charlestown, RI (Ninigret Park)
    • To find Iver Mudslider in North Kingstown's Ryan Park, look for the three newly installed Kiosk Trail Maps marked with a Troll footprint for Iver's location that have been designed by Kevin M. Alverson Landscape Architects. These large scale maps can be found at each entrance to the park that has an adjacent parking lot (on Oak Hill Rd, Lafayette Rd, and at the start of the ADA-accessible Overlook Trail near Bellville Pond). 
  •  Narragansett Rune Stone (Quidnessett Rock) 55 Brown Street From VisitRhodeIsland: This rock, as it was submerged for the majority of daily tidal cycles, was known only to the locals until l984, when a quahogger, working from his skiff, noticed the inscription. He notified researchers interested in Norse runic inscriptions in North America, setting the stage for the numerous attempts at an explanation ever since. Interestingly, no one can say with complete certainty exactly by whom, or when, these intriguing Runic symbols were carved into this stone.
  • Seal & Harbor Tours https://cruiseri.com/cruises-tours/seal-harbor-tour/ In early spring, CruiseRI offers the Wickford Seal and Harbor Tour, departing from Anchor Point Park in Wickford Village. Coastal Queen cruises the Narragansett Bay past historic waterfront homes along Wickford Cove to the scenic Fox Island, Rome Point, and Plum Bleach Lighthouse area for frequent encounters with harbor seals that call the area home for the winter.

Municipal Parks & Recreational Opportunitieswilson Playground

From our Town Beach, and parks with playgrounds and fields, to our docks, marinas, dog parks, and historic and cultural assets, the Town of North Kingstown truly has it all. Get to know more about our community amenities by exploring individual sites maintained by the Town, below:

Supporting Our Local Community

North Kingstown’s vibrant local economy is supported by several organizations committed to fostering community engagement, historic preservation, promotion of the arts, and/or local businesses:

  • Wickford Merchants Association https://wickfordvillage.org/ A collective of small business owners working to keep the historic Wickford Village charming, vibrant, and welcoming to all. Their events and seasonal offerings help make this coastal community a must-visit destination.
  • HistWick (Historic Wickford, Inc.) https://histwick.org/ Committed to the discovery, exploration, and historic preservation of historic Wickford Village, HistWick is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organization of community members dedicated to preserving, protecting, and celebrating the cultural and historic features of one of the oldest preserved colonial villages in the country.
  • Post Road Business Alliance  https://postroadnk.org/  This alliance represents the diverse range of businesses and services along North Kingstown’s main commercial corridor. They work together to enhance the Post Road experience for residents and visitors alike.
  • North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce  https://northkingstown.com/ Serving as a hub for economic development, the Chamber connects businesses, organizations, and individuals who care about the prosperity and future of North Kingstown.
  • North Kingstown VFW Post-152  https://vfw152.org/ Supporting fellow veterans and our community as a whole, NK Memorial Post 152 develops programs and establishes partnerships to assist veterans and enhance lives through community service and special projects.
  • North Kingstown Arts Council https://nkartscouncil.org/ The NK Arts Council develops and supports access to performing and fine art within our community, with the goal of reaching all ages in a variety of venues.
  • Wickford Harbor Fire https://www.facebook.com/WickfordHarborFire/ On select evenings in the spring, summer and fall seasons, the Wickford Village waterfront is illuminated with live fire floats as food trucks, live music, free face painting and balloon art fill the historic streets while retail merchants and restaurants offer later evening hours for fun, suitable for the whole family.
  • Friends of North Kingstown Library Association https://www.nklibrary.org/support-library The Friends of the North Kingstown Free Library fund the library’s many lectures, discussions, movies, performances and demonstrations through memberships, special events, and book and media sales through the Book Nook at NKFL.
  • North Kingstown Senior Association https://www.northkingstownri.gov/388/North-Kingstown-Senior-AssociationMember An IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit, the NKSA was incorporated in 1972, dedicated to enhancing the social, recreational and educational opportunities for all North Kingstown seniors through association membership and volunteerism.

Additional Community Resources