Rhododendron State Park

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.