Easy, 0.3 mi loop
45 ft elevation gain
Hiked 12/18/23
An easy and accessible loop around a massive boulder perched atop a rock tower. This structure is one of the more iconic features in the park, standing at 128 ft tall and with a boulder weighing approximately 3,600 tons. From this trail you also have views of several other features in the distance.
A far away view of Balanced Rock and the nearby tower with the rising sun between them. A sunbow may be seen wrapped around it all, with vibrant colors seen on the far left and more typical coloration in the rest of it. The La Sal mountains may be seen in the distant right/center surrounded by yellow light.
The sun facing side of Balanced rock is lit up along with the hill/stairs leading on its base.
Three distinct beams of light spread across the lower frame with a sunbow seen in the sky as the sun continues its slow climb above the distant La Sal Mountains. A rock wall is seen on the right of frame as well as a long chain of spires on the left.
So as someone who knows very little of these rock formations, is it due to them being where rivers once flowed and eroded the bottom parts while leaving the tops wider? Then when the rivers washed away, we were left with what we see?
For this one, it’s more wind shear and ice cleavage/hot expansion that does most of the erosion from what I understand. Everything in the area is mostly sandstone or similar so it erodes relatively easy. Some layers are ‘softer’ than others so in the case of this one the lower area eroded easier than the upper boulder, leading to what you have now. At one point it would have been much larger and over time pieces have broken off to where you are just left with this.
Slot canyons are formed by water flow closer to what you’re talking about though, and could also lead to a similar outcome as this, but it would likely be surrounded more closely by other rock walls, as well as probably being smoother.
For arches it could go either way; a small cavity develops which just keeps eroding until you are left with two large bases connected by a bridge. You could also have water cutting its way down to form a slit canyon but there was a tougher layer toward the top that didn’t fully erode before the flow got too low to hit it and kept carving beneath.