California · Rock climbing · Tollhouse

Cap Rocks

Cap Rocks in California has 11 routes across 8 grades, offering bouldering, sport, and trad climbing.

11 routes
5.5 – 5.10a/b
Sport · Mixed · Trad

Is Cap Rocks open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Cap Rocks, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

Best time to visit Cap Rocks

Best months: February–May and October–December. 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

    57° / 31°

  2. Feb

    59° / 32°

  3. Mar

    63° / 35°

  4. Apr

    67° / 38°

  5. May

    77° / 45°

  6. Jun

    87° / 51°

  7. Jul

    95° / 58°

  8. Aug

    95° / 57°

  9. Sep

    90° / 52°

  10. Oct

    78° / 44°

  11. Nov

    65° / 37°

  12. Dec

    58° / 34°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at N Fk Rs, CA, 15.6 mi away at 2,645 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.

Cap Rocks is a climbing area in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Tollhouse Rock and Main Wall each about 0.1 mile away. The area has 11 routes, with sport climbing the most common style. Grades run from 5.5 to 5.10+, and the hardest is Stairway to Heaven at 5.10+. Among the routes are Step Left (5.5, sport), Cuticle Corner (5.7, trad) and Worm Squirm (5.8, boulder). For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 77°F and October highs around 78°F, while July and August average about 95°F. That station sits roughly 1,100 feet lower than the area, so temperatures here run cooler. Dorabelle Campground is about 7 miles away, and Bob's Flat Trail is about 7 miles off. Swanson Campground and Big Creek, a canoeing spot, are both within about 8 miles.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive