Quite a magnificent natural wonder - highly recommend if you're visiting the area. The Madison Boulder is a ~5,000 ton glacial erratic made of granite - which makes sense since it's found in the Granite State lol. Of course, the pictures don't do it justice and you can't really fathom the size just by reading the stats alone - it's an awe inspiring sight that you have to see to believe!
The boulder measures 87 feet long, 23 feet tall, and 37 feet wide. Also, the boulder is partially buried at about 10-12 feet underground! And recently scientists have been able to determine that the boulder is around 14,000 years old. Left behind all those years ago by a retreating glacier.
You'll find it down a dirt road with a small, rough dirt parking lot - there are some large, deep potholes so I recommend to drive slow and careful, especially with low clearance vehicles. But it's doable.
A short, very flat hike is required along a dirt road but it's well maintained and easy - about 1/2 mile one way. If you visit in fall, you'll be treated to some lovely colors along the way! I visited twice - mid to late October 2021 and early October 2023. Mid to late October had much more colors than early October but it also varies from year to year.
You'll find the boulder on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest and only a few miles away from The Kanc - a famous highway in NH for the fall colors. And there are lots of other attractions in the area - lots of rivers and vistas and things like that - as well as the historic Albany Covered Bridge which is a must see (less than 10 miles away).
It's free to visit and park - be aware there aren't any restrooms in the area. Google maps will take you right to it - but signal is nonexistent in the area so I recommend to download offline maps before you come.
Sadly, on my last visit, someone had put graffiti in several places on the boulder- but a park ranger was there to clean it up. Hopefully they were able to get it removed. I'll never understand why people feel the need to deface natural wonders like that - breaks my heart every time. read more