Colorado · Rock climbing · Rifle

Rifle Arch

Rifle Arch in Colorado has 7 climbing routes across 5 grades, offering sport and trad options.

7 routes
5.7 – 5.10b
Sport · Trad

Best time to visit Rifle Arch

Best months: May–June and August–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° / 10°

    8 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 15°

    7 wet

  3. Mar

    55° / 22°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 28°

    9 wet

  5. May

    72° / 37°

    9 wet

  6. Jun

    83° / 45°

    6 wet

  7. Jul

    88° / 52°

    9 wet

  8. Aug

    85° / 49°

    9 wet

  9. Sep

    79° / 41°

    8 wet

  10. Oct

    64° / 30°

    8 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 20°

    7 wet

  12. Dec

    37° / 11°

    8 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rifle 3ene, CO, 6.9 mi away at 5,469 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.

Rifle Arch is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land in western Colorado, within the Colorado River Valley Field Office. It sits in the Rifle area, about 7 miles from the town of Rifle. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rifle show May highs around 72°F and September highs near 79°F, while July averages about 88°F and winter highs hover in the upper 30s. Slab Routes, another climbing area, is just 0.1 mile away, and the Notorious B-S.I.D.E Trail and the upper Wall Street (Turtle Traverse) mountain biking route are both about 0.3 mile off. For an overnight stay, Sage Campground is about 3 miles away.