Balanced Rock in Idaho: How to See an Epic Sunset
Balanced Rock in Idaho was one of the last places I decided to include on my Idaho road trip itinerary. But boy, was I glad I did. I saw a breathtaking sunset that I will remember for many many years. A reason I didn’t add Balanced Rock to the trip until last minute: there simply wasn’t a lot of information about it online. Idaho’s Balanced Rock, is then, a true hidden gem.
In my travel guide, I share all of the information you need to know to see Balanced Rock in Idaho. If you are here to just learn how to view the sunset at Balanced Rock, then simply go to the table of contents for the appropriate section.
What is Idaho's Balanced Rock?
Balanced Rock, near Castleford and Buhl, Idaho is a (in my opinion, pizza-shaped) rock-formation that is 48 feet wide at the top, perched on a 3 foot by 17 1/2 inch base. It is structurally connected to a much wider rock beneath it, creating the illusion as if it is balancing. Other Balanced Rock facts: it’s 48 feet tall, has an estimated weight of 40 tons, and towers 200 feet over the Salmon Creek Canyon.
Balanced Rock: Idaho History
Balanced Rock is thought to have been carved by wind and water over the course of millions of years. It is a rhyolite lava formation created at an estimated 15 million years ago from volcanic activity. Specifically, the Yellowstone Volcano was here long ago before it moved eastward. Its activity left behind various geologic landmarks like Balanced Rock and Shoshone Falls.
In 1929, a Twin Falls Daily Newspaper article reported an incident of local vandalism at Balanced Rock, where someone tried using a pickaxe to topple over the landmark. According to the source, this Idahoan chipped away for 40 years without success.
In 1974, the stem of the unusual rock formation was cemented to protect and preserve it from future attempts of vandalism. It is now under the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and managed within Balanced Rock Park in Twin Falls County.
Where is Balanced Rock in Idaho?
Balanced Rock is located in Southern Idaho in Twin Falls County. It is about a 30 to 40 minute drive from Twin Falls, about 25 miles away.
Castleford is the nearest town to Balanced Rock, Idaho, a small farmland town with a population of 226 people.
Buhl is the next nearest town with a sizable population of 4,122 people. Unlike Castleford, Buhl has more buildings and establishments. There is also a great place to get ice cream in Buhl called Cloverleaf Creamery. I tried the local favorite, huckleberry ice cream, and it was delicious. Highly recommend.
How to Get to Balanced Rock (Idaho)?
You will likely be starting from either Boise or Twin Falls to Balanced Rock.
General Directions from Boise
– take hwy 84 east
– merge to hwy 30 south
– exit Magic Waters Rd.
– follow the road until you get to Balanced Rock, Idaho
General Directions from Twin Falls
– get yourself to E 3700 N Road
– follow the road until you get to Balanced Rock, Idaho
– most of the road is through farmland Idaho countryside, which was neat because I certainly don’t experience that in Southern California. Eventually, the road wades and lowers into the canyon area, with dramatic lava rock columned cliffs that will certainly call your attention.
Now, if you are smart, just use your GPS. Haha. If you are using google maps, make sure you map it to “Balanced Rock” and NOT “balanced rock park.” If you go to the latter, you will scratch your head in confusion, because you won’t see what you are looking for.
Balanced Rock is technically a half mile or so away west from the Balanced Rock Park destination given on the GPS. The map below shows balanced Rock Park (NOT Balanced Rock).
To be clear, you will need to drive a half mile or so west from Balanced Rock Park (pinned below) to get to Balanced Rock. You will not miss it, and you will see it on your right hand side if driving westward.
I only give this tip because we made this mistake and there was zero cell signal in the canyon. Eventually, we figured it out.
Balanced Rock Idaho Parking
Parking at Balanced Rock is a breeze. There is a big dirt lot on the north side of Balanced Rock Road right in front and below the Balanced Rock landmark.
You will no doubt find parking. I mean, you are essentially in the middle of nowhere.
Balanced Rock Hiking Trail
I personally wouldn’t call the path from the parking lot to Balanced Rock a “hiking trail.” It’s maybe a quarter mile long?
However, that’s not to say some may find it intimidating. While short, it’s a fairly steep path to the top, and you may lose the path like we did. There are seemingly many paths, but because you can see that pizza-shaped rock in plain view, you really can’t get lost.
The dirt path eventually turns into a small section of rock scramble. Nothing crazy though! There’s just a few parts where you need to be careful with your footing.
Once at the top, it’s all rocky landscape. Explore at your heart’s desire. Find those great angles to capture the bewilderment of this balancing act of nature. It’s a really fun time walking around the top, seeing not only Balanced Rock in clear view, but with it contrasted against the flat road in the distance.
How to See the Sunset at Balanced Rock in Idaho
We’re finally here! The title of this blog post is “how to see an epic sunset” and I will now break it down for you.
If you want to see the sunset at Balanced Rock in Idaho, I highly recommend coming an hour before sunset.
You might be wondering “is it because you’re anal and you want to make sure you don’t miss it?”
Yes, that’s true. BUT. It’s also because the sun sets over a graduated hill. This means that the sun sets quicker than you anticipate it to.
