The Best Spots for Rock Climbing in the National Parks

For a rock climber, there are few better places to hit up across the United States than the National Park System. You can easily find dozens upon dozens of amazing climbing routes spanning the country for virtually any level of experience.

What makes the parks so special, especially to rock climbers, is the easy accessibility, the manicured trails, and the varying trails spread all across the country.

So, if you’re an established climber or someone who is really looking to get into the sport, we’ve got all the hottest spots for you to check out.

Let’s get started!

Joshua Tree National Park

Via JoshuaTreeNP on Flickr.

Joshua Tree is one of the go to National Parks for rock climbing enthusiasts. With over 4,500 established rock climbing routes, it’s no wonder the park gets over a million visitors each year. If you’re new to the sport and want to check it out, this is a great place to start exploring climbing trails.

Rocky Mountain National Park

One of the gems of the National Park system is Rocky Mountain, this Colorado based park has been attracting climbers for more than a century. What makes this park special is it offers a huge variety of climbs from ice to bouldering to pristine granite peaks. You can spend years happily climbing here.

Acadia National Park

For one of the most unique views in all of climbing, head to Maine and take in the pure granite peaks and climbing walls of Acadia. This park rises up along the northern Atlantic Ocean, providing amazing views of the deep blue waters that you just won’t be able to see in many other climbing spots.

Grand Teton National Park

For a truly special climbing experience many climbers, both the old pros and newbies love heading to the Jenny Lake Ranger Station in Grand Teton. It has tons of super accessible trails and a variety of options that makes it shine as one of the premiere climbing locations in the nation.

Arches National Park

One of the most beautiful (and unique) of the National Parks, Arches presents many interesting challenges for the experienced climber. Because the rock is far softer than you’d find in other parks, Arches National Park is best tackled by those climbers who have advanced technical expertise.

Yosemite National Park

Of course, no list of great National Parks for climbing is complete without the famous Yosemite. Home to one of the most well known and coveted rock climbing walls in the world, El Capitan, it’s been hosting climbers of all skill levels for well over 100 years. There are a number of great climbs in this park making a very popular spot.