Length: 1 mile roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6500-6800 ft.
Time: <1 hour
Restrooms: 1 vault toilet
Dogs Permitted: Yes
Did you know that Western Colorado has its own version of Balanced Rock?
Like the famous Balanced Rock of the Front Range (located in Garden of the Gods), Miracle Rock, aka Potato Rock, is another large boulder with an incredibly small pedestal. However, unlike Balanced Rock, Miracle Rock is far less well known, far more remote, and is even taller.
Located southwest of Grand Junction, outside the tiny community of Glade Park, Miracle Rock is tucked away from civilization. The area is a popular local spot for field trips and picnics.
Located just a mile off 9.8 Road, the Miracle Rock Trailhead consists of a dirt lot, several picnic benches, and a vault toilet. The hike up to the rock is short, about 1-mile roundtrip. The route is initially hard to distinguish, as there is no signage. During my visit, I made my way down the middle between the picnic tables and past pinyon and juniper trees for a few yards. The trail then becomes easily visible and continues up a short but steep slope.
The so-called “potato” is perched on a ridge with a commanding view of the Little Dolores River Valley. While not as vivid a red as Balanced Rock, Miracle Rock is twice as tall as its Front Range cousin, rising 85 feet above its base. Weighing 12,000 tons, the rock is truly a miracle, perched on a sandstone base only 1 ft. wide. To make the situation more precarious, a solid crack runs the entire length of the pedestal. There is even a gap where you can see all the way through.
Miracle Rock appears ready to topple at any moment. However, as my fingers traced the many inscriptions on the rock, the monolith didn’t budge a bit.
Just a few yards southeast of the boulder the ridgeline further continues. Located along the cliffside are beautiful alcoves.
Returning to Miracle Rock, I sat near the edge of the ridge and soaked in the solitude. The peaceful atmosphere up there is a great place to read a book, sketch, paint, or photograph the natural surroundings. As I visited later in the day, I watched the sun set as I returned to the trailhead.
I was the only individual up there my entire visit. Can’t say the same of Balanced Rock, which is a tourist attraction. If you’re looking for a short, quiet trek, visit Miracle Rock! I highly suggest going up there to watch the sunset, as I did. For more adventure, Little Dolores Falls is just 1.3 miles further down the road. Featuring natural swimming pools or “potholes,” this is a popular local spot to cool off in the summer. Caution: avoid the water during the spring or during thunderstorms as several fatalities have occurred due to strong currents. The next time I visit the area, I’ll visit Potholes and blog about it. 🙂
Getting There: To get to Miracle Rock Trailhead, drive up to Glade Park, which is located 16 miles southwest from Grand Junction. Glade Park can be reached by taking either Little Park Road, or Colorado National Monument’s Rim Rock Drive via the park’s east entrance. From Glade Park Store continue west on DS Road for 8 miles, then turn left onto 9.8 road. Continue for 1 mile and park at the trailhead.
~LMC
