Skip to content
Byway
Attraction · Utah

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock from directly overhead

Balanced Rock is an attraction in Utah, at a modelled elevation of 1,545 m. Castle Mountain stands 3,671 m to the east-southeast, 21 miles off. The nearest named place is Picnic Shelter, a picnic site 0.3 miles away. Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway passes 4.1 miles off.

About

The story

rock formation in Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah, United States

Wikidata Q3525243, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates38.70101, -109.56463

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Attractions
Peaks
  • Ham Rock: 0.6 mi
  • Elephant Butte: 1.4 mi
  • Tower of Babel: 4.6 mi
  • Sheep Rock: 4.8 mi
  • The Organ: 4.8 mi
Springs: 21
  • Matrimony Spring: 6.8 mi
  • Courthouse Spring: 9.0 mi
  • Kings Bottom Spring: 10.1 mi
  • Brink Spring: 13.0 mi
  • Stinking Spring: 15.6 mi
Cliffs: 19
  • The Great Wall: 2.4 mi
  • The Great Wall: 2.9 mi
  • The Black Wall: 3.4 mi
  • The Theater: 4.5 mi
  • Twisted Doughnut Arch: 4.5 mi
Natural arches: 11
  • Sand Dune Arch: 4.5 mi
  • Tunnel Arch: 6.0 mi
  • Pine Tree Arch: 6.3 mi
  • Landscape Arch: 6.6 mi
  • Navajo Arch: 6.7 mi
Parks: 11
  • Moose Park: 5.8 mi
  • Lions Park: 6.8 mi
  • Swanny City Park: 8.5 mi
  • Moab BMX Park: 8.7 mi
  • Moab Pocket Park: 8.9 mi
Artworks: 5
Ghost towns: 5
Picnic sites: 4
Waterfalls: 4
  • Medieval Chamber: 8.1 mi
  • Mille Creek Falls (Left Hand): 10.0 mi
  • "Slytherin Falls": 13.5 mi
  • Faux Falls: 17.3 mi
Historic sites: 4
  • Farmstead History: 8.9 mi
  • Halfway Stage House - Old Stage Coach Station: 9.1 mi
  • Dewey Suspension Bridge: 16.0 mi
  • Denis Julien Inscription: 24.5 mi
Museums: 3
Rest areas: 3
Nature reserves: 1
  • Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve: 8.8 mi
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 21.1 miles of Balanced Rock. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Castle MountainESE 121°3,671 m20.8 mi
La Sal PeakESE 120°3,418 m20.9 mi
Horse MountainESE 121°3,394 m19.8 mi
Gold KnobSE 126°3,368 m19.7 mi
Grand ViewESE 120°3,321 m18.9 mi
Cairn PointESE 109°2,734 m19.5 mi
Fisher PointE 97°2,260 m15.6 mi
Onion PointE 83°2,070 m14.5 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:2318:5519:30
June solstice05:5520:0720:47
September equinox07:0718:4219:17
December solstice07:3416:1917:01

Local time (America/Denver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F324050576778858273584433
Precip in0.60.60.60.70.70.40.70.90.91.10.60.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Arches NP HQS, 7 mi away.

In the park

Inside the official boundary of Arches National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Jan and Dec; busiest: May.

NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element way/489326134

More attractions in Utah

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Plan a driveMore attractions
Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Balanced Rock.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens