California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

Saddle Rocks - Skirt

7 routes at Saddle Rocks - Skirt in California range from moderate to difficult, offering sport and trad climbing.

Photo: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

7 routes

5.7 – 5.11d

Trad · Sport

Is Saddle Rocks - Skirt 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 Oct 24, 6:30 pm PDT · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Saddle Rocks - Skirt

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, 17 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.

Saddle Rocks - Skirt is a climbing area in Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing areas, including Saddle Rocks - Skirt (West Face), Saddle Rocks Area and Saddle Rocks - Pommel, all within about a tenth of a mile. The area offers a mix of trad and sport routes, with seven routes in total. The grades run from 5.7 to 5.11d, and the hardest of them, Raging Bull Dike, is a sport route. Among the trad options are Presto in C Sharp at 5.7 and I Smell a Rat at 5.10b. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times 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 1,400 feet lower than the park, so temperatures at the climbing area run cooler. A fee is charged for park use. The Sheep Pass Connector Trail and Ryan Mountain Trailhead are both within about half a mile, and Sheep Pass Group campground is about 1.3 miles away.