🪨🐾 Hiking the Balanced Rock Trail with Simba the Adventure Pup - Blackwater Falls State Park, WV 🌲✨

Hey trail friends! Ash here — and this time, Simba and I stepped off the main paths and into the stillness of the woods to discover a hidden gem within Blackwater Falls State Park: the Balanced Rock Trail in Tucker County, West Virginia. 🐶🌲

If you’re looking for a quiet, dog-friendly trail away from the crowds with a unique destination, this one checks all the boxes. And yes — it ends at a gravity-defying boulder that has to be seen to be believed.

📍 Trail Overview

Location: Balanced Rock Trail – Blackwater Falls State Park, WV
Distance: ~2 miles out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (gentle elevation and forest terrain)
Dog-Friendly: Absolutely! Simba loved every leafy turn 🐾
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Highlights: Balanced Rock formation, peaceful forest path, mossy terrain

🥾 Trail Experience

We hit the Balanced Rock Trailhead near the Lodge area of Blackwater Falls State Park and were immediately surrounded by dense forest, birdsong, and the soft crunch of pine needles underfoot. This trail feels like a deep breath — no crowds, no noise, just nature.

Simba was in full explorer mode — tail wagging, nose to the ground, ears tuned into the sounds of the woods. 🐶🍃

🪨 Arriving at Balanced Rock

The trail leads gently uphill through the forest before revealing the star of the show: Balanced Rock — a massive boulder precariously perched atop a narrow rock base, as if it's been frozen mid-topple for centuries.

It’s one of those places where you stop and say, “How is that even possible?” 😲

We took some time to:

• Sit quietly and soak in the setting
• Snap a few fun photos (Simba, of course, posed like a rockstar 📸)
• Enjoy a quick water + biscuit break beneath the trees

🐶 Simba’s Trail Report

✔️ Loved: Cool, shaded trail and soft ground
✔️ Trail difficulty: Totally pup-friendly
✔️ Rock rating: 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 “Looked big, didn’t budge — good rock.”

Pro tip: Bring water and bug spray, especially in warmer months. This trail is serene, but that means fewer people = more bugs.

🚐 RV Tips + Trail Add-ons

• RV Parking: Park at the lodge or overflow area; trailhead is a short walk
• Pair this hike with the Blackwater Falls boardwalk or Lindy Point Overlook for a full day in the park
• Great midday escape from busy viewpoints

🎥 Watch the Full Hike


This week’s video features:

🎬 Simba’s forest wanderings
🪨 Up-close look at Balanced Rock
🌲 Quiet trail footage + hiking tips
🍪 Post-hike golden retriever biscuit reward

👉 Subscribe for weekly trail vlogs, golden retriever joy, and RV life
📲 Follow along: @lifeonpawsandwheels

✨ Final Thoughts

The Balanced Rock Trail may not be the most famous hike in West Virginia, but it might just be one of the most peaceful. If you’re the type who loves a quiet forest, a cool breeze, and a strange boulder that looks like it’s balancing on magic — this one’s for you.

Until next time — happy hikes, hidden gems, and gravity-defying discoveries,
– Ash & Simba 🐾🪨🌲

Location: Tucker County, WV, USA

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