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Climbers often pontificate on the “ultimate road trip,” and these musings have become ever more common with the rise of #vanlife. Much has been said about how to plan a long-term road trip, and plenty of routes have been thrown out there, but many of these over-represent one region of the country and under-represent others. If you’re a Tennessee-based climber, your “ultimate climbing road trip” probably won’t bother with much of the South. If you live in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest may not rank high on your list.
So with this “Ultimate Climbing Road Trip,” my goal was to be completely unbiased, and not to necessarily cover all of the USA’s best crags (because many of them are concentrated in just a few states), but instead to hit the best climbing spot in every contiguous state.
There’s a mixture here, with both dedicated wilderness areas like Red Rock and towns that make bomber hubs for climbing, like Santa Fe. So pack your gear (and a butt cushion), because we’re about to spend a few hours on the road.
Author’s Note: I’ve climbed at many (but not all) of these crags, and some I haven’t visited in quite a few years. With that in mind, research current access recommendations from local climbing advocacy groups before popping up at a crag. Just because a crag is listed on Mountain Project or elsewhere online doesn’t mean it’s currently open to the public. Some of the crags on this list—particularly those in the South, Midwest, and Northeast—are on private land with unwritten or vague climbing policies that can change from year to year.
Leavenworth, Washington
We’ll start in the northwest and work our way around the map. From Icicle Creek to Turnwater Canyon, the mountain town of Leavenworth has a bit of everything, and it contains the highest density of rock in Washington state. A must for granite lovers!
Smith Rock State Park, Oregon
The birthplace of American sport climbing. Smith Rock State Park offers nearly 2,000 bolted routes for beginners to pros, arrayed on towering cliffs of volcanic tuff and basalt.
Driving distance from Leavenworth: 5 hours (291 miles)
Yosemite National Park, California
Does Yosemite need an introduction?
Driving distance from Smith Rock: 10 hours (460 miles)
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada
Several thousand sandstone trad and sport routes, a wealth of moderate classics, and exceedingly mild winters. Make your base in Las Vegas and get to work.
Driving distance from Yosemite: 7 hours (270 mi)
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a stellar hub for cragging in Arizona, with hundreds of trad and sport routes within a short drive. You’ll find an array of sport at Mt. Elden just outside of town, bouldering at Priests Draw, gear lines at The Overlook, and much more within 30 minutes to an hour.
Driving distance from Red Rock Canyon:4 hours (266 miles)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Folks will cry foul that we missed Moab, but I reckon we’ve had our fill of desert by now (it’s just a few hours off-route if you fancy a detour). From a base in Salt Lake, the Wasatch offers excellent alpine climbing, and crags like the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons have a bit of everything.
Driving distance from Flagstaff: 8 hours (518 miles)
City of Rocks, Idaho
A stone’s throw over the Idaho border lies City of Rocks. Towering granite spires rise from the high desert—a paradise with hundreds of routes.
Driving distance from Salt Lake: 2.75 hours (170 miles)
Bozeman, Montana
Montana has enough climbing to make an “ultimate road trip” of its own, but the southwestern quadrant around Helena, Butte, and Bozeman is your best one-stop shop. Don’t miss the ice in Hyalite Canyon, trad at Gallatin, and the diverse rock around Paradise Valley.
Driving distance from City of Rocks: 6 hours (356 miles)
Ten Sleep, Wyoming
Ten Sleep Canyon carves through Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, offering hundreds of high-quality routes across a vast canyon. Dive into technical face climbing on pockets, crimps, and edges.
Driving distance from Bozeman: 4.5 hours (276 miles)
Rifle, Colorado
There’s a lot of climbing in Colorado. Rifle just might offer some of the best sport climbing in the country.
Driving distance from Ten Sleep: 6.5 hours (428 miles)
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The oldest capital city in the United States, Santa Fe has plenty of climbing within a short drive. Expect a mix of volcanic basalt and granite, and check out spots like Diablo Canyon and The Pecos.
