Sight · Franconia Notch State Park
A glacial erratic paired with a wintry survival legend.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Franconia Notch Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Franconia Notch State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Franconia Notch audio tourRecorded for this place
Boise Rock and Its Winter Legend“Boise Rock is coming up, a huge boulder carried here by a glacier. I'd give it five minutes for the broad overhang and its unusual story; the pull-off is on the northbound parkway, with no approach hike.”
Plays as you drive up to Boise Rock in the Parkwolf Franconia Notch Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Boise Rock is a huge glacial erratic beside the northbound Franconia Notch Parkway. Its own pull-off makes this a quick stop with no approach hike; make sure you're on the northbound side before expecting to turn in.
Local lore says teamster Thomas Boise was caught in a midwinter storm soon after the first road through the Notch was built. He supposedly sheltered under the rock's overhang wrapped in his horse's hide, and searchers found him alive the next day. It's the tale attached to the boulder, not verified history.
A glacier carried this erratic and left it behind as the ice retreated. Its broad overhang is the feature to look at and include in a photo; Cannon Cliff is another view from the stop. Picnic tables and a spring are nearby, but the spring isn't confirmed as safe drinking water.
Wildlife
66 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
38 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
19 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
19 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
13 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting map
23 sightingsRavenMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Franconia Notch. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingNorth and South Kinsman via Fishin’ Jimmy Trail9.8 mi · 9 hr · 0.8 mi awayA long, rough climb links two Kinsman summits above Franconia Notch.
ChallengingOld Bridle Path to Greenleaf Hut5.8 mi · 6 hr · 0.8 mi awayA steep hut climb with two open ledges and Franconia Notch views.
ModerateLonesome Lake Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.8 mi awayA climb to a glacial lake with Franconia Ridge across the water.
ChallengingHi-Cannon Trail4.7 mi · 5.5 hr · 0.8 mi awayA steep Cannon climb with a ladder and a Lonesome Lake finish.
ChallengingFranconia Ridge Trail Loop8.1 mi · 8.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA full-day loop over three exposed summits above Franconia Notch.
ChallengingFalling Waters Trail5.9 mi · 5.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayWaterfalls up front; Little Haystack is the hard part.
EasyPemi Trail4 mi · 2.5 hr · 1 mi awayA rough river trail connects Profile Lake with The Basin.
EasyProfile Lake via Pemi Trail1.3 mi · 45 min · 1 mi awayA short, rocky shore walk below Eagle CliffSight · 0.5 mi awayProfile LakeA fly-fishing lake beneath the vanished Old Man profile.Sight · 0.5 mi awayNotch Viewing AreaOn calm days, Eagle Cliff doubles in Profile Lake.
Campground · 0.8 mi awayLafayette Place CampgroundA wooded base camp for hiking, biking, fishing and swimming.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayOld Man of the Mountain Profile PlazaStand at the marker and line up the face that fell.
Lodging · 1 mi awayGreenleaf HutWarm drinks and water refills soften the climb to Lafayette.
Sight · 1.1 mi awayCannon Mountain Observation TowerOn clear days, four states and Canada spread out from the summit.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayCloudland FallsAn 80-foot fan of water is the payoff on an uphill hike.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayOld Man of the Mountain MuseumFive granite ledges shaped a face woven into New Hampshire's story.Parkwolf’s Franconia Notch ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
