Arizona · Rock climbing · Cochise · Near Whetstone

The Tombstone

7 routes
5.10- – 5.13b
Trad
Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov
best months

Is Tombstone, The open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Coronado National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Coronado National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Tombstone is a climbing area in the Douglas Ranger District of Coronado National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Hands Canyon just 0.1 mile away and West Stronghold about 0.4 mile off. Rattlesnake Pinnacles is roughly 0.9 mile away, so the area is easy to link with other routes in the same corner of the forest. The climbing here is all trad, and the routes run from about 5.10a up to 5.13b. The Cochise Stronghold Garden Gnome is a 5.10a, and Laid to Rest is the hardest at 5.13b. Stiletto, at 5.11b, and Old School Executioner, at 5.12, round out the options. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Sunsites run from highs around 78°F in April to about 80°F in October, while July and August average highs in the low 90s and bring the most wet days of the year. That station sits about 1,300 feet lower than the Tombstone, so temperatures at the climbing area run cooler.

Around this trail

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

    Cochise Stronghold

    Campground

    Campground · 2.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Wendy's

    Fast food

    Open after 6
  • If it rains

    O.K. Corral

    Museum

    Museum · 15 mi from Whetstone

    Livery and horse corral in Tombstone, Arizona (1879-1888)

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Whetstone
  • Best time to go · Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov

    Best time to visit The Tombstone

    Best months: February–April and October–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

      60° / 29°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      64° / 32°

      4 wet

    3. Mar

      70° / 37°

      3 wet

    4. Apr

      78° / 42°

      2 wet

    5. May

      86° / 50°

      2 wet

    6. Jun

      95° / 59°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      93° / 65°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      91° / 64°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      88° / 57°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      80° / 46°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      69° / 35°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      59° / 29°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pearce - Sunsites, AZ, 9.7 mi away at 4,350 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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 (7)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

The Boulder and Main WallPhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Boulder and Main Wall

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5 trad routes in Arizona at Boulder and Main Wall, ranging across 4 difficulty grades.

Cochise Dome (What's My Line Dome)Photo: StellarD, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cochise Dome (What's My Line Dome)

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End PinnaclePhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

End Pinnacle

~2 min drive

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Rockfellow DomePhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rockfellow Dome

~2 min drive

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Rockfellow GroupPhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rockfellow Group

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Bastion TowersPhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bastion Towers

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Lost Canyon AreaPhoto: Umnak, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Warpath DomePhoto: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Warpath Dome

~3 min drive

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Campground Area BouldersPhoto: Umnak, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Campground Area Boulders

~3 min drive

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The Old Standard Area (aka the Bath Room Boulders)Photo: StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Old Standard Area (aka the Bath Room Boulders)

~3 min drive

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