Driving distance from Rifle: 7 hours (390 miles)
Hueco Tanks, Texas
Moving south, we come to the world-famous Hueco Tanks, the birth of the V grading scale. Many climbers consider the Tanks the best bouldering in the world. Find out for yourself…
Driving distance from Santa Fe: 5.25 hours (360 miles)
Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma
Despite what you might think from driving through on the I-40, Oklahoma isn’t all flatland. Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge offers mellow climes (year-round climbing!) and well over 1,000 routes, primarily trad and boulders. Don’t miss Charon’s Gardens and Mount Scott.
Driving distance from Hueco: 8.75 hours (572 miles)
Rock City, Kansas
Kansas doesn’t have much, but the sandstone boulders at Rock City are worth a stop on your way through. Extremely easy climbs with flat landings make for a nice break between more serious crags and a good way to take a break from the car. If you fancy roping up, try the developing bluffs around Elk City on your way north from Wichita.
Driving distance from Wichita Mountains: 5 hours (353 miles)
Nebraska…
We’re in the doldrums now. Your best bet for climbing in Nebraska is probably going to be a gym in Omaha.
Driving distance from Rock City: 2.5 hours (230 miles)
The Needles, South Dakota
The Needles of the Black Hills are among the most historic and picturesque climbing destinations anywhere in the U.S. There are quite literally dozens of classics here, but be sure to stop by John Gill’s The Thimble (5.12a), the first climb (and free solo) of the grade back in 1961.
Driving distance from Omaha: 8 hours (568 miles)
Square Butte, North Dakota
Like Nebraska, North Dakota’s in a bit of a bind when it comes to rock, but there are options, like the trad sandstone at Square Butte.
Driving distance from The Needles: 5 hours (290 miles)
Tettegouche, Minnesota
The rap-in climbs at Tettegouche crags like Palisade Head and Shovel Point offer hundreds of climbs, perched over the waters of Lake Superior. No bolts (or chalk) allowed here. Bring your rack or be ready to toprope.
Driving distance from Square Butte: 10 hours (641 miles)
Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin
The quartzite at Devil’s Lake holds close to 2,000 roped routes, including an abnormally high concentration of moderates, as well as ~1,500 boulders.
Driving distance from Tettegouche: 5.5 hours (354 miles)
Pictured Rocks, Iowa
The sport crag of Pictured Rocks can be a bit polished, but still offers plenty of fun climbing, and is certainly among the best crags in the otherwise sparse world of Iowa rock. Try nearby Indian Bluffs as well.
Driving distance from Devil’s Lake: 2.5 hours (141 miles)
Robinson Bluff, Missouri
Eastern Missouri’s Robinson offers perhaps the best concentration of bolted routes in Missouri, and a developing bouldering scene. Expect moderate face climbing with some stiffer overhung lines thrown in. Try nearby Elephant Rocks State Park for bouldering.
Driving distance from Pictured Rocks: 6.25 hours (373 miles)
Holy Boulders, Illinois
There’s a case to be made for Jackson Falls here, but we’ve leaned heavily into roped destinations on this list, so I’m choosing the Holy Boulders as our stop in Illinois. There are close to 400 developed sandstone problems here, and more are dropping every season. Better yet, it’s only a couple of hours from Robinson.
Driving distance from Robinson Bluff: 2.5 hours (109 miles)
The Unlikely Wall, Indiana
Indiana is one of those states that has little to offer, but the limestone of the Unlikely Wall delivers, assuming you can make it up the approach. Many routes are chossy, and first bolts have been chopped, so keep a level head here (and consider a stick clip).
Driving distance from Holy Boulders: 4 hours (253 miles)
Oak Park, Michigan
For the best climbing in Michigan, one has to head to the Upper Peninsula (that strip of land that sticks out from Wisconsin), but Grand Ledge’s Oak Park in the Lower Peninsula offers great sandstone toproping and bouldering near the shores of the Grand River.
Driving distance from The Unlikely Wall: 4.75 hours (311 miles)
Salt Fork State Park, Ohio
Ohio has a lot more climbing than you might think, and is especially strong in the bouldering department. Because we’re heading to Pennsylvania from here, I’ve chosen the sandstone at Salt Fork, in eastern Ohio. A couple hundred boulders go from V-easy to double digits.
