Directions:

This hike starts at the Cow Creek Trailhead. From Downtown Estes Park, take Hwy 34 (Fall River Road) north and make a right on Devil's Gulch Road. Take Devil's Gulch Road past the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead and make a left on McGraw Ranch Road. This road ends at the McGraw Ranch which is where the Cow Creek Trailhead is situated. There is no fee to enter the park here though you still need a reservation in peak season.

Hike Description:

The hike to Balanced Rock, in the Lumpy Ridge section of Rocky Mountain National Park, is a beautiful hike. It’s a moderate hike, in that it has substantial distance and elevation gain, but it’s not a particularly hard hike. The Lumpy Ridge area is lower elevation than much of the park so this a great hike in the shoulder seasons or when the interior of the park is busy with summer visitors. In the fall, there are plenty of aspen trees along the trail to make it a worthwhile fall colors hike, especially around Balanced Rock itself. 

The hike starts from the Cow Creek Trailhead and the historic McGraw Ranch currently being used as a research center. Head west on the Lower Cow Creek Trail. The trail follows Cow Creek along the bottom of the valley which is beautiful in any season. At the one mile mark, you should see the North Gem Lake Trail branch off to the south. The trail drops down to Cow Creek through a thick aspen grove.  

After you cross Cow Creek, you start the steady climb up Lumpy Ridge. The elevation gain is steady through the shady pine forest. As you climb, the views to the north of the valley start to open up and various rock outcroppings provide good opportunities for breaks along the way.  After 1 ½ miles and about 700 ft of elevation gain you reach the Balanced Rock Trail junction, turn right (west).  The trail flattens out for the next half mile or so and cuts through some larger aspen groves. If you’ve been underwhelmed by the fall colors so far, this is where they become more abundant. 

After the flat section of trail you are only about a half a mile from Balanced Rock. The climb is gentle and incredibly scenic as rock outcroppings and boulders provide some nice views of the surrounding landscape. When you reach the crest of the basin housing Balanced Rock, you’ll know you’ve arrived.  

Balanced Rock sits in kind of a bowl area or basin; rock formations are plentiful here and provide the views, lots of aspens provide the colors. Balanced Rock is down the trail. The formation is impressive, it’s a huge boulder balanced precariously on a rock pedestal, hence the name. You can hike down the trail to get up close to the formation and explore the surrounding boulders and outcroppings for views from above. This is a peaceful and quiet spot great for relaxing on the rocks and soaking in nature. The hike back is easy enough, follow the same route downhill to Cow Creek and back to the Trailhead.

The northern section of the Lumpy Ridge Area is one of my favorite parts of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is understated, not as grand as the park’s interior, but it is also quieter and if you look closely, incredibly scenic. You need to put in the work and seek out the attractions, but that just adds to the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.