Balancing Rock Trailhead

Area Status: Closed
Man and Woman Ride Along Cliffs of Lake Vesuvius Horseback Riding System.

This trailhead is part of the Lake Vesuvius Horse Trail System. The Lake Vesuvius horseback trails system 46.66 miles long and is composed of 9 trails, 4 trailheads, and one horse campground.

The Lake Vesuvius horse trails wind through some of the most striking landscapes in Ohio. They will lead you through a variety of vegetation where many species of wildlife live. You will ride along rock cliffs, water falls, streams and along ridge tops. Expect to see open fields, brushland, mature forest, and young forests. Along the way, you will notice man's influence and land management activities.

At a Glance

Operational Hours:
  • Trails are seasonally closed to horseback riding use from winter to early spring. Visit our Recreation page to see seasonal open and close dates for the current year.
  • Day and night (with lights) access is permitted.
  • Open year-round for hiking.
Area Amenities: Parking
Fees: No fees required. 
Closest Towns: Ironton, OH
Operated By:

Ironton Ranger District

General Information

General Notes:

This trailhead is part of the The Lake Vesuvius Hoseback Trail System. Routes can be planned using a map of the trail system and our chart of loops, distances, trail markers and start/end points.

All of Lake Vesuvius horse trails are marked with gray diamonds though the diamonds have different color dots depending on the loops.


Recreation Map

Map showing recreational areas. Map Information

Activities

Dispersed Camping

Camping is allowed at the trailheads on the Lake Vesuvius Horseback Trails Sytem, but only during the horseback riding open season.

Fire Information
  • You can build a campfire as long as you have a 10 foot clearance around it and put a ring around it with rocks.
  • Fires must be extinguished before leaving camp.
  • No bonfires are allowed.
  • No standing or green trees may be cut.
  • Check the bulletin boards to ensure no fire bans are in effect.
No. of Sites Primitive camping is dispersed at trailhead.
Reservation Info Sites are not able to be reserved.
No. of Accessible sites 0

Day Hiking

Though this trail system is designed primarily for horseback rides, hikers are welcome. Forty-six miles of trail wind through some of the most striking landscapes in Ohio, but loops of a variety of lengths offer hikers many different distances depending on the time they have available.

Backpacking

Though this trail system is designed primarily for horseback rides, hikers are welcome. Forty-six miles of trail wind through some of the most striking landscapes in Ohio, but loops of a variety of lengths offer hikers many different distances depending on the time they have available.

Fire Information
  • You can build a campfire as long as you have a 10 foot clearance around it and put a ring around it with rocks.
  • Fires must be extinguished before leaving camp.
  • No bonfires are allowed.
  • No standing or green trees may be cut.
  • Check the bulletin boards to ensure no fire bans are in effect.

Horse Camping

Camping is allowed at all of the trailheads for the The Lake Vesuvius Hoseback Trail System, but only during the horseback riding open season. Please do not limit others' use of the area with your campsite. A horse camp is available at the Paddle Creek Trailhead.

Fire Information
  • You can build a campfire as long as you have a 10 foot clearance around it and put a ring around it with rocks.
  • Fires must be extinguished before leaving camp.
  • No bonfires are allowed.
  • No standing or green trees may be cut.
  • Check the bulletin boards to ensure no fire bans are in effect.
Reservation Info Sites are not able to be reserved.
No. of Accessible sites 0

Horse Riding

This 46-mile trail system winds through some of the most striking landscapes in Ohio. It has been developed for horse use, but hiking is allowed.

Yes
Corrals  
Hitching Rails  
Loading Ramp  
Size Restrictions Yes
Water Availability?  
Permit required?

Viewing Wildlife

This trail system travels through some of the most striking landscapes that Ohio has to offer with a variety of vegetation, rock outcrops, and many species of wildlife.

Species

Woodland songbirds, deer, beaver, and turkey are commonly seen. You may also see hawks and osprey soaring above the lakes or perched in shoreline trees.

Recreation Areas

Recreation Activities

Location

 
  Latitude : 
38.604386

  Longitude : 
-82.630185