Cliff Walk Connector

The Cliff Walk Connector links Brenton Point State Park to Newport's famous Cliff Walk, the 3.5-mile National Recreation Trail that traverses the rocky Atlantic shoreline directly below the backyards of the Gilded Age mansions that define Newport's identity. This connector route follows Ocean Drive before joining the Cliff Walk proper, where a combination of paved path, dirt trail, and scrambles over exposed schist ledge traces the cliff edge past some of the most extravagant private architecture in American history. The Vanderbilt family's The Breakers—a 70-room Italian Renaissance palazzo completed in 1895—towers directly above the trail on the cliff edge, offering a perspective on the estate's grandeur that is unavailable from the street approach. Rosecliff, Marble House, and Ochre Court are similarly visible from the cliff walk below. The ocean views from the cliff ledges are spectacular throughout, with the open Atlantic stretching to the horizon below and the wave-cut rock platforms hosting breeding double-crested cormorants and resting harbor seals in winter. The trail surface becomes increasingly technical and unmaintained south of Rough Point mansion, with the final section requiring hand-over-hand scrambles over broken ledge. The Moderate rating reflects this southern section's rugged character; the northern portion near Easton Beach is paved and fully accessible. The walk is among Rhode Island's most popular and iconic outdoor experiences.