The Balancing Rock... located on Long Island, just past Tiverton NS. A drive and a ferry away, it is a hike from the road out to the shore. It was the next stop on our vacation this year.
Cass
says.... For years I have seen pictures of this balancing rock and
wanted to go. Living in Nova Scotia and not getting to see the
awesomeness we have here is just wrong! Finally after all this time, we
went to Tiverton to hike out to stand in awe at the Balancing Rock!
There is a 2.5km (return) trail that leads you through the woods, mostly
level with boardwalks. It reminded me of being in my own fantasy
movie. Then when you get to the coast there is stairs... a lot of
stairs... leading you down to the viewing point. The stairs are sturdy
and well built. Standing on the platform looking out at St. Mary's Bay
and this towering rock... I am in awe! We took a little snack with us
so we sat and ate while taking in the view. I could have stayed for
hours looking at the water and rocks... and avoiding the climb back up
the stairs! It was exhausting but worth every second! If you enjoyed
your time there, and the view, the park operates on donations, there is a
box at the trail entrance. My experience was awesome, some day I hope
to go back and go again! 5/5 Crowns!
King says .... I knew nothing about this 'Balancing Rock' that she mentioned, and agreed to have a road trip to go see it. So not having any pre-conceived notions about it, it was a great adventure. We drove to it, and honestly drove past it as we (meaning I) missed the signs and had to turn around and go back. The reception area is not that large and couldn't have held more than 7-8 cars, so it's small scale. At the main entrance to the trail are a couple of rustic bathrooms, and a few picnic tables and some information on both the trail, and the balancing rock. There is a donation box at the front as the whole thing is unstaffed, and upkept by volunteers only (no Gov't grants available?). The trail itself is quite long, but not overly difficult terrain so wear good shoes, and I'd bring snacks of some sort as well. The trail part has a couple of large, long boardwalks with a few signs along the way detailing some of the flora and fauna. Although kinda wet in a few places with a few small puddles, it wasn't hard terrain, but it's longer than you think. After the trail is the downhill part where it's not difficult or steep, but it's a lot of steps. I counted over 250 to the end to see the balancing rock. At the end is a wonderful view of the ocean and of course the balancing rock, with a few benches to relax on (and enjoy the snacks). Also noteworthy is that there are no rest stops or benches along the
main part of the trail until you reach the hilltop near the end where it
goes downhill. It's a good thing to have a bench at the top of the 250 stairs going back up before you go back along the trail. The trail itself is very well maintained, and was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It's a long walk and you should expect to take a couple hours to complete the jaunt, but it's well worth it, and I would go again. 5 Crowns.
