Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

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 Hebron Sculptured Rocks

Sculptured Rocks

This narrow canyon has been carved by the river over thousands of years into spectacular and curious forms.

Hebron, New Hampshire

Added By
Molly Kate
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Sculptured rocks.   Ken Gallager
Arcs and curves.   mollykate / Atlas Obscura User
Carvings of ice age rivers.   mollykate / Atlas Obscura User
The snow bear at Sculptured Rocks.   mollykate / Atlas Obscura User
Sculptured Rocks in late fall.   mollykate / Atlas Obscura User
The waterfall concealing the cave   babblefu / Atlas Obscura User
  Maria Valeria Diaz / Atlas Obscura User
Taken from within the cave at Sculpted Rocks   babblefu / Atlas Obscura User
  Maria Valeria Diaz / Atlas Obscura User
  Justin V / Atlas Obscura User
Bear face (@ upper left)  
A swimmers perspective   babblefu / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A short walk from a beautiful back road near Newfound Lake, New Hampshire, the wonders of the Sculptured Rocks geological site are not obviously apparent. However, once standing next to the little canyon or atop the short bridge across, you can see the incredible shapes the river has carved in the rocks.

Here, jagged rocks are replaced with smooth arcs and curves that look carefully sculpted by a human hand, but are in fact a geological oddity created by Mother Nature over thousands of years, ever since the end of the last ice age.

After crossing the bridge, there are many trails to explore, but it’s hard to stop taking pictures of the natural sculptures below, carved by the Cockermouth River. If you look upstream standing on the bridge, one part of the waterfall looks like the face of the bear. Spring is the best time as the falls will be at their highest and fastest flow levels.

Follow the river and you will find many places to take a swim in the refreshingly cold northern New England water. The summer is the best time to come for swimming, but winter is best for having the place all to yourself. The waterfall at the bridge is stunning topped with snow and a long exposure.

Related Tags

Rocks Rock Formations Rivers Nature Natural Wonders Geological Oddities Geology Waterfalls Water

Know Before You Go

If you visit in winter just be wary of the edges in icy and rainy conditions; they are slanted downward toward the water and it won’t take much to slip over the edge. There are no rails here!

There’s a sign next to the road and plenty of parking. Come in the off hours, very early or very late, to enjoy without the crowds in the summer.

On the way, there is one of the most beautiful lakes in New Hampshire, Newfound Lake. Make sure to save some time to visit this too!

Community Contributors

Added By

mollykate

Edited By

Meg, babblefu, Maria Valeria Diaz, Justin V...

  • Meg
  • babblefu
  • Maria Valeria Diaz
  • Justin V
  • anioleary

Published

February 23, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sculptured Rocks
251 Sculptured Rocks Rd
Hebron, New Hampshire
United States
43.706964, -71.856817
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Aleister Crowley's Magickal Retirement

Hebron, New Hampshire

miles away

Ruggles Mine

Grafton, New Hampshire

miles away

Redstone Missile

Warren, New Hampshire

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hebron

Hebron

New Hampshire

Places 2

Nearby Places

Aleister Crowley's Magickal Retirement

Hebron, New Hampshire

miles away

Ruggles Mine

Grafton, New Hampshire

miles away

Redstone Missile

Warren, New Hampshire

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hebron

Hebron

New Hampshire

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

The Most Wondrous State Parks to Visit During the Government Shutdown

List

By Kerry Wolfe

Related Places

  • Hengifoss.

    Iceland

    Hengifoss

    The bright red stripes streaking across the rocks are the star feature at this Icelandic waterfall.

  • 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.

  • Bonhomme de Bourail

    Bourail, New Caledonia

    Bonhomme de Bourail

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

  • The Devil’s Nest.

    Nokia, Finland

    Pirunpesä (The Devil's Nest)

    This honeycomb-textured tafone looks like a petrified troll head.

  • Ash Cave.

    Logan, Ohio

    The Caves of Hocking Hills State Park

    Rare recess caves fill this unbelievably beautiful Ohio park.

  • Similar rock formations cover other parts of the hill

    Cusco, Peru

    Rodadero Slides

    Did Inca children also slide down these smooth rocky slopes above Cusco?

  • The Mountain Sphinx.

    Bușteni, Romania

    The Mountain Sphinx

    Conspiracy theories and occult legends surround this mysterious natural rock formation.

  • Kong Lor Cave.

    Laos

    Kong Lor Cave

    A boat ride through utter darkness, lit only by headlamps, reveals an emerald green pool locals believe is sacred.

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.