Balancing Rock Trail PROVIDES
Year-Round Showcase
T
he Balancing Rock Trail on the western edge of Prescott takes hikers, bikers, horses and their riders on a gently rolling journey through the foothills below Granite Mountain, through stands of ponderosa and oak that look majestic whether lushly green in the summer, red and gold in the autumn or dressed in sleeves of snow in the winter. Clearings are dotted with wildflowers in the spring and can host snowball fights in winter. This path at the base of Granite Mountain offers spectacular close-up views of the peak as it curves through a landscape that boasts manzanita, juniper and even some yucca and prickly pear. Boulders loom high and low, with more than one that could be the trail’s namesake. The landmark it was actually named after is near its junction with trail No. 351, a large, rectangular boulder with a
smaller, round one on top that seems to be frozen in mid-slide off the side. As users approach the rock from the south they edge past Surprise Springs, where channels and sandbars direct water running off the mountain, which becomes more of a stream in the winter months. As tempting it can be to wander over there when there’s an inviting cascade of water, much of the area to the east of the trail is private property, so it’s important to stay on the single-track path. The forest begins to thin out on the upper end of the trail and the viewsheds open over the Williamson Valley and on to the Verde Valley and Flagstaff-area peaks. For most adults this trip will not have been particularly challenging, but the last tenth of a mile or so gets a little more difficult as it climbs toward Granite Basin Lake, making for a fitness-building trek as well as a gorgeous one!
2 6 PRESCOTT HEALTHY LIVING | DECEMBER 2021
Trail etiquette is an important part our trails fun and safe for all trailof keeping users
SHARE THE TRAIL
3/4/2014
