Balanced Rock EarthCache
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
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Balanced Rock
This EarthCache highlights one of the State of Kentucky's Pride
and Joys-Balanced Rock. This EarthCache was developed under special
permit from the Kentucky State Parks. This cache is open
Daylight Hours Only and the Collection of Specimens,
Either Biological, Cultural, or Mineral and Defacement of
Geological Features and/or Vegetation is Strictly Prohibited.
No bikes, off-road vehicles, or horses allowed. Please see these
links, Natural Bridge State Resort Park Trail System and
Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission rules when
considering the placement of a geocache, for additional rules
and regulations while visiting the park.
Remember as always, Leave No Trace.
The EarthCache site is only a short hike along the Balanced Rock
Trail behind the Hemlock Lodge. You can park at the Hemlock Lodge
Parking Lot (included as a child waypoint) at N 37° 46.657, W
083° 40.824. However, you may want to visit this EarthCache in
conjunction with the Natural Bridge EarthCache. If you plan of
doing the two in conjunction, I suggest following the trail
instruction I described on the Natural Bridge EarthCache. Please
see the trail map by clicking here.
Balanced Rock was formed in a similar fashion as nearby Natural
Bridge. At one point in time it was part of the adjacent ridge.
That ridge was highly fractured. Over time, the moisture freezing
and expanding caused the rock to crack along these fractures and
fall away from the ridge into it current location Then the
differential weathering of the softer rock stratum in the middle
section out paced weathering of the harder rock stratum, the top.
Over thousands of years that left the hard stratum balanced upon a
constantly thinning pillar.
To claim a find, please email me the answers
to the questions below. Also you will need to upload a
picture of yourself standing on the trail while holding your GPSr
with Balanced Rock with your find log. Logs that do not
follow the finding requirements will be deleted.
Question 1: How tall is Balanced Rock?
Question 2: In relation to the nearby ridge, which direction did
Balanced Rock fall in its infancy stage?
Developed by A Platinum EarthCache Master
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)