With all the mountains and cliffs in our national parks, it’s no surprise that there’s a lot of good rock climbing in them. Climbing is both a physical and a mental challenge, and it’s an incredible way to overcome fears, challenge yourself, and become closely acquainted with the outdoors.
However, it’s not easy to self-start in this activity, but in the following national parks, you can hire guide services or go with experienced friends to learn the ropes, literally and figuratively.
Yosemite, California
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Yosemite Valley is not where rock climbing in the U.S. began, but it early on became the epicenter for it, and it’s where legendary climbers explored the unknown and pushed their limits. Another area in the park that’s excellent for climbing is the high country of Tuolumne Meadows, where granite domes are the main focus for climbers.
Sequoia-Kings Canyon, California
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The connected parks south of Yosemite are also filled with granite cliffs and domes. Many sites are roadside or short hikes from it, making it easier to introduce beginners to climbing.
Pinnacles, California
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Long before it became a national park, Pinnacles was a major destination for rock climbers. A visit here will quickly reveal why, though the name really gives it away before you ever get there. Moderate weather also makes this park a great winter climbing destination.
Joshua Tree, California
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Joshua Tree is a granite wonderland known for its cracks and its slabs. It’s also known for its “sandbagged” routes– climbs that are more difficult than their rating suggests. However, there are some beginner-friendly spots that guides routinely take their clients to.
Grand Teton, Wyoming
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Most people who come here to climb are out to climb the mountains themselves. However, there are a couple spots that are good for regular rock climbing. One is near popular Hidden Falls and is called Guide’s Wall. The other is roadside at Blacktail Butte, though most of the climbing there is for more advanced climbers.
Rocky Mountain, Colorado
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This is another park known mainly for its mountain climbing, but there is a more traditional rock climbing area within the park. It’s at a place called Lumpy Ridge. There’s not much easy stuff there, but experienced guides will work to make sure people of any skill level can have fun there.
Acadia, Maine
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Acadia has enough rock climbing that it supports full-time climbing guides throughout the summer season. Some of it is on cliffs right above the ocean, one of the few places in the country with that style of climbing.
Carderock, Maryland
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Carderock is an area along the Potomac River in the C&O Canal National Historic Park. Being in the midst of the heavily populated D.C. metro area, this is a busy crag, but it’s home to several area classics and is one of the first climbing crags in the East to be developed. It’s another site known for its sandbagged ratings.
Great Falls, Virginia
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Not far upstream from Carderock is Great Falls, where the Potomac River roars through a series of cataracts. After doing so, it rushed through Mather Gorge, a cliff-lined canyon. There are climbing routes on both the Virginia and Maryland sides, but there’s more of it, and it’s more popular, in Virginia’s Great Falls Park, a unit of the National Park Service.
Shenandoah, Virginia
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Old Rag Mountain in this national park is considered by many to have the best rock climbing in the state, but the approaches tend to be long and overgrown. At Little Stony Man off Skyline Drive, there are nice climbs on a 100’ cliff overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. This is a better spot for beginners because of the easier access.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia
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The Blue Ridge Parkway in both Virginia and North Carolina doesn’t have much rock climbing. One exception is at Raven’s Roost, a signed overlook about 11 miles south of Shenandoah National Park. The climbing is on the cliffs below the overlook, so it’s easy to access the top and set up anchors.
New River Gorge, West Virginia
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“The New,” as many climbers call it, is filled with a hard type of sandstone very different from the sandstone you associate with much of the Southwest. The climbing is excellent here, and there are more than 1,400 established routes within the Gorge itself. Many climbers consider the New to be among the best climbing areas in the country for the quality of the rock and the routes.
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