Rhododendron State Park
Encyclopedia
Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire
Fitzwilliam is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,396 at the 2010 census. Fitzwilliam is home to Rhododendron State Park, a grove of native rhododendrons that bloom in mid-July.-History:...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is a 2723 acres (11 km²) state park located on and around Little Monadnock Mountain
Little Monadnock Mountain
Little Monadnock Mountain, , is located in the towns of Fitzwilliam and Troy, New Hampshire. Most of the mountain is located within Rhododendron State Park; there are scenic vistas from ledges just below the summit...
, containing a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) stand of native Rhododendron maximum
Rhododendron maximum
Rhododendron maximum — also called great rhododendron, great laurel, rosebay rhododendron, American rhododendron or big rhododendron — is a species of Rhododendron native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia south to northern Alabama.-Description:R. maximum is an evergreen shrub growing to 4...
, the largest of nineteen similar stands in central and northern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, the northern limit of their growing range.
The rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s bloom in mid-July, and were designated a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in 1982. The park also includes wild blueberries
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
, cranberries
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
, mountain laurel, heathers
Cassiope
Cassiope is a genus of 9-12 small shrubby species in the family Ericaceae. They are native to the Arctic and north temperate montane regions. Common names, shared with several other similar related genera, include heather and heath....
, mayflower
Epigaea
Epigaea is a genus comprising three species of flowering plants in the Ericaceae. The species are small creeping shrubs that are typically anywhere from 10 to 20 cm tall at full growth, forming large patches. The leaves are evergreen, alternate and simple, ranging amongst the three species...
, and wintergreen
Wintergreen
Wintergreen is a group of plants. Wintergreen once commonly referred to plants that continue photosynthesis throughout the winter...
.
The park is open to hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and picnicking, but pets are not allowed. A short loop trail navigates the stand of rhododendron, and the 110 miles (177 km) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail
Metacomet-Monadnock Trail
The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail is a hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts and the central uplands of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire...
passes over the summit of Little Monadnock Mountain in the center of the park.