If you are a longtime reader of Only in Colorado, you know that we love the majesty of the Garden of the Gods and recommend everyone take in its beauty and many unique trails. Today, however, we bring you some interesting and little-known news about one of the Gardens’ most iconic formations:

Tucked away in the heart of the Garden of the Gods is Balanced Rock, one of the geologic attraction's most iconic formations.
Ahodges7/Wikimedia Commons
Created during a geological upheaval millions of years ago, the Garden of the Gods - including, of course, Balanced Rock - is comprised of red rock formations that were once utilized by the early Native Americans, making the area as historically significant as it is fascinating. 
Robert Corby/Wikimedia Commons
While rocks tend to hold up, some are more delicate than others, including the unique Balanced Rock, which appears to, well, balance atop another formation.
Ahodges7/Wikimedia Commons

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Arguably the most photographed formation in the park, few people realize the physics-defying Balanced Rock is hanging on by a hypothetical thread, thanks to natural elements working against it.
Flickr/lowellbellew
Though the exact date of when it will collapse is obviously unknown, OutThere Colorado speculates it could be caused by anything from erosion to wind to "Colorado’s notorious freeze-thaw cycle."
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Also mentioned in OutThere's article is the collapse of Balanced Rock's "distant cousin," a similar sized and positioned rock that was removed in the mid-1930s after it moved and deemed a danger to visitors.
Flickr/Matt Santomarco
Thankfully, Balanced Rock shows no signs of moving in the immediate future, but you may want to get in your clever "holding up the rock" pictures while you still can! 
Flickr/daveynin

To learn even more about the fascinating Garden of the Gods, check out Garden of the Gods: A Geologic Wonder For Everyone To Enjoy.

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Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO 80904, USA