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All the United States New Hampshire Rye Sunken Forests of Rye

Sunken Forests of Rye

Stumps of an Ice Age forest, visible only at low tide.

Rye, New Hampshire

Added By
J Pittman
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Stump with tree rings. And snails. April 2019.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Stump with tree rings. And snails. April 2019.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Tree stump in the rain. April 2019.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Even at low tide, some roots can be found either half submerged, or completely underwater.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Tree root during low tide at Odoirne Point. January 2019   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Historic sign about a half mile south of Rye Harbor State Park   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
Jenness Beach sunken forest.  
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About

In two places along New Hampshire's coast, if the tide is right, you can see the remains of a forest drowned when the glaciers retreated.

One of the stump fields—just to the north of Jenness Beach—can only be seen when tides are extremely low (or by divers). There are 56 stumps that have been visible in 1940, 1958, 1962, 1978, 2007, and most recently in 2010 after a severe storm. Counting the rings on the stumps revealed they were over 100 years old.

The Drowned Forest off Odiorne Point is in shallower water and is accessible during low tide. 

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Underwater Plants

Know Before You Go

Take Rte. 1A south from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Parking is available at the Odiorne State Park at Seacoast Science Center, the Sunken Forest is a short walk from there.

A PDF map of the “Drowned Forest” is available on the Seacoast Science Center’s website.

Community Contributors

Added By

John Pittman

Edited By

ickaimp, forestgardeners

  • ickaimp
  • forestgardeners

Published

June 3, 2009

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  • https://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20100306/NEWS/3060329
Sunken Forests of Rye
570 Ocean Blvd
Rye, New Hampshire, 03870
United States
43.045292, -70.714106
Visit Website
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