Arizona · Rock climbing · Summerhaven · Near Oracle

Upper Highway

10 routes
5.8 – 5.11-
Trad · Sport · Bouldering
Mar–Nov
best months

Is Upper Highway open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Santa Catalina Ranger District. It doesn't name Upper Highway, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Santa Catalina Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Upper Highway is a climbing area in Arizona's Coronado National Forest, within the Santa Catalina Ranger District. The land is managed by the Forest Service. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show highs around 71°F in May and 68°F in October, while winter highs sit in the low 50s. The area has 10 routes, split evenly between sport and trad climbing, with bouldering routes as well. Grades run from 5.8 up to 5.11. Among the named routes are Town Without Pity, a 5.10 trad climb, and Killer Pillar, a 5.11- sport route. Pleeze Don't Cry is a boulder problem with a V1 grade. Ventana Canyon Bouldering and Primus Wall are other climbing areas within about a mile. Aspen Draw Trail #423 is a mountain biking route just 0.2 miles away. For camping, Spencer Canyon is about 3 miles off.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Bigelow/Bear Wallow

    Campground

    Campground · 3.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Iron Door Restaurant

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Oracle
  • Best time to go · Mar–Nov

    Best time to visit Upper Highway

    Best months: March–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      50° / 34°

    2. Feb

      50° / 33°

    3. Mar

      55° / 37°

    4. Apr

      62° / 43°

    5. May

      71° / 51°

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

    7. Jul

      80° / 63°

    8. Aug

      79° / 62°

    9. Sep

      75° / 59°

    10. Oct

      68° / 49°

    11. Nov

      59° / 40°

    12. Dec

      49° / 33°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon, AZ, 6.4 mi away at 7,027 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (10)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Primus WallPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Primus Wall

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Entrance BouldersPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Entrance Boulders

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Wilderness of Rocks DomesPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Wilderness of Rocks Domes

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Quartzite Spring BoulderPhoto: Jacob Kannel jrkannel, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Quartzite Spring Boulder

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Zester clusterPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Zester cluster

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Crossbones BoulderPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Crossbones Boulder

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The Murray WallPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Wilderness of RocksPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Wilderness of Rocks

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The FortressPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Loma LindaPhoto: Colton Marshall abstractstatemachine, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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