Beavertail State Park Master Plan

Beavertail State Park was established in the late 1980s after the annexation of land and fortifications that comprised Fort Burnside, constructed by the US Navy in the 1940s. The park consists of a 150 acre peninsula at the southernmost end of Conanicut Island, located in the center of Narragansett Bay. The tip of the park is home to Beavertail Light, the third oldest lighthouse in the United States. The park also encompassed multiple World War II fortifications including the Harbor Entrance Command Post, enemy warship and submarine spotting stations, and large caliper artillery batteries. Beavertail State Park is one of Rhode Island’s most highly visited parks due to the site’s broad and fascinating history, panoramic views of the ocean, and spectacular coastal setting.

BETA is working with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and key stakeholders to develop a Master Plan for the park that will seek to address coastal erosion issues, reverse adverse user impacts, and off-set loss of habitat. The project is anticipated to result in Schematic Design Plans and recommendations that restore and stabilize critical areas of concern; improve and expand existing trails, walkways and shoreline access; and provide for enhanced interpretation of the site and an expanded visitor experience.