BALANCING
ROCK-SURPRISE SPRING LOOP
Granite
Basin Recreation Area, Prescott.
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| Balancing Rock teeters on its host boulder along trail 349 |
Situated
in a pocket of pine-oak woodlands at the south edge of Granite Mountain
Wilderness seven miles northwest of Downtown Prescott, Granite Mountain
Recreation Area offers
over 40
miles of interconnected trails, camping, picnicking and boating.
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| Drainage area near Surprise Spring on Balancing Rock trail |
Area
trails feature incredible views of the craggy escarpments of 7,295-foot Granite
Mountain and varied terrain that runs through boulder-strewn back country.
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| Manzanita bloom in sunny spots along the route |
For a
taste of why this easy-access recreation hub is so popular, take a hike on the
Balancing Rock and Surprise Spring trails. The circuit uses 3 trails to make a
3.8-mile loop.
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| An oak thicket on Balancing Rock trail |
Begin at the
trail 350 sign behind the pay station, hike 0.1-mile and turn left at the West Lake
Trail 351 junction. Hike 0.7 mile on trail 351 passing several pretty stands of
cottonwoods growing near moist drainages and turn left at the Balancing Rock
Trail 349 junction. This 1.7-mile leg of the loop passes among thick stands of
Ponderosa pines, oaks, alderleaf mountain mahogany and junipers with occasional
fringes of agave and cacti that cling to life where sun leaks through the
forest canopy. The eponymous rock formation appears on the left roughly
0.2-mile from the junction.
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| San Francisco peaks seen from Balancing Rock trail |
The lopsided stone perched precariously atop a
massive granite boulder is secure for now, but even a minor tectonic hiccup could
bump it off its host. While this stone oddity is the centerpiece of the trail’s
geological sites, it isn’t the only one.
Look for a “turkey gobbler” rock, xenoliths (chunks of material like quartz
crystals embedded in boulders) and knife-edge slabs that have flaked off walls
of granite.
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| Cottonwoods thrive along the West Lake trail |
About halfway through trail
349, the drainage area surrounding Surprise Spring appears as scoured channels,
trickling runoff and sand bars.
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| Agaves and cacti sprout in sunny spots on the trail |
Some of the land around spring is private
property, so be sure to stay on the trail. Beyond the spring, the trail swings
north, making a mild ascent on the ledges above the spring drainage. Soon,
views of the Williamson Valley, Verde Valley and mountain peaks of Flagstaff
appear above acres of scrub.
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| Granite Mountain seen from Surprise Spring trail |
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| Alderleaf mountain mahogany |
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| The route is well-signed and maintained |
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| One of many stone oddities on Balancing Rock trail |
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| Granite Mountain stands out above West Lake trail |
The forest
thins out where the trail meets the Surprise Spring trail 350 junction. The final leg of the hike on trail 350 was
damaged by the September 2019 lightning-caused Surprise Fire. Ash, burnt trees and
patches of scorched earth are just minor distractions on the still-beautiful
path.
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| The easy-moderate hike has many ups-and-downs |
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| The 2019 Surprise Fire scorched parts of the trails |
The trail
has been trimmed and swept and thickets of blooming manzanita shrubs soften the
harsh plots of charred debris. More gorgeous vistas of Granite Mountain and
sprawling valleys vie for attention before the route spirals off its sunny high
ridge descending among mixed conifer woodlands on its way back to the trailhead.
LENGTH:
3.8-mile loop
RATING: easy-moderate
ELEVATION:
5,640 – 6,070 feet
GETTING
THERE:
From downtown Prescott, go north on Montezuma Street (which
turns into Whipple Street and then Iron Springs Road) and continue 4.5 miles to
N. Granite Basin Road at milepost 3.
Turn right and continue 3.1 miles to the Wekuvde trailhead
on the right.
Roads are paved and
there are restrooms, picnic tables and grills at the trailhead.
FEE: There’s a $5 daily fee per vehicle. Bring exact change
for the self-serve pay station/ Free with a Golden Age/Access of Interagency Senior/Access
Pass. Wednesdays are free to everyone.
HOURS: March-April hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hours vary by
season.
INFO:
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