Old Man of the Mountain

The Old Man of the Mountain was a natural profile of a man's face on Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch. It collapsed overnight between May 2 and May 3, 2003. Today you can still "see" it at the Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza on the shore of Profile Lake, where seven steel profilers line the face back up against the cliff. The plaza is free and reached from Exit 34B off I-93, the same exit as the Cannon tram base.

What the Old Man Was

The profile was made of five large blocks of granite on the side of Cannon Mountain that, seen from the north, lined up into the shape of a man's face. NH State Parks puts it at 40 feet high and 25 feet wide, hanging 1,200 feet above Profile Lake on Cannon Cliff. The state's historic-site dates for it run from 1805 to 2003.

It was also called the Great Stone Face, and NH State Parks credits Nathaniel Hawthorne and Daniel Webster with making it famous in writing. The profile is the one featured on New Hampshire's state quarter. It was a natural rock formation, not a carving.

When and How It Fell

NH State Parks records that the Old Man collapsed overnight between May 2 and the morning of May 3, 2003. Cannon Cliff is still there; the five blocks that made the face are not.

Visiting Profiler Plaza

After the collapse, the Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund raised money to build a memorial. The Old Man of the Mountain Memorial and Profiler Plaza was dedicated in June 2011 on the shore of Profile Lake. The Legacy Fund, a partner of NH State Parks, still cares for it.

• The profilers: seven steel sculptures, made by Ron Magers and Shelly Bradbury. Stand at one and sight along its edge toward Cannon Cliff, and the profile appears on the mountain where it used to be.
• The pavers: about 1,000 engraved stones with the names and memories of people connected to the Old Man and the Notch, plus engraved granite benches. The Legacy Fund still sells pavers through its Paver Program.
• The view: the plaza sits at the lakeshore, looking up at Cannon Cliff.

NH State Parks' brochure says to park at Exit 34B for the Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site. The state's attractions map marks both the historic site and Profiler Plaza. There is no fee. For other lots, see parking.

Profile Lake

Profile Lake is the small, clear lake directly below where the Old Man once sat, which is why it is often called the Old Man's Washbowl. It is the headwaters of the Pemigewasset River, the river that later runs through the Basin and past the Flume. The lake is known for brook trout and is open to fly-fishing only.

• Profile Lake has its own pull-off on I-93, southbound only, with views of the lake and the Notch.
• There is a car-top boat launch at the pull-off. Fly fishing only.
• New Hampshire fishing rules and licenses apply. Check NH Fish and Game before you cast.

Good For

• A short, free stop on a drive through the Notch.
• Anyone who wants to see where New Hampshire's best-known landmark used to be.
• Pairing with Echo Lake Beach and Artists Bluff, both just north at Exit 34C.

Maybe Skip If

• You expect to see the face itself. It is gone; the plaza recreates it with sightlines. For a natural wonder that is still there, go to the Flume Gorge.