Rattlesnake Canyon
Rattlesnake Canyon in California has 46 climbing routes on 17 difficulty grades.
- 46 routes
- 5.7+ – 5.11c
- Trad · Sport
Is Rattlesnake Canyon 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 Rattlesnake Canyon
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.
Jan
58° / 38°
4 wet
Feb
61° / 39°
3 wet
Mar
67° / 40°
3 wet
Apr
73° / 46°
2 wet
May
82° / 52°
1 wet
Jun
91° / 59°
0 wet
Jul
96° / 66°
2 wet
Aug
96° / 68°
2 wet
Sep
89° / 60°
2 wet
Oct
80° / 50°
1 wet
Nov
66° / 41°
2 wet
Dec
58° / 34°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 14.5 mi away at 3,249 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Rattlesnake Canyon is a climbing area in Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. It sits within the park's network of climbing spots, and a fee is charged for visits. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. 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. The canyon holds 46 routes, mostly trad with a few sport options. Grades run from 5.7 up to 5.11c, with the hardest route being Last of the Famous International Playboys. Ponderosa Wall / Black Tower is just 0.1 mile away, and Corral Wall - Right Side and The Polka Dot Wall are each about 0.2 mile off. For a walk, Willow Hole Trail is roughly 2.7 miles away.
Routes (46)
Bulkhead, The(2)
Cactus City(4)
Central Library, The(2)
Chocolate Corridor(3)
Commissioner's Buttress(1)
Dark Continent, The(1)
Detached Wall(2)
Double Cracks(2)
KD Boulder, The(1)
Love Boulder, The(2)
Lower Dodge City(2)
Medicine Bow(2)
Mini-Mall(2)
Morrissey Crag, The(2)
Spanish Key(1)
Top of the Falls(1)
Udi Buttress Area(3)
Upper Dodge City(4)
Vernulator, The(2)
Facts about this crag
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kathi Epping and Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Boortemus Clump
~1 min drive
6-route climbing crag in California with sport and trad options.
Photo: Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Willow Hole Area
~1 min drive
Willow Hole Area in California has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: Umnak, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)The Super Dome
~2 min drive
Super Dome, The in California has 7 climbing routes.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Ancient Kingdom
~2 min drive
Ancient Kingdom in California has 5 climbing routes with 4 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Condor Rock
~2 min drive
Condor Rock in California has 8 climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Wonder Bluffs
~2 min drive
Wonder Bluffs in California has 11 trad climbing routes across 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Willit Pillar
~2 min drive
Willit Pillar in California has 9 climbing routes across 6 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: Lukáš Lalinský, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)The Flying Fortress
~2 min drive
Flying Fortress, The in California has 8 climbing routes on 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)King Otto's Castle
~2 min drive
King Otto's Castle in California has 17 climbing routes across 13 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Varnished Wall
~2 min drive
Varnished Wall in California has 12 climbing routes across 7 grades.
