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

The Rock House–Balance Rock, 6 sights is a 1.1-mile out-and-back in Rock House Reservation near Gilbertville, MA. The route passes Carter Pond and Balance Rock before reaching The Rock House at the turnaround, 0.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 112 ft of elevation gain. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi807 – 925 ft1.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: The Trustees of Reservations 42.27289, -72.19093
Nearest town Gilbertville, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

The Rock House–Balance Rock, 6 sights

1.1 mi · ▲ 112 ft · 25 min

Elevation 808–924 ft

Out & Back · Rock House Reservation

Trailhead: The Trustees of Reservations · 42.27289, -72.19093

Weather Sep 20: Drizzle, high 58°F / low 51° · precip 70% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Dogs allowed · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Fire Road, heading SW.
  2. 0.2 miBear right onto Outer Loop, heading W.
  3. 50 ftPass Carter Pond.
  4. 50 ftBear left onto Fire Road, heading W.
  5. 200 ftTurn left onto Pond Trail, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  7. 50 ftPass Balance Rock.
  8. 200 ftBear left onto Fire Road, heading S.
  9. 300 ftTurn left onto Pond Trail, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  11. 150 ftReach The Rock House, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right onto Outer Loop, heading SW.
  13. 0.3 miBear right onto Fullam Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miBear right onto Fire Road, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Weather

DrizzleTemperature 58°F51°
Precip70%Wind3 mphUV1Humidity98%
Rained 1.6″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
60°45° 1 AM: 1% rain2 AM: 7% rain3 AM: 2% rain5 AM: 10% rain6 AM: 3% rain7 AM: 12% rain8 AM: 15% rain9 AM: 13% rain10 AM: 30% rain11 AM: 49% rain12 PM: 70% rain1 PM: 56% rain2 PM: 46% rain3 PM: 43% rain4 PM: 46% rain5 PM: 45% rain6 PM: 56% rain7 PM: 38% rain8 PM: 30% rain9 PM: 27% rain10 PM: 30% rain11 PM: 35% rain
Sunrise 6:35 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:52 PM
Mon 64°53° 33%
Tue 59°45°
Wed 61°44°
Thu 62°42° 16%
Fri 61°49° 31%
Sat 58°49° 31%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:14 PM — 5 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed
  • Parking lot at the trailhead