Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
13 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
14 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
15 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
16 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New Hampshire Madison Madison Boulder

Madison Boulder

A very big rock just plopped down in the New England woods.

Madison, New Hampshire

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Madison Boulder Natural Area in Madison, New Hampshire, USA   nhgeology.org
Madison Boulder Natural Area in Madison, New Hampshire, USA   nhgeology.org
One Man vs. Glacial Erraticism   Willymjr / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  harryandkathy / Atlas Obscura User
  bluestargirl / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Madison Boulder is thought to be the largest glacial erratic - an erratic being a boulder of a certain type of rock that was transported by glacial ice and deposited on bedrock of different type of rock - in North America.

At 23 feet high, 37 feet front-to-back, and 85 feet left-to-right Madison Boulder is estimated to weigh almost 12 million pounds, roughly the weight of 36 blue whales. It was once part of a ledge of Conway Granite and was transported about two miles south to its current location where it now sits on a deposit of Concord Granite.

Related Tags

Natural Wonders Geological Oddities Geology Nature

Know Before You Go

If you follow the signs to the park you'll end at a small parking lot. It's about 10 minutes down the trail to the boulder.

Community Contributors

Edited By

lawfastfoodorder, jecbuilding, e1savage, harryandkathy...

  • lawfastfoodorder
  • jecbuilding
  • e1savage
  • harryandkathy
  • bluestargirl
  • Amy s
  • Willymjr
  • fasteddiez80

Published

March 18, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • www.nhgeology.org
  • www.nhstateparks.org
Madison Boulder
473 Boulder Rd
Madison, New Hampshire, 03849
United States
43.934118, -71.16276
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Abandoned Train of Bartlett, New Hampshire

Bartlett, New Hampshire

miles away

Castle in the Clouds

Moultonborough, New Hampshire

miles away

The Old Country Store and Museum

Moultonborough, New Hampshire

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Hampshire

New Hampshire

United States

Places 110
Stories 6

Nearby Places

The Abandoned Train of Bartlett, New Hampshire

Bartlett, New Hampshire

miles away

Castle in the Clouds

Moultonborough, New Hampshire

miles away

The Old Country Store and Museum

Moultonborough, New Hampshire

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Hampshire

New Hampshire

United States

Places 110
Stories 6

Related Stories and Lists

13 Places to Celebrate Erratic Behavior

List

By Gemma Tarlach

Related Places

  • Winona, Missouri

    Rocky Falls

    A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.

  • Slumgullion mass wasting area

    Lake City, Colorado

    Slumgullion Earthflow

    This National Natural Landmark is one of the best examples of a “mass wasting” in the world.

  • Looking Glass Rock seen from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway

    Brevard, North Carolina

    Looking Glass Rock

    This granite rock face is named for the magnificent reflection that occurs when the sun hits it just right.

  • Sasso Menicante on Monte Cimino

    Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

    Sasso Menicante (Trembling Stone)

    This massive rock balanced for thousands of years being tossed here during a volcanic eruption.

  • Macquarie Island lengthwise, the research station at center.

    Australia

    Macquarie Island

    One of the only places where Earth’s mantle lies above water.

  • Bonhomme de Bourail

    Bourail, New Caledonia

    Bonhomme de Bourail

    A beachside monolith shaped by years of waves crashing against hard quartz.

  • The metal pillars aligned to form the Old Man’s face

    Franconia, New Hampshire

    Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza

    A serene plaza that commemorates one of the Granite State's most iconic figures.

  • The salt lake becomes colorful in warm temperatures because of algae growth

    Yuncheng, China

    Yuncheng Salt Lake

    Rainbow-hued in the summer and crystalline in the winter, this salty lake has inspired battles, temples, and plenty of awe.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.