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Sunken Forests of Rye

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

Rye, New Hampshire

Added By
J Pittman
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.

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Added By

John Pittman

Published

June 3, 2009

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