Mohegan Bluffs

 If you haven't seen Mohegan Bluffs, you really haven't seen Block Island. Standing about 150 feet above the beach below, the clay cliffs offer one of the most dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean in all of Rhode Island. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Montauk at the tip of Long Island.

More than 140 steps lead from the top of the Bluffs to the beach below. Take your time going down, because with each step you'll come across another spectacular photo opportunity, from waves crashing against the scalloped shoreline to the piles of stacked stones (called cairns) left behind as trail markers and mementos. Be especially careful as you reach the bottom of the stairs as you'll have to navigate through the rocks to get to the water's edge. For many visitors, the stunning view, the trek up and down the stairs and a dip in the Atlantic Ocean are the highlights of their visit to the island.

The Bluffs were not always a place of serene beauty as they are today. In 1590, an invading party of Mohegan Indians was driven over the Bluffs by the tribe native to Block Island, the Manisseans. But don't worry. Today's locals are much more welcoming to visitors.