Between the White Mountains, The Kanc and all of the forests and coast land in New Hampshire, it might be easy to overlook some of the smaller natural attractions. While we can't deny that the more famous things are worth the trip, we love making smaller trips to make sure we're not missing out on anything that the Granite State has to offer. One of the best on our list? Madison Boulder!
About 20 minutes from the border of Maine, you'll find Madison, New Hampshire - home to what's believed to be the world's largest glacial erratic.
While it's clearly a rock, this isn't just any rock.
A glacial erratic is rock of one type, that's been moved to an area with a completely different rock type. Often it's been moved an incredibly long distance - miles away from where it began.
The Glacial Period took place over 25,000 years ago. During this time, the area where Madison sits was covered by a sheet of ice that was a mile thick.
As it moved, it brought large and small boulders - including the mammoth one in Madison - with it.
Madison boulder is 87 feet long, 23 feet wide and 37 feet high. It's estimated to be a whopping 4,662 tons!
Once you've arrived at the Madison Boulder State Wayside you'll need to walk down the designated path for about ten minutes.
The walk itself is beautiful.
And, once you've arrived, you can't miss it!
Madison Boulder Natural Area is located at 473 Boulder Rd., Madison, New Hampshire. You can reach them at 603-227-8745.
For 8 more natural wonders to see in New Hampshire, check out this article! Each one is easily accessible making them great choices for free time.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!