About the Claire Murphy Riverwalk

Named for the woman who guided the preservation of this land, the Claire Murphy Riverwalk is an enjoyable, simple way to appreciate the natural world around us. The trail is a gentle, ¼-mile walking path leading from near the parking area for Marble Valley Farm to the Housatonic River. You will start near a murky backwater wetland teeming with life, pass rows of organically-grown vegetables, and choose one of two short spurs (or both!) leading to the River’s edge.

Families may just want to have a picnic and gaze at the birds in the wetland -- frogs, turtles and ducks abound; it’s a spawning area for carp; blue herons are frequent visitors; and bald eagles have been sighted. The abundant food crops will be an eye opener for most visitors, as will the gently rolling river and its wooded banks.

StoryWalk

A Swallow's Story:

A Place on the Farm

In spring of 2019, Aiden Cherniske installed Kent's first StoryWalk on the trail as his Eagle Scout Project. The story was written and illustrated by Aiden.

Photo crredit L Christensen

Acreage: 14

Distance: 0.2 mi

Difficulty: Very Easy

The Riverwalk is a level path running across a lawn to the east bank of the Housatonic River, on property that includes the Kent Land Trust office and Marble Valley Farm. The trail honors the late Claire Murphy, one of KLT’s founders.

Nature's bounty herein lies

A verdant feast for human eyes

Where ferns unfold and birds alight

An eagle is a sometimes sight.

So walk and wonder, sit and dream

'Til worries are not what they seem.

And when your visit here is through

Leave nothing but our trust in you.

--Claire Murphy