A gate assembly constructed according to principles of the present invention preferably has the ability, with only a small amount of manual force, to open a gate by pivoting the gate upwardly about a pivot point. The gate assembly can include, for instance, a pivot arm to which the gate is attached. The pivot arm preferably pivots at the pivot point about a pivot axis, for instance, using a pin and bearing setup attached to a main frame. A biasing member can provide a biasing force to the gate to maintain the gate in an open or closed position and/or to assist in opening the gate. An adjustment mechanism can be provided to enable adjustment of an amount of the biasing force. When the biasing member is a spring assembly, a spring adjustment sleeve can be slidably arranged on the pivot arm and attached to an end of one or more springs, with a desired number of springs (and spring force) selected depending on the weight of the gate. The slide is preferably configured to move up and down on the pivot arm to change the amount of tension applied by the springs on the arm. An opposite end of the springs is preferably attached to the main frame. Alternatively, or in addition, a spring adjustment member may be attached between the spring and the frame. When in a closed position, the gate assembly is preferably balanced between the force of the spring tension and the weight of the gate. This balance allows the gate to be opened by applying a small amount of force in an upward direction anywhere along the body of the barrier. To close the barrier, a downward force can preferably be applied anywhere along the body of the barrier, with gravity taking over to close the gate once a certain point is reached.