For example: Google tells you the sunset will be at 7:30 pm. However, if you are standing at Balanced Rock, the sunset might have happened at 7:20, ten minutes earlier than what you anticipated, because that dang hill is in the way. Now that I think of it, it’s not even really a hill, more just like an incline of desolate land.
Another reason you want to get there earlier is because you want to allow time for yourself to get from the parking lot to the top of Balanced Rock.
Story time!
My boyfriend and I were running late. We finished our dinner in Twin Falls later than we had planned. So we were “booking it” to Balanced Rock. I was definitely going over the country farmland speed limit. I even passed a few cars on the dotted two lane road!
As linear farmland roads transitioned into somewhat windy deep canyon roads, we were struck by the very dramatic change in landscape. Everything was shaded and felt cooler. This highlighted the need to drive even faster.
When we saw the landmark I abruptly turned into the parking lot. We got out of the car and it was game on. We were Olympic fast-walking our way to the top. No breaks. Time was of essence as we literally saw the sun make its way down to the horizon. I remembered thinking “Omg no one told me there was a hill to trek up. Also, that other hill is blocking our view. There’s gonna be less time for sunset! This is not aligning with my plans!” Yes, I am dramatic and needy, but self-aware! haha…
When we got to the top, we were both huffing and puffing as if we just ran a mile. Similar to the car, we were going faster than what was normal pace.
Thankfully, we just made it in time. I swear, we only had maybe 5 minutes max to enjoy the sunset before it fully submerged itself underneath the blank Idaho horizon. So learn from my mistake!
But within those 5 minutes I went to work. I was running around finding all of the angles. Landscape, portrait, video; I took it all. I even allocated time to not take pictures and take it all in. As if, that’s an important thing to do! Gosh, please tell me in the comments if the sarcasm is coming through or not. Sound off below.
Unlike me, my boyfriend for awhile was rooted in one place. I think, to catch his breath. But once it was caught, we both enjoyed the sunset and after-sunset colors together, silently admiring the views, our “clutchness,” and the pizza rock.
Other places in the USA where I experienced unforgettable sunsets include Cape Flattery, Washington and Cathedral Rock in Sedona. Ugh, tears.
Camping Near Balanced Rock, Idaho
After you’ve seen one of the most scenic sunsets of your life, you might be interested in camping. What a transition, Keanu.
There is available camping at Idaho’s Balanced Rock Park. It is self-support. There are no RV-hookups. Recall that Balanced Rock Park is east of Balanced Rock, along the Salmon Creek River.
5 Tips for Visiting Balanced Rock in Idaho
Tip #1: Wear hiking shoes
While not necessarily a hike (moreso just a path up a hill), there is some loose, sandy rock. It would be helpful to wear hiking shoes or any shoe with sufficient traction to ensure no slips or falls, especially on the descent back to the parking lot.
Tip #2: See the Sunset
I’ve never visited during the morning or peak of day, but I fear if that I did, I might have been a little underwhelmed.
To remedy that fear, just visit Idaho’s Balanced Rock during the sunset. It’s so beautiful. Sitting on the top of a canyon. The open straight road. A flat horizon. The colors of sunset. And a bizarre looking rock? Combined, it’s divine.
Tip #3: Get there Early
Like an hour early.
I talked about this already, but to reiterate, come to Balanced Rock earlier than you think….
because…
1) The hill / raised elevation of land (?) [sorry, I can’t think of another way to describe it] will obstruct the views of the true sunset at Balanced Rock.
2) You need time to get from the parking lot to the top of the Balanced Rock. It takes about 10 minutes.
3) It’s good to be early. Less stress. More time to appreciate the views.
Tip #4: Search for Balanced Rock, not Balanced Rock Park
If you are using GPS (which of course you are), make sure you map it to “Balanced Rock” and not “Balanced Rock Park.” I’ve already went over it multiple times, but in case you missed it, they map to different locations.
Also, the signal is not great here. Therefore, I recommend you download the maps first, just in case you get lost. This way, even if you don’t have signal, you can still map to where you are going because you downloaded the map earlier. This tip has been brought to you my boyfriend haha.
Tip #5: Have a Picnic at Balanced Rock Park
If you are seeing the sunset, you can spend some time beforehand at Balanced Rock Park. There is a grassy area along the river within the picturesque canyon. There are plenty of picnic tables for you to use.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see that Balanced Rock Park. I only learned about until after our Idaho road trip. Learn from my mistake and check it out for yourself!
Final Verdict: Should You Visit Balanced Rock in Idaho?
The simple answer is yes. You should visit Balanced Rock in Idaho. I would strongly recommend you visit during sunset on the chance that it might feel underwhelming if you visit during the day. However, I do hear sunrise is also a great time to visit Balanced Rock, Idaho.
I give Balanced Rock a 7.5/10. If you’ve been reading my blog posts, this is actually quite low for me. However, I still recommend it. The reason why I am rating it lower than my usual score is because it is a very quick stop. You might be there for only an hour max.
If you are staying near Twin Falls, then definitely come check Balanced Rock out in Southern Idaho. However, if you are not near the Twin Falls area, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to include this into your itinerary. There are so many other Idaho hidden gems and destinations to be explored, and it’s best you make your Idaho road trip as efficient as possible.
Til’ the next adventure…
— Keanu @9to5travelguy