Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Rhododendron State Park is a unique and special place, offering the beauty of nature, accessible trails, interesting ecology and even some history. The house near the entrance is on the National Register of Historic Places and may have been built as early as the late 1700s. It started out as a residence for Captain Samuel Patch and his family, who built it. It was sold multiple times in the mid 1800s and was eventually bought by Miss Mary Lee Ware, who sought to protect the rhododendron grove on the property after word of plans to clear the land got out. In 1903, she gave the land to the Appalachian Mountain Club for protection, who renovated the cottage and used it as a hostel for hikers hiking the nearby Metacomet Trail. In 1946, the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation took ownership and continue to manage it today.

The park is open year round, with the peak of the rhododendron bloom happening in July. This 16-acre grove is alive with plant and animal life, and careful observation may yield a glimpse of wildlife such as squirrels and deer. Numerous birds, including the ruffed grouse, white-throated sparrow, nuthatch and woodpecker call this place home. Have lunch at the picnic area and stroll through tunnels of rhododendrons and look for various other wildflowers. To extend your hike, follow the Little Monadnock Mountain Trail up for a view of the surrounding mountains, including Mount Monadnock and Pack Monadnock. 

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Suggested donation

Pros

Easy trails. Beautiful flowers. Picnic area.

Cons

Small park. Limited parking.

Features

ADA accessible
Historically significant
Flushing toilets
Picnic tables
Bird watching
Wildlife
Big Game Watching

Location

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