King Otto's Castle
King Otto's Castle in California has 17 climbing routes across 13 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 17 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12b
- Trad · Sport
Is King Otto's Castle open right now?
Alert in the area
The National Park Service lists 3 alerts for Joshua Tree National Park.
Partial Trail Closure of West Side Loop
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park
Inaccurate Third-Party Apps
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park
Oasis of Mara Trail Partial Closure
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park
As of · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit King Otto's Castle
Best months: October–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.
Jan
60° / 38°
3 wet
Feb
63° / 39°
3 wet
Mar
70° / 43°
2 wet
Apr
77° / 47°
1 wet
May
86° / 54°
0 wet
Jun
95° / 61°
0 wet
Jul
101° / 70°
2 wet
Aug
100° / 70°
2 wet
Sep
93° / 64°
2 wet
Oct
82° / 52°
1 wet
Nov
69° / 43°
2 wet
Dec
60° / 36°
3 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Joshua Tree, CA, 7.7 mi away at 2,563 ft. The station sits about 600 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.
King Otto's Castle is a climbing area inside Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. The site sits among several other climbing spots, with Billboard Buttress, The Bilbo Buttresses and Condor Rock all about 0.1 mile away. It is a destination for climbers drawn to the park's rock, and a fee is charged for access. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 70°F in March and 77°F in April to highs around 82°F in October, while summer climbs into the 100s. The area holds 17 routes, with 14 done on traditional gear and 3 on sport. The grade range runs from 5.6 to 5.12b, with Plain But Good Hearted at 5.6 and Quivering Savages at 5.12b. The Big Pine Trail and Fortynine Palms Trail are hikes within a few miles, and Sheep Pass Group campground lies about 6.8 miles away.
Routes (17)
Facts about this crag
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