Wenscott Reservoir

Near Woodville, Rhode Island · on Wenscott Reservoir

Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: reservoir
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: No fee found
SEASON: Best in summer

About Wenscott Reservoir

Wenscott Reservoir is a town-owned freshwater reservoir in North Providence, Rhode Island, located within Governor Notte Park at 2 Governor Notte Park Way. The reservoir shoreline hosts Notte Park Beach, an officially operated public swimming hole run by the North Providence Recreation Department and monitored by the RI Department of Environmental Management and RI Department of Health.

The swim area sits on the shore of Wenscott Reservoir inside Governor Notte Park, a municipal park that also contains athletic fields, the Meehan Overlook event venue (which advertises panoramic reservoir views), and the Stone House at Notte facility. The park is on Governor Notte Parkway off Route 7 (Douglas Avenue), a few minutes from Providence.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located at Governor Notte Park, 2 Governor Notte Park Way, North Providence, RI 02904, off Route 7 (Douglas Avenue), a short drive from Providence.

Parking: On-site parking is available at Governor Notte Park (noted in the town's description of the Meehan Overlook venue on the same grounds); no separate beach parking details found.

The hike in

To the water: 0 mi (beach is adjacent to the parking lot)

A visitor account (seeswim.com) puts walking time from parking at 0 minutes - the sand beach sits right off the lot. Separately, the same park (Governor Notte Park / Camp Meehan) has an optional ~2-mile network of blazed jogging/walking trails (West River Trail - blue squares, Camp Meehan Trail - blue triangles, plus an unmarked white-square path) documented on trailsandwalksri.wordpress.com; one unmarked spur leads from the pavilion area past a dam and small waterfall down to the reservoir beach, but this is a recreational add-on, not a required route to reach the swimming area.

If you want to walk before or after swimming, the optional trail network starts near the Recreation Offices (Building 2) lower parking lot and was described by one hiker who documented it in 2015 as 'fairly easy with some elevation'; dogs are not allowed on that property.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Sand beach with a large, roped swimming area and lifeguards on duty starting the July 1st weekend, plus an on-site playground for younger kids waiting their turn (visitrhodeisland.com, seeswim.com). The main caution isn't the water itself but water-quality: Wenscott Reservoir has a documented history of frequent cyanobacteria blooms and is monitored biweekly by RI DEM, with swimming closures recurring almost every summer (including one starting 2026-07-28 per the town's own notice) - check RIDOH's beach status page (health.ri.gov/beaches) or hotline (401-222-2751) the day of your visit before letting kids swim.

Parking

Paid, $10 per person or $40 per car (posted rate)

Ample on-site parking lot at Governor Notte Park (1810 Mineral Spring Avenue / 2 Governor Notte Park Way, North Providence). A seeswim.com visitor reported the $10/person-$40/car fee was posted but not actually being collected on the Sunday of their visit, so enforcement may be inconsistent or seasonal/resident-dependent; no official fee schedule from the town was found to confirm details.

Restrooms

Yes

Restrooms are on site at the beach/park (confirmed by a visitor account on seeswim.com); no separate details on vault vs. flush facilities were found.

Water clarity

Often murky

Described directly as 'tannic water' by a visitor account (seeswim.com) - i.e., tea/amber-colored from natural tannins rather than sediment, which limits underwater visibility even when the water itself isn't turbid. Clarity is further complicated in some summers by the cyanobacteria blooms RI DEM monitors for biweekly at this specific reservoir.

Hours

No published daily beach hours were found. Per visitrhodeisland.com, lifeguards go on duty starting the July 1st holiday weekend, implying the guarded swim season runs roughly July-Labor Day; RIDOH monitors water quality through Labor Day per the state press release.

Swim smart

Recurring swimming closures due to water-quality issues: RIDEM lists Wenscott Reservoir among waterbodies with 'a known history of frequent cyanobacteria blooms' that it monitors biweekly during the June-September cyanobacteria season, and the town has repeatedly closed Notte Park Beach for swimming (most recently starting July 28, 2026, per the town's own notice, with the word 'again' implying prior closures).

Rules: Swimming at Notte Park Beach is subject to closure by RI DEM/RI Dept of Health when water quality standards are not met; as of the town's 2026-07-28 notice the beach was closed again for swimming.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

Paddleboat

The park itself operates paddle boat rentals on the reservoir (visitrhodeisland.com). The Town's Recreation Department page also references a Champlin Foundations grant that funded construction of a 'kayak and boating center' at the park, and a North Providence Purchasing Board agenda from June 2026 included an 'Adams Lane Kayak Launch Update' item - both suggest a public kayak launch is being built or was recently added, but no source confirms it is open to private kayaks/canoes yet or states rules (motor restrictions, no-wake, etc.), so that is left unconfirmed rather than guessed.

Rentals nearby

Governor Notte Park (North Providence Recreation Dept.)

Paddle boat rentals on Wenscott Reservoir, on site at the park beach

On site at Governor Notte Park, 2 Governor Notte Park Way / 1810 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence, RI

What regulars say

First-hand visitor accounts of Notte Park Beach and Wenscott Reservoir are scarce. The closest found was one visitor's write-up describing 'a scenic little park, with some thoughtful landscaping,' an arched wooden bridge over lily pads where swans rest in the shade, a large sand swimming area with tannic (tea-colored) water, a posted but apparently unenforced $10/person-$40/car fee, restrooms and lifeguards on site, a playground and tennis courts nearby, and dogs allowed in the park but not on the beach itself.

Wenscott Reservoir: FAQ

Is Wenscott Reservoir kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Wenscott Reservoir?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Wenscott Reservoir?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Wenscott Reservoir?

When is the best time to visit Wenscott Reservoir?

Summer (town notice referenced a swimming closure in late July, consistent with a seasonal town beach operation).

What are the rules at Wenscott Reservoir?

Swimming at Notte Park Beach is subject to closure by RI DEM/RI Dept of Health when water quality standards are not met; as of the town's 2026-07-28 notice the beach was closed again for swimming.

What water body is Wenscott Reservoir on?

Wenscott Reservoir is on Wenscott Reservoir, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.