AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Looking across frozen Carter Pond toward cabin shelter, Rock House Reservation.jpg
Peter Cooper Jr · CC0
Rock House Reservation

Balance Rock–Carter Pond, 5 sights

1.1 mi · ▲ 115 ft · 25 min

Balance Rock–Carter Pond, 5 sights is a 1.1-mile out-and-back in Rock House Reservation near Ware, MA. The route passes Carter Pond and Balance Rock. It is mostly level, with 115 ft of elevation gain. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi794 – 925 ft1.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Outer Loop 42.26884, -72.19840
Nearest town Ware, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Balance Rock–Carter Pond, 5 sights

1.1 mi · ▲ 115 ft · 25 min

Elevation 795–924 ft

Out & Back · Rock House Reservation

Trailhead: Outer Loop · 42.26884, -72.19840

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 76°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:45 AM · sunset 8:06 PM

Dogs allowed · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 50 ftPass Carter Pond.
  3. 350 ftBear left onto Pond Trail, heading E.
  4. 250 ftBear left onto Outer Loop, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftBear left onto Pond Trail, heading NE.
  6. 0.1 miPass Balance Rock.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Fire Road, heading N.
  8. 200 ftBear right onto Outer Loop, heading E.
  9. 50 ftBear left onto Fire Road, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miReach Balance Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 150 ftBear left onto Fullam Trail, heading E.
  12. 250 ftBear right, heading E.
  13. 0.2 miBear left onto Outer Loop, heading SE.
  14. 0.3 miTurn left onto Pond Trail, heading W.
  15. 300 ftBear right, heading NW.
  16. 100 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/balance-rock-out-back

Weather

OvercastTemperature 76°F61°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity83%
Rained 1.5″ yesterday (5″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:45 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:06 PM
Wed 77°62°
Thu 86°67° 48%
Fri 92°69° 39%
Sat 90°68° 44%
Sun 92°65°
Mon 91°69° 18%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 7:38 PM for the 8:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:27 PM — 10 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Ware, Massachusetts