Balanced Rock Arches National Park

Balanced Rock stands as one of Arches National Park’s most recognizable landmarks, a towering Entrada sandstone pillar topped by a massive boulder that appears impossibly balanced. The entire formation reaches 128 feet high, with the balanced rock itself weighing roughly 3,577 tons. The capstone is actually harder Slick Rock sandstone that resisted erosion while the softer rock beneath was carved away by wind and water over millions of years.

The formation sits directly beside the main park road, 9 miles from the visitor center, with a large pullout and short 0.3-mile interpretive trail circling the base. The trail is paved and wheelchair accessible, making this one of the park’s most visited features. Best light for photography occurs during golden hour, though the formation is impressive at any time of day.

3,577-ton boulder defying gravity for millennia