We have done this hike many times in the mountains. It offers such enjoyment and diversity for so little effort that we come back time and time again. The trail head is located just off of Tripoli Road in Waterville Valley, NH. The road is named for Tripoli, a very friable deposit of silica that was mined here at one point long ago.

        You'll park your vehicle in the large parking area and if you've not purchased a seasons parking pass you'll have to pay $3.00 to park for the day. If you're going to do any degree of hiking at all in the WMNF it's well worth the money to buy a pass for $20.00 for one car or $25.00 if you have two cars and want one for each. The sticker will allow you to park anywhere on White Mountain National Forest land for an entire year. After tightening our boots and putting on our Micro Spikes we headed down Livermore Road which began as a very wide road covered with snow. In winter, this road is groomed for skate cross-country skiing in the center and tracked on either side. In about three quarters of a mile we came to Depot Camp, the remains of an ancient logging camp that until about 15 years ago was still used as a campsite. From this clearing we got a great view of Mount Tripyramid and it's two slides, another great hike but a much more challenging one than Goodrich Rock!

        After passing Depot Camp we took a left on to the Greeley Ponds Trail. The trail was still wide, snow covered and bit more icy than Livermore Road was. This section of the hike is very pleasant though as the trail follows along the side of the very head waters of the Mad River. If you were to continue on this trail you would come to the source of the Mad River, the lovely Greeley Ponds. Ahhhh, another reason why this area is so popular with us. But on to the boulders.

        We enjoyed approximately a mile of the Greeley Ponds trail when we came to the junction, on our left, with the Goodrich Rock Trail. As soon we made the turn we started a steady but very moderate climb up an old logging grade that for some foolish reason every time I'm on it I think it would make a spectacular toboggan run! I don't know why, but I guess some of us never really grow up. After about a quarter of a mile of this the trail turns sharply to the left and climbs a bit more steeply,  until we crested the top and level off in a lovely open forest.

        The trail winds around quite a bit through this area. In a few minutes we began to see an occasional boulder that is large enough to catch our eye but certainly nothing incredible.

        In due time we came to a couple of boulders that  certainly impressed us with their size! These are some of the largest glacial erratics in New Hampshire. That means that these rocks were not always here, they were transported here by glacial ice during the last ice age approximately 12,000 years ago.

        As with many trails in the Whites, the builders of this one have laid it out so you get the maximum enjoyment of what mother nature has to offer. With each new erratic we were lead over, under, between and around them in such a way as to make it an absolute blast. We had to crawl or squeeze in a spot or two. As we saw more and more of these boulders their sheer size is really impressive. Then suddenly we were  looking up at the first of the Davis Boulders and it is humongous!

        The trail continues to wind along, around, under and over the rocks until we come to one so huge that you can't see the top! At last it's Goodrich Rock! We found a short cut where we had to squeeze through the boulders and then saw the ladder to the top. It's really not too bad at all, with the only questionable part being the tricky step or two needed to make our way off the ladder and on to the top of the rock. Once there we were amazed to realize that Goodrich Rock is so huge that we were standing on it's top looking out over the tops of the trees. It's was the perfect spot to catch some sun, enjoy the view of the Waterville Valley ski area and its surroundings and relax a bit before we started back.

        Now you know why it's one of our favorites. We have brought many people here and all have loved this hike. A beautiful little river, a hike that's not too long, a wonderful open forest and some of the largest boulders you'll find any where are just a few of the things that make this hike so enjoyable that you too will most likely come back time and time again.