King/Benson Preserve sits along Narrow River and has an interesting past. The reason for the two names separated by a slash is because the land is actually made up of two properties, King Preserve and Benson Preserve.

The King parcel had been acquired by The Nature Conservancy group from the Girl Scouts of Southern New England in 2016. This property was then named after Dave “David” King, The Champlin Foundation’s first executive director, who was influential in land-conservation partnerships across the state. Today, the combined King/Benson preserves contains approximately 4 miles of trails with loops within loops. People come to hike, birding, and seasonal hunting.

The Benson parcel is approximately 45 acres and was the property of Elise Benson, where she lived for many years until her passing. She kept her land in its natural state with vernal pools in the spring, uplands, and small streams. Her wish was to preserve the native plants and animals and after her passing, the land was purchased by the Narrow River Land Trust in 2014.

As we wandered along the trail, we couldn’t help but notice the many old stone walls scattered throughout the woods — quiet reminders of a time long past. It’s humbling to think that 200 or 300 years ago, these now-forested paths were once open farmland. Back then, families cleared these lands by hand, using them to grow crops and raise livestock. The walls they built still stand, weathered but proud, telling stories of hard work, resilience, and a way of life that shaped the landscape we now explore for fun and reflection.

Below are a couple of pictures of Pettaquamscutt River (also known as Narrow River). This was a beach area on the Girl Scouts of Southern New England property where you can still see remnants of canoe racks.

Check out this tree-lined corridor!