AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Riley Conservation Area

Balancing Rock via South Loop Trail

6.8 mi · ▲ 371 ft · 2 hr 27 min

Balancing Rock via South Loop Trail is a 6.8-mile out-and-back in Riley Conservation Area near Wampum Corner, MA. The route reaches Balancing Rock at the turnaround, 3.4 miles in. It climbs 371 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi203 – 364 ft · steepest grade: 16%7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.03581, -71.35343
Nearest town Wampum Corner, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Balancing Rock via South Loop Trail

6.8 mi · ▲ 371 ft · 2 hr 27 min

Elevation 205–366 ft

Out & Back · Riley Conservation Area

Trailhead: 42.03581, -71.35343

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:02 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 100 ftBear right, heading S.
  3. 250 ftBear left, heading S.
  4. 0.9 miBear right, heading SE.
  5. 250 ftBear left, heading SE.
  6. 2.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear right onto Sunrise Hill Trail, heading SE.
  9. 450 ftBear right onto South Loop Trail, heading S.
  10. 350 ftReach Balancing Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 400 ftBear left onto Sunrise Hill Trail, heading S.
  12. 450 ftBear left, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  14. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  15. 2.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  16. 250 ftBear left, heading NW.
  17. 0.9 miBear right, heading W.
  18. 250 ftBear left, heading W.
  19. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/sunrise-hill-lookout-point-out-back-12-km-ceb8

Trail surface

5% dirt1% gravel94% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F63°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV8Humidity77%
Rained 0.8″ yesterday (1.3″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:42 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:02 PM
Wed 82°63°
Thu 86°70° 35%
Fri 95°71° 26%
Sat 94°71° 35%
Sun 95°71° 19%
Mon 97°72° 17%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~36 min). Leave by 7:06 PM for the 8:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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Hikes near Wampum Corner, Massachusetts