Driving distance from Oak Park: 5 hours (342 miles)
Governor Sable, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is best known for its bouldering. There are plenty of crags scattered throughout the state. Governor Sable is a highlight, with around 300 established problems on a unique volcanic rock (Jurassic Diabase) which according to the South Central Pennsylvania Climbers (SCPC) access group is only found in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Africa. Access is sensitive, so be respectful and look to the SCPC.
Driving distance from Salt Fork: 4.75 hours (301 miles)
The Shawangunks, New York
We’ve been in the boonies for a while here, so it’s time to get back to truly world-class climbing. The Gunks is another spot that really needs no introduction. Airy trad climbing on quartz conglomerate, these walls hold some of the best long moderate trad anywhere in the country, and certainly in the eastern United States.
Driving distance from Governor Sable: 4 hours (239 miles)
Bolton, Vermont
The green schist of the Bolton area offers some of the best climbing in Vermont. There are plenty of options for bolt-clippers, pebble wrestlers, and gearheads alike, but the remote cliffs of Bone Mountain (trad) are perhaps the best stop.
Driving distance from the Gunks: 4.5 hours (232 miles)
Cannon Mountain, New Hampshire
From Mountain Project: Cannon Cliff is the tallest and most respected cliff in New England. The climbs are long, the weather is bad, and the rock is exfoliating. Every climber who heads up to do a route on Cannon [should understand] that the undertaking is a considerable one.
Driving distance from Bolton: 2 hours (95 miles)
Acadia National Park, Maine
There’s probably no better climbing on sea cliffs anywhere in the United States. Rugged and pristine, Acadia is a gem for those who can make the drive this far north. It’s also the first place in the country that is touched by the sun each day.
Driving distance from Cannon Cliff: 4.75 hours (249 miles)
F. Gilbert Hills State Forest, Massachusetts
A couple hundred boulders are spread around this 1,000-acre forest in southeastern Massachusetts, just a half-hour south of Boston.
Driving distance from Acadia: 5 hours (314 miles)
Lincoln Woods State Park, Rhode Island
The shortest distance on our trip! Just a stone’s throw from Gilbert Hills is Lincoln Woods State Park, home to the finest bouldering in Rhode Island (over 1,000 granite boulders).
Driving distance from Gilbert Hills: 25 hours (17 miles)
Ragged Mountain, Connecticut
Connecticut has a rich climbing history dating to the 1930s. The trad lines at the traprock ridge of Ragged Mountain are must-dos for those interested in the hard climbing of decades past. There are many routes here dating to the 1960s, many established by members of the legendary Yale Mountaineering Club.
Driving distance from Lincoln Woods: 1.75 hours (108 miles)
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, New Jersey
There are over a hundred multi-pitches on the bomber quartzite of Mount Tammany, and there are many single-pitch routes at nearby Ricks Rocks. Across the Pennsylvania border is Mount Minsi, with more climbing of a similar character. (Despite the name, this wilderness area is not actually in Delaware.)
Driving distance from Ragged Mountain: 2.75 hours (169 miles)
Alapocas Run State Park, Delaware
The toprope (or highball, depending on your mettle) lines at the 400-acre Alapocas aren’t going to make national headlines, but offer a bit of conditioning as you travel between bigger crags. There used to be more on offer here, but some of the walls have been closed down. Lines are mostly mellow (and many are former sport routes that have been chopped) but there are a few in the 5.11 to 5.12 range.
Driving distance from Delaware Water Gap: 2 hours (121 miles)
Harper’s Ferry, Maryland
The unique history of the Harper’s Ferry area makes it a classic. This was the site of abolitionist John Brown’s famous raid in 1859, which was intended to ignite a slave revolt. (Brown and most of his raiders were killed or executed, but his efforts turned him into a martyr for the Union cause.) Try the bouldering at Balcony Rock and the short multis at Maryland Heights. At 200 feet, the latter is the tallest cliff in the state. (The town of Harper’s Ferry is in West Virginia, but much of the climbing is on the Maryland side.)
Driving distance from Alapocas Run: 2.25 hours (144 miles)
Old Rag Mountain, Virginia
Short, burly trad (~150 routes) with a long approach makes for old-school fun at this crag in Shenandoah National Park. Mountain Project notes, “Classic splitters, corners and faces on very old and bomber rock define this area.”
