Driving home from Balance Rock State Park, I happened upon Lake Onota This is what is so great about New England, and really any area of the country. You can find the most beautiful places at the most unexpected moments.
A popular fishing spot, Lake Onota is a 617 acre pond located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It flows into the Housatonic River which eventually drains into Long Island Sound. Fishermen and women and boaters flock to Lake Onota for the bass, trout, walleye and crappie (yes they even fish for crappie fish).
A roadway bisects the lake. Of course, typical of New England weather, while it was very cloudy on one side, the other side had nary a cloud.
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Dogs like Lake Onota as well. I met Becca, a happy 9 year old golden retriever,there.
Location: Balance Rock, Rd, Pittsfield, MA (about 2.5 hours west of Boston, MA or 1 hour east of Albany, NY)
Hours: Sunrise until 6 p.m.
Parking: There is parking for about up to 50 cars or so at the Balance Rock entrance.
During the last ice age, some 12,000 to 100,000 years ago, rocks were haphazardly pushed to and fro, creating this unusual formation. Or, someone put one rock on top of another. Either the product of glacial movement or an elaborate hoax, the namesake of Balance Rock State Park is a huge attraction.
But, before you view the impressive rock, there are rocks and beauty aplenty at the entrance to Balance Rock Park.
By the entrance, there is a stream that runs along the side of the park
After a short drive up the main entrance road (about half a mile), you will reach Balance State Park’s main attraction; the rock. We were a bit disappointed to find the rock right there next to the parking lot. While it is convenient and easy for visitors to find, it would have been nice to have to hike to it. It would have built up the anticipation. Despite the journey being anticlimactic, the rock was impressive. As you can tell from the photos and attached video, the rock never touches the ground. Unfortunately, it has been vandalized which was very disappointing to see.
The rock is 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. It is resting on another much smaller rock. This, the story goes, is the product of the last glacial age. It also goes to show that no matter how big and seemingly powerful someone or something may be, the rock and we wouldn’t be the same without the help of a little friend.
I noticed how some of the rocks seem to have eyes and lips. I am not sure if this was due to nature, erosion or the work of mankind.
It turns out, there are many rocks in the area
The residents of Balance Rock State Park are very photogenic. He was shy at first. But, eventually, he came out and I was able to get some close ups of him.
Video of the stream at the entrance to Balance Rock State Park
New England Nomad 