Colorado · Rock climbing · Estes Park

Upper Chaos Canyon

Upper Chaos Canyon in Colorado has 27 climbing routes across 16 grades.

Upper Chaos CanyonPhoto: TexasExplorer98, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
27 routes
V0 – V14
Bouldering · Alpine

Is Upper Chaos Canyon 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 Upper Chaos Canyon

Best months: 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

    29° / 12°

    15 wet

  2. Feb

    28° / 11°

    16 wet

  3. Mar

    36° / 17°

    16 wet

  4. Apr

    40° / 22°

    17 wet

  5. May

    50° / 29°

    16 wet

  6. Jun

    62° / 36°

    12 wet

  7. Jul

    68° / 43°

    14 wet

  8. Aug

    66° / 41°

    13 wet

  9. Sep

    59° / 34°

    10 wet

  10. Oct

    47° / 26°

    10 wet

  11. Nov

    35° / 19°

    12 wet

  12. Dec

    28° / 12°

    15 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boulder 14 W, CO, 19.8 mi away at 9,828 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

Upper Chaos Canyon 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 visits. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 68°F with lows near 43°F, and September highs around 59°F with the fewest wet days of the year. That station sits about 800 feet lower than the canyon, so temperatures here run cooler. Climbers will find Creme Fraiche Boulder about 0.1 mile away and Hallett Peak - ice/mixed/snow about 0.3 mile away. Hikers can take the Lake Haiyaha Trail, about 0.7 mile off, or the Flat Top Mountain Trail, about 1.1 mile away.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive