Colorado · Rock climbing · Estes Park

Hen and Chickens

7-route mixed and trad crag in Colorado with 6 difficulty grades.

Hen and ChickensPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
7 routes
5.8 – 5.12a
Trad · Mixed

Is Hen and Chickens 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 Hen and Chickens

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.

  1. Jan

    37° / 16°

    7 wet

  2. Feb

    38° / 16°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    45° / 21°

    9 wet

  4. Apr

    52° / 26°

    10 wet

  5. May

    61° / 35°

    12 wet

  6. Jun

    74° / 43°

    10 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 48°

    13 wet

  8. Aug

    78° / 46°

    13 wet

  9. Sep

    70° / 39°

    9 wet

  10. Oct

    57° / 30°

    7 wet

  11. Nov

    44° / 23°

    6 wet

  12. Dec

    36° / 16°

    7 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO, 3.7 mi away at 7,812 ft. The station sits about 700 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.

Hen and Chickens is a climbing area in Rocky Mountain National Park, within the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, on land managed by the National Park Service. It sits in the park's backcountry, and a fee is charged for access. 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 stay in the mid-30s. The Citadel and Out West Crag are both climbing areas about 0.1 mile away. The Lumpy Ridge Trail is half a mile off, and Gem Lake Trail is about a mile away.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive