The Balanced Rock

Big Bend National Park, Texas: The Grapevine Hills/Balanced Rock Trail, just two miles long, leads you over low brush land and up a steep climb to a frame of balanced boulders through which you can see far across the blue horizon. It’s best to hike it in the late afternoon, when the sun dips below the surrounding canyon walls and shades the trail. The short length, flat path and rock scramble at the culmination make for a rejuvenating walk after a day of more demanding hiking. You can spend hours climbing boulders, or reclining over cool stone with the sun warm on your face as it sets.