The Basin, Giant's kettle in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire.
The Basin is a natural granite pothole in Franconia Notch State Park where Cascade Brook flows through a deep circular depression in the rock. The water continuously moves through this rounded cavity that has formed over thousands of years.
This pothole formed roughly 15,000 years ago when glacial meltwater rushed through the White Mountains during the last ice age. The grinding action of water and sediment carved out this rounded basin over an extended period.
The Basin draws visitors who want to witness how water shapes stone and understand the natural forces at work here. It has become a place where people connect with the raw power of nature in the White Mountains.
Access is straightforward from parking areas near Interstate 93, with a short level walk leading to viewing platforms. The water flow is strongest in spring and early summer, offering the most dramatic views of the swirling motion.
The water spins like a miniature whirlpool within this depression, continually polishing the granite walls smoother. This ongoing swirling motion shows how natural forces remain at work shaping the stone today.
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New Hampshire reveals a land where the White Mountains have shaped the skyline for millennia. Between northern coniferous forests and southeastern Atlantic coasts, this New England state features waterfalls cascading over granite, glacial passes carved 15,000 years ago, and industrial villages...
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