Balanced Rock & Powerline Road #2
3.8 mi · ▲ 247 ft · 1 hr 23 min
Balanced Rock & Powerline Road #2 is a 3.8-mile out-and-back in McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Reata Pass, AZ. The route reaches Balanced Rock at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 247 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Balanced Rock & Powerline Road #2
3.8 mi · ▲ 247 ft · 1 hr 23 min
Elevation 2,583–2,852 ft
Out & Back · McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Trailhead: 33.77004, -111.78943
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 95°F / low 77° · precip 6% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Connector, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Powerline Road #2, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Granite Mtn (Easy), heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Granite Mtn Loop, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Balanced Rock Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftReach Balanced Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Granite Mtn Loop, heading SE.
- 0.9 miSharp right onto Granite Mtn (Easy), heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Powerline Road #2, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Connector, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.3 mi in (~36 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Powerline Road #2 2 mi · ▲ 145 ft
- Bootlegger Tank via 136th Street Express 2.7 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Bootlegger Trail & Powerline Road #2 Loop 2.8 mi · ▲ 192 ft
- Scenic View & Bootlegger Trail via Granite Mtn Loop 3 mi · ▲ 195 ft
- Balanced Rock Trail & Powerline Road #2 Loop 3.3 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Dixileta Trail Loop via 136th Street Express 3.5 mi · ▲ 81 ft
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