Arizona · Rock climbing · Scottsdale

Little Granite Mountain

18 routes
5.5 – 5.10b
Trad · Mixed · Bouldering
Nov–Apr
best months

Is Little Granite Mountain open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Cave Creek Ranger District.

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

Little Granite Mountain is a climbing area in the Cave Creek Ranger District of Tonto National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. The climbing here is a mix of trad and mixed routes, with a few boulders, and the most difficult routes run to about 5.10b. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Carefree, AZ, show highs around 74°F in March and 73°F in November, while July and August average in the low 100s. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet lower than the mountain, so temperatures up here run cooler. There are 18 routes in all, with trad making up the majority. Among them are "Runner-Up" at 5.5, "Fake Out Flake" at 5.7, and "Fair Thee Well" at 5.10b, the hardest of the listed routes. The area also has two boulder problems, one rated V0 and the other V0+. The Ruins Trail is about 1.6 miles away and the Blue Wash Trail about 2.3 miles. CCC Campground, 5 miles off, is the closest place to camp, and the Mogul Wall climbing area lies about 8 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Nov–Apr

    Best time to visit Little Granite Mountain

    Best months: November–April. 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

      65° / 42°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      67° / 44°

      4 wet

    3. Mar

      74° / 48°

      4 wet

    4. Apr

      82° / 53°

      2 wet

    5. May

      91° / 61°

      1 wet

    6. Jun

      101° / 70°

      1 wet

    7. Jul

      103° / 76°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      102° / 76°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      97° / 70°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      86° / 60°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      73° / 49°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      64° / 41°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Carefree, AZ, 7 mi away at 2,530 ft. The station sits about 1,200 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (18)

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