Hawk Valley Farm

Visit

end of Varnum Terrace, Lowell, MA 01854

Maps

Hawk Valley Farm Aerial Map

Access

Open to the public for passive recreation

Parking: At the end of Varnum Terrace, Lowell. Bear right at the wooded cul-de-sac at the end of Varnum Terrace.  You will see a sign for Hawk Valley Farm.

By foot: Hawk Valley Farm can be accessed  by foot at 526 Varnum Ave, across from the West Meadow and Varnum Avenue intersection.  Look for a large boulder and a historic white sign set back slightly in the woods.  Take the path at the sign to enter Hawk Valley Farm.

ALL EVENTS MEET ON VARNUM TERRACE

Parking: Available along Varnum Terrace, off Varnum Ave., Lowell

Directions

Trails are accessible from both Varnum Avenue and Varnum Terrace.

Parking: At the end of Varnum Terrace, Lowell. Bear right at the wooded cul-de-sac at the end of Varnum Terrace.  You will see a sign for Hawk Valley Farm.

By foot: Hawk Valley Farm can be accessed at 526 Varnum Ave, across from the West Meadow and Varnum Avenue intersection.  Look for a large boulder and a historic white sign set back slightly in the woods.

A Great Place for a Peaceful Walk

Get away from it all at Hawk Valley Farm!  Walk your dog, explore the banks of Clay Pit Brook, or check out the foundation of an old cabin.  Imagine that this was once an area of extensive farming – explore Lowell’s pre-industrial landscape.

You can enjoy this property in all seasons.  On a winter day you can catch a view clear to the Merrimack River, across Regatta/Anne Welcome Field.  Winter is also a great time to look for tracks from abundant wildlife that you might not expect to see in Lowell.  In the summer, the diversity of flowering plants changes the scenery every week.

View this aerial map to get a sense of how Hawk Valley Farm fits into the landscape of the Pawtucketville neighborhood.

*New in 2022!*

Check out the ArcGIS StoryMap made by photographer and LP&CT volunteer, Steven Nagle. The StoryMap contains Steve’s beautiful photos taken on the property along with maps, historical highlights, and his viewpoint on the importance of urban conservation.

What’s so special about Hawk Valley Farm?

  • Local schools can walk to the property to explore history and science outside the classroom.

  • Critical wildlife habitat: the property provides a critical wildlife corridor within a dense residential neighborhood.

  • Flood protection: the protection of Clay Pit Brook provides vital flood protection during times of high water.

  • Unique nut trees: black walnut, butternut, shagbark hickory.

Programs offered at Hawk Valley Farm (see events):

  • Owl Prowl

  • Natural textile dying (for yarn/fabric with the diverse plants found on site)

  • Wildlife tracking

  • Walking & Historic Tours

  • Family programs during school vacation weeks

  • Scouting programs

Learn more about Hawk Valley Farm:

Hawk Valley Farm Observed Bird List (download PDF, open in a new tab): Put together by local birders who say Hawk Valley Farm is one of their favorite spots.

Hawk Valley Farm Brochure (download PDF, open in a new tab):  Based on the research, conducted by historian Gray Fitzsimons, noted below.

Property History: Historian and scholar-in-residence, Gray Fitzsimons, has written about the 350-year history of the property (download PDF, open in a new tab) and surrounding area.  This research was supported in part by Mass Humanities, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Hawk Valley Farm Curriculum:

Hawk Valley Farm Scavenger Hunt Brochure (download PDF, open in a new tab)

Hawk Valley Farm History Lesson Plan (download PDF, open in a new tab)

*Special thanks to UMASS Lowell Professor, Dr. Pat Fontaine & her students for the creation of these educational materials.

Gallery

Hawk Valley Farm 1915Hawk Valley Farm 1915
Wildlife tracking program at Hawk Valley FarmWildlife tracking
Northern Flicker, photo courtesy of Steve NagleNorthern Golden Shafted Flicker
Hawk Valley Farm, photo courtesy of John WrenA panoramic view of Hawk Valley Farm
Spindle City Corps youth planned and designed their own stewardship project at Hawk Valley Farm, summer 2015. They created a new gateway sign, seating, improved trails, and removed invasive plant species.Youth Stewards
Open field & black walnut treesOpen field with black walnut trees
Native American tribal leaders from throughout New England gathered at Hawk Valley, 2014Native American gathering
Nicholas Vitello, 9, left, and his brother Thomas, 8, of Havre de Grace, Maryland, who are visiting their grandmother Judy Buchanan of Lowell, left rear, examine a large invasive bittersweet vine which is strangling a tree, during a Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust tour of Hawk Valley Farm in Lowell. (SUN/Julia Malakie)Exploring trails with grandchildren
Bloodroot (bloodwort) is an ephemeral spring plant, native to New England, and emerges early in the spring. Its single leaf unfurls to display a small white flower, which is only visible for a day or two. It was used by North American Indians for insect repellent, dye, ceremonial pigment, and a variety of medicines, although it is known to be very toxic.Bloodroot
Northern Flicker in a nest; photo by Steven Nagle PhotographyNorthern Flicker in nest
Hummingbird moth on thistleHummingbird moth on thistle
Pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata, is a summer perennial that can be found along Clay Pit Brook. This native, edible plant produces a single stalk of violet-blue flowers 2-3 feet tall. Leaves are heart-shaped.Pickerelweed
Bumblebee approaching flowers on pickerel weed.Bumblebee approaching flowers on pickerel weed
Muskrats in Clay Pit Brook courtesy of Steven Nagle PhotographyMuskrats in Clay Pit Brook
Mystery bird track; photo courtesy of Steve NagleMystery Bird Track
Make-your-own natural fairy house eventDIY fairy houses

Partnerships make it possible…

Hawk Valley Farm was permanently protected for future generations in 2009 through a partnership between LP&CT and The Trustees (formerly The Trustees of Reservations).  LP&CT and The Trustees co-hold a conservation easement on Hawk Valley Farm, which protects it from future development.  The Varnum family has owned this property since the 1660’s and is actively working to bring back areas to farming, including raising a variety of berries and heritage apples, caring for the unique butternut and walnut trees found on site, and beekeeping.