Driving distance from Harper’s Ferry: 2 hours (87 miles)
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia
With hundreds of boulders and over 3,000 established rope routes, the New is among the most famous, high-quality, high-concentration climbing areas in the East. Expect stiffer going than at the nearby Red (below), and better climbing at the higher grades (5.11 and above).
Driving distance from Old Rag: 4 hours (225 miles)
Red River Gorge, Kentucky
A slightly more famous “Gorge,” the Red is probably familiar to just about anyone who owns a quickdraw. Steep sandstone offers fodder for bolt clippers of all abilities and skill levels, with a high number of quality lines in the 5.12 to 5.14 range.
Driving distance from the New River Gorge: 4 hours (217 miles)
Chattanooga, Tennessee
From the Obed to Stone Fort, T-Wall, Foster Falls, Denny Cove, and more, the riverside town of Chattanooga is hands-down the best “hub” for climbing in the South. There’s enough to do here for several lifetimes.
Driving distance from the Red River Gorge: 4.5 hours (272 miles)
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas
It’s a bit of a haul to get from eastern Tennessee out to Arkansas, but it must be done to make this 48-state trip happen. Over 400 sandstone sport routes for all grades, with a high concentration of quality 5.12s.
Driving distance from Chattanooga: 9.5 hours (618 miles)
Fort Proctor, Louisiana
The life of a climber in Louisiana is pretty grim. As Mountain Project notes, “You should probably look somewhere else!” However, there appears to be at least one oddball site under development here, on the walls of a half-submerged fort on Lake Borgne. (You have to kayak to get here). Apparently you can protect these climbs with “a crash pad placed on top of a floatation device such as an air mattress.” (???) Good luck. You may be better off just partying in New Orleans.
Driving distance from Horseshoe Canyon: 9.5 hours (573 miles)
Tishomingo State Park, Mississippi
Mississippi doesn’t have much, but Tishomingo is worth a stop on your way east. These short climbs (~35 feet) are primarily toprope or trad, with a few taller lines up to 60 feet. There’s also some bouldering hidden among the woods. Climbs are predominantly mellow, with a few up to 5.11/12. Lots of room for development!
Driving distance from Fort Proctor: 6 hours (389 miles)
Fort Payne, Alabama
I wrote about Fort Payne pretty heavily in a recent article about north Alabama climbing, but the long and short of it is that there’s something for everyone within 20 minutes of this mountain town. You can find sport at Little River Canyon, trad at Jamestown, and stellar bouldering at the newly climber-owned Citadel.
Driving distance from Tishomingo: 3.5 hours (187 miles)
Asheville, North Carolina
As a base to hit the biggest, longest walls in the South, Asheville is a dream. Trad is the name of the game here, with classics on the slabby eyebrows of Looking Glass, single-pitch cracks at Rumbling Bald, big quartzite lines at Linville Gorge, and more. Expect slightly longer drives here than Fort Payne. Most of the climbing is around an hour by car.
Driving distance from Little River Canyon: 4.5 hours (292 miles)
Table Rock State Park, South Carolina
Techy granite lines on a massive dome. Table Rock has around a hundred routes, predominantly on gear. Most are one or two pitches. The best climbing isn’t on the “Table” itself, but on the nearby cliff of Pumpkintown. Lots of classics in the 5.9 to 5.11 range.
Driving distance from Asheville: 1 hour (61 miles)
Mount Yonah, Georgia
Georgia’s most famous climbing is probably at the boulderfields of Rocktown, but Mount Yonah is another solid destination. The Army used to use this granite dome for Ranger training in decades past—and left behind a few too many bolts and graffiti. Lots of mellow mixed bolted/gear routes and some bouldering.
Driving distance from Table Rock: 2 hours (88 miles)
Key West, Florida
Just kidding. Truth is, we’ve come to the end of the line, folks. There’s some half-assed bouldering scattered around the state, but in reality, there’s no climbing in Florida to speak of. But if you’ve really made it this far, you’re probably sick of climbing anyway. Grab a margarita and enjoy the beach!
Driving distance from Mount Yonah: 14.5 hours (900 miles)
