Glacial Erratics: Awesome Giant Rocks to Visit Around Seattle

Nestled between two giant redwoods in a pocket park southwest of Duvall’s Main Street Safeway grocery store lies this enormous, historically significant erratic.

Already an ancient wonder of the Snoqualmie River Valley long before the town of Duvall was established in 1913, so-called “Big Rock” has a road, a park and several businesses named after it. The sequoia trees that keep it company are probably more than 100 years old themselves.

Big Rock is a gneiss (pronounced “nice”): It’s a rock sandwich made up of different rocks and minerals all smooshed together, often in visible bands or stripes. Look for bands of white quartz in Big Rock and admire its patterns of lichens and moss.

Getting there: Located between Monroe to the north and Carnation to the south, Duvall sits on State Route 203, which doubles as Duvall’s Main Street. South of historic Main Street you will find Duvall’s Safeway at 14020 Main St. The erratic is southwest of the parking lot.

If you go: Enjoy the pleasures of a small-town Main Street in Duvall and have a treat at Grateful Bread Bakery (15602 Main St. N.E., Duvall, WA 98019).