Balanced Rock Loop

From the parking area, head toward the lake to find the Lakeside Trail. This loop can be traveled in either direction, but the mapped direction (clockwise) heads north toward the Balanced Rock first before looping back around past the parking area. At the Lakeside Trail, turn right and follow the lakeshore for 0.75 miles. Look for the Boulder Point Trail, which is a short spur out onto the small peninsula. Before heading back onto the Lakeside Trail, a short distance to connect with the Fern Trail. Some of these connector trails have slim signage or marking so keep an eye on the Mobile App for on-trail navigation.At the end of the Fern Trail, turn left onto the Midland Trail before continuing onto the Alpine Trail. The Alpine Trail ends at the entrance road where visitors can head back to the parking area or cross the road (as mapped) and follow the Pinchot Trail to the Gravel Trail, before returning on the Lakeside Trail.

The State Park features examples of the three primary rock classes with the most commonly found being igneous diabase, seen in the form of large boulders around Boulder Point, such as Balanced Rock. These boulders are rounded due to spheroidal weathering which just means the composition of the rock causes the exposure and resulting erosion to shape the boulders into rounded blocks.