Gem Lake Wall
Gem Lake Wall in Colorado has 7 climbing routes with 5 difficulty grades, offering bouldering and trad options.
Photo: cleong, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 7 routes
- 5.8+ – 5.9+
- Trad · Bouldering
Is Gem Lake Wall open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Rocky Mountain National Park.
As of · Source: NPS · Rocky Mountain National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Gem Lake Wall
Best months: May–June and September. 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
37° / 16°
7 wet
Feb
38° / 16°
8 wet
Mar
45° / 21°
9 wet
Apr
52° / 26°
10 wet
May
61° / 35°
12 wet
Jun
74° / 43°
10 wet
Jul
80° / 48°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 46°
13 wet
Sep
70° / 39°
9 wet
Oct
57° / 30°
7 wet
Nov
44° / 23°
6 wet
Dec
36° / 16°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO, 4.3 mi away at 7,812 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.
Gem Lake Wall is a climbing area in Rocky Mountain National Park, within the park's wilderness in Colorado, and it is managed by the National Park Service. It sits in the park's designated wilderness, part of the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, which makes it a backcountry destination. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Estes Park show July highs around 80°F with lows near 48°F, while winter highs there stay in the mid-30s. A fee is charged for climbing here. The surrounding area has plenty to pair with a day on the wall. Fin City, a climbing area, and the Gem Lake Trail are both about 0.4 miles away, and the Balanced Rock Trail is about 0.7 miles away. For an overnight stay, Rocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground is about 4.8 miles off.
Routes (7)
Facts about this crag
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Fin City
~1 min drive
Fin City in Colorado has 6 trad routes across 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Hen and Chickens
~1 min drive
7-route mixed and trad crag in Colorado with 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The Citadel
~2 min drive
The Citadel in Colorado has 10 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Triangle Rock
~2 min drive
Triangle Rock in Colorado has 5 climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Crescent Wall
~2 min drive
Crescent Wall in Colorado has 10 climbing routes across 6 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The Long Walk Wall
~2 min drive
11-route climbing area in Colorado with mixed and trad styles.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Gollum's Arch Rock
~2 min drive
Gollum's Arch Rock is a Colorado climbing crag with 9 mixed and traditional routes.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Out West Crag
~2 min drive
Out West Crag in Colorado has 5 traditional climbing routes across 4 grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Observatory Dome
~2 min drive
Observatory Dome in Colorado has 5 climbing routes with mixed and trad styles.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Twin Owls
~2 min drive
Twin Owls in Colorado has 39 climbing routes with bouldering pads, mixed, sport, and trad.
