The Big Cat Sanctuary
Big Cat Sanctuary, The in Colorado has 6 mixed climbing routes across 6 difficulty grades.
- 6 routes
- 5.2 – 5.12d
- Mixed · Trad · Sport
Is Big Cat Sanctuary, The open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 8 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Interlaken Hotel Tree Hazards
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Sharpe Fire Update
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Turquoise Lake Road (County Road 4) Closure
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Downed and weakened trees on South Platte Ranger District
Agency alert covering South Platte Ranger District · USFS · South Platte Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit The Big Cat Sanctuary
Best months: May–July and September–October. 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
45° / 14°
4 wet
Feb
46° / 16°
5 wet
Mar
53° / 23°
6 wet
Apr
58° / 29°
8 wet
May
67° / 38°
9 wet
Jun
79° / 47°
9 wet
Jul
84° / 53°
12 wet
Aug
82° / 51°
13 wet
Sep
76° / 43°
7 wet
Oct
64° / 32°
5 wet
Nov
53° / 23°
4 wet
Dec
44° / 15°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cheesman, CO, 2.4 mi away at 6,880 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is a climbing area in the South Platte Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Inferno Slab about 0.4 miles away and Whiskey Rocks about 0.9 miles away. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. Typical averages from the nearby Cheesman weather station run to highs around 67°F in May and 76°F in September, with July and August the warmest months at about 84°F. Goose Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 2.3 miles away, and the South Platte River offers river fishing about 2.5 miles off. Goose Creek Campground is about 3.3 miles away for an overnight stay.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Whiskey Rocks
~1 min drive
Whiskey Rocks in Colorado has 2 trad climbing routes with 2 distinct difficulty grades.
Goose Creek/Molly Gulch Campground
~2 min drive
Goose Creek/Molly Gulch Campground in Colorado has 21 climbing routes with 13 difficulty grades.
Whiskey Rocks West
~2 min drive
Whiskey Rocks West in Colorado has 35 routes with bouldering pads, mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Whiskey Rocks North
~2 min drive
Whiskey Rocks North in Colorado has 34 routes with 21 difficulty grades, offering bouldering, sport, and trad climbing.
Land that Time Forgot
~2 min drive
21-route climbing area in Colorado with mixed, sport, and trad climbing.
Upper Smoking Section
~2 min drive
Upper Smoking Section in Colorado has 7 routes across 5 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Lower Smoking Section
~2 min drive
Lower Smoking Section in Colorado has 10 routes with 6 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad climbing.
The Abbey
~3 min drive
Abbey, The in Colorado has 8 climbing routes across 5 grades, offering mixed and sport climbing.
Couch Potatoes
~3 min drive
Couch Potatoes in Colorado has 5 trad routes across 4 difficulty grades.
Helen's Dome
~3 min drive
Helen's Dome in Colorado has 26 climbing routes with mixed, sport, and trad styles.
