A group of 17 hikers left the parking area at Harvard Forest on Sunday morning to begin the trek down to Tom Swamp. The trail is named after Bob Marshall, a former graduate student at the Harvard Forest and founder of The Wilderness Society (among other professional accomplishments) back in the 1930s. While completing his research, Bob would hike through the woods to his study site. This trail is meant to approximate how he might have gotten down to the Tom Swamp area. Sections of the trail still need approval to formally clear the trail and open it to the public. We traveled across permanently conserved properties along the way, and saw a variety of natural and cultural history pieces too. The humidity made it a challenge, but we mostly walked in the shade under the trees.