Define gravity. Balanced Rock seems to be defying it. This rock has been “precariously perched” for a very long time. Balanced Rock, located just south of Buhl, Idaho, is a rock weighing several tons on top of a very small base. Perched on a small base, this rock is abnormally huge. For example, it is over forty-eight feet tall, and forty feet wide.
In addition, it weighs well over forty tons (Times)! All of that rock is balanced on a three-foot by seventeen-inch base 200 feet above the floor of the Salmon Falls Creek Canyon (“Balanced”). It is very surprising that this massive rock is still up on its feet. Being on such a small base, Balanced Rock is a wonder of nature.Balanced Rock is just one of many of its kind, but its formation process is different from what you would expect. Most of the balanced rocks around the world are a product of chemical or wind weathering, but Balanced Rock isn’t. This “Balanced Boulder of Buhl” would look a lot different if it was shaped by either of these two processes (Times). Instead, this rock was created by a series of freeze-thaw processes where water seeps into pores in the rock, freezes—which causes it to expand—and eventually breaks off a chunk (“Physical”).
This interesting way of coming into place is very unique. This is what sets Balanced Rock apart from all others of its kind. Nowadays, Balanced Rock Park serves as a national park, perfect on anyone’s stop out west. For example, lots of people stop by for a picnic in the afternoon. In addition, some of them even spend the night tent camping.
Throughout their stay, people also enjoy a variety of hiking, fishing, and taking angled pictures where it looks like they are about to push the rock off. (Stuebner) According to Southern Idaho Tourism, “Nowadays, it’s very popular to visit Balance Rock and take a unique selfie to post in the social media.” Balanced Rock Park is a great stop for anyone. People enjoy going there for those reasons.Tons upon tons of rock barely balanced just south of Buhl, Idaho. Balanced Rock Park has a unique forming process and is a popular tourist attraction in Idaho.
Standing on a thread two hundred feet above the bottom of the Salmon Falls Creek Canyon, Balanced Rock is an amazing icon in Idaho.