(Bedford, MA) Two Brothers Rocks (Glacial Erratic)

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The Two Brothers Rocks (the Winthrop rock in the foreground and the Dudley rock in the back) with the Concord River in the background (42.5151, -71.3055), Feb. 4, 2024, in Bedford, MA.  Credits: Geo Field Report


Along the banks of the Concord River in Bedford, MA are two good-sized rocks that are at least 4 feet tall and probably only 20 yards away from each other.  They are known as the Two Brothers' Rocks.  The "two brothers" referred to two early governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley, who used these rocks as property dividing lines.

These rocks are likely glacial erratics given the size of the boulders and the glaciation history of the area.  As far as erratics go, the Two Brothers Rocks are not as famous as the Plymouth Rock, and they are not the biggest in the area.  But having two sizable erratics that sit next to each other is impressive.  Kind of reminds me of the rock scene in the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once: the Two Brothers Rocks just sit there and witness the changing landscape of and around the Concord River for thousands of years.

You can find these rocks on Google Maps at (42.5151, -71.3055).  I could not find parking around the Dudley Road trailhead; to get to the rocks, I instead parked at the Concord Field Station of Harvard University at Old Causeway Road and then hiked about a mile to them.  The trails are well-marked but are muddy in and after rain.


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