California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

Playhouse Rock

Playhouse Rock in California has 17 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad styles.

Playhouse RockPhoto: David Balmer, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
17 routes
5.6 – 5.10b
Trad · Sport

Is Playhouse Rock 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 Playhouse Rock

Best months: October–May. 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

    58° / 38°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    61° / 39°

    3 wet

  3. Mar

    67° / 40°

    3 wet

  4. Apr

    73° / 46°

    2 wet

  5. May

    82° / 52°

    1 wet

  6. Jun

    91° / 59°

    0 wet

  7. Jul

    96° / 66°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    96° / 68°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    89° / 60°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    80° / 50°

    1 wet

  11. Nov

    66° / 41°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    58° / 34°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 14.2 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 900 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.

Playhouse Rock is a climbing area within Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. A fee is charged for climbing here, according to the National Park Service. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Yucca Valley show April highs around 73°F and October highs around 80°F, while July and August average about 96°F. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower than the rock, so temperatures on the climbs run cooler. The area has 17 routes, 15 of them trad and 2 sport, with grades from about 5.6 up to 5.10b. Curtain Call (5.6) and Leading Lady (5.9) are two of the trad routes, and Balancing Act (5.10b) is the sport route listed here. The Dairy Queen Wall and Rock Garden Valley areas are all within a tenth of a mile. Quail Springs Historic Trail is about 0.4 miles away, and Sheep Pass Group campground is roughly 3.7 miles off.

Routes (17)

Kline's InclineFA: Bob Gaines & Patty Kline, May 19985.10aBalancing ActFA: Bob Gaines and Brian Prentice, February 19995.10bCurtain CallFA: Don O'Kelley & Dave Davis, November 19765.6Final ActFA: Dave Davis & Don O'Kelley, March 19765.6The Playwright5.6Baby Ice Dog5.7Beck's BearFA: Tom Beck, Tim Ramsey and Curt Shanebeck, November 19785.7Dress RehearsalFA: Chris Miller & Jan Hargett, November 19895.7I'm So Embarrassed For YouFA: Randy Vogel and Charles Cole, Feb. 19805.7Stucca By a YuccaFA: Rachel Dobrotin and Rick Shull, September 19895.7The IrritatorsFA: Tom Michael & Vicki Michael, April 19895.7+AnthraxFA: Woody Stark , Bill and Karen Briggs5.8OC Gym Trad5.8Break a LegFA: Jack Marshall, Dave Wonderly & A. Avarado, November 19865.9Fighting the SlimeFA: Mike Law, 19835.9Leading LadyFA: Jack Marshall, Dave Wonderly, and A. Avarado, Nov. 19865.9Psycho GrooveFA: Ken Black, 19835.9

Facts about this crag

Rules & access

Fee
Yes

Source: National Park Service API

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