Big Thompson Canyon
Big Thompson Canyon in Colorado has 23 climbing routes with 14 difficulty grades, offering bouldering, sport, and trad.
- 23 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12c
- Trad · Mixed · Sport
Is Big Thompson Canyon open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.
Salt Cabin Prescribed (RX) Fire Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-10 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
West Crystal A - Mechanical Fuelbreak Area and Road Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-04 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Cameron Peak Fire Road Closures
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-01 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Big Thompson Canyon
Best months: May–June and August–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
44° / 15°
4 wet
Feb
45° / 17°
4 wet
Mar
53° / 25°
5 wet
Apr
60° / 31°
8 wet
May
68° / 41°
10 wet
Jun
80° / 49°
8 wet
Jul
87° / 55°
8 wet
Aug
84° / 53°
8 wet
Sep
76° / 45°
7 wet
Oct
63° / 34°
5 wet
Nov
51° / 24°
4 wet
Dec
43° / 16°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Waterdale, CO, 4 mi away at 5,230 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
Big Thompson Canyon is a climbing area in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Waterdale weather station run from highs around 80°F in June to about 87°F in July, while winter highs sit in the mid-40s with lows near 15°F. Several other destinations sit close by. Round Mountain Nature Trail is half a mile away, and the Temple of Tao, Becker Wall and Skull Rock climbing areas are each about 1.4 miles off.
Routes (23)
Cedar Park Slab(3)
Continuity Crag(2)
Erid Weatherin(1)
Five Point to a Fist Crag(3)
Glen Comfort Crag(3)
Glen Haven Picnic Area(3)
Kafka on the Shore Boulder(1)
Linger Longer Rock(3)
Oklahoma Slab(1)
Wishbone Ridge(3)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Horseshead
~3 min drive
Horseshead in Colorado has 21 climbing routes across 16 grades, offering mixed and traditional climbing.
Photo: Kimaz2412, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Iron John/Little Tree area
~4 min drive
Iron John/Little Tree area in Colorado has 5 climbing routes ranging across 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: Kimaz2412, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Beige Tube Area / The Narrows
~4 min drive
Beige Tube Area / The Narrows in Colorado has 23 climbing routes across 16 difficulty grades.
Photo: Kimaz2412, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Between Shark's Fin Wall & Bridge Wall North (Practice Rock)
~4 min drive
6-route climbing area in Colorado with bouldering pads, sport, and trad.
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Shark's Fin Wall
~4 min drive
Shark's Fin Wall in Colorado has 5 mixed and trad climbing routes.
Photo: Wusel007, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)White Dike Area
~4 min drive
White Dike Area is a Colorado climbing crag with 5 trad routes.
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)The Ledges
~4 min drive
Ledges, The is a climbing area in Colorado with 17 routes.
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Sign Crack Area
~4 min drive
Sign Crack Area is a climbing crag in Colorado with 5 routes.
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Beer Slabs
~5 min drive
Beer Slabs in Colorado has 5 climbing routes spanning 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: jamieotterbein, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Ironing Board Slabs (Upper & Lower Slabs)
~5 min drive
Ironing Board Slabs (Upper & Lower Slabs) in Colorado has 16 routes across 10 difficulty grades, offering bouldering pads, mixed, sport, and trad styles.
