Stepping Stones
14-route climbing area in Colorado with bouldering, sport, and trad options.
- 14 routes
- 5.7 – 5.12b
- Sport · Mixed · Trad
Is Stepping Stones open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Caribou Road Closure Order
Agency alert covering Boulder Ranger District · Order 02-10-01-26-04 · USFS · Boulder Ranger District
Raptor Nesting Area Closure - Boulder Ranger District
Agency alert covering Boulder Ranger District · Order 02-10-01-26-06 · USFS · Boulder Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Stepping Stones
Best months: May–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
39° / 17°
5 wet
Feb
40° / 17°
5 wet
Mar
47° / 22°
6 wet
Apr
52° / 27°
8 wet
May
61° / 35°
10 wet
Jun
73° / 44°
9 wet
Jul
79° / 50°
10 wet
Aug
77° / 48°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 41°
8 wet
Oct
57° / 31°
6 wet
Nov
47° / 24°
5 wet
Dec
40° / 17°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gross Rsvr, CO, 5.8 mi away at 7,970 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Stepping Stones is a climbing area in the Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Nip and Tuck about 0.1 mile away and Nursing Home about 0.2 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 79°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs stay in the low 40s. The Hawkins Surguine Spur mountain biking trail is about 0.9 mile away, and the Boy Scout Spur is about 1.2 miles off. Gordon Gulch campground lies about 3.7 miles away, and North Boulder Creek offers canoeing at a similar distance.
Routes (14)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Nip and Tuck
~0 min drive
Nip and Tuck in Colorado has 25 climbing routes across 15 grades, offering bouldering, sport, and trad.
Nursing Home
~0 min drive
Nursing Home in Colorado has 13 climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
Retirement Rock
~0 min drive
Retirement Rock in Colorado has 7 climbing routes with sport and trad options.
Couch Fire Crag
~1 min drive
Couch Fire Crag in Colorado has 7 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad styles.
Mountain Rose
~2 min drive
Mountain Rose in Colorado has 19 climbing routes with 12 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Broken Rock
~2 min drive
Broken Rock in Colorado has 14 climbing routes across 10 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Coney Island
~2 min drive
Coney Island in Colorado has 25 climbing routes across 18 grades, featuring bouldering, sport, and trad.
Easter Rock
~2 min drive
Easter Rock in Colorado has 30 climbing routes across 15 difficulty grades.
Higher Energy Crag
~2 min drive
Higher Energy Crag in Colorado has 5 routes with mixed, sport, and trad climbing.
Huck's Fins aka Sun Dial Crag (submitted as Fin Land)
~2 min drive
Huck's Fins (Sun Dial Crag/Fin Land) in Colorado has 6 routes ranging across 6 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
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