Today, Lawrence Swamp is a mixture of forested wetland, scrub-shrub floodplain, and open meadow. Nearly half of Amherst’s drinking water, including use by the University of Massachusetts, comes from the aquifer below Lawrence Swamp. Much of the land in Lawrence Swamp is held in conservation by the town of Amherst with the express purpose of protecting groundwater quality.

Lawrence Swamp features an extensive trail system that offers recreational opportunities to hikers, trail runners, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers. The orange-blazed Robert Frost Trail, which connects Holyoke Range State Park to Wendell State Forest via 40 continuous miles, connects Lawrence Swamp to a myriad of other conservation areas in Amherst and surrounding towns.