Colorado · Rock climbing · Ouray

Waterfall Wall

Waterfall Wall in Colorado has 11 climbing routes across 8 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.

Waterfall WallPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
11 routes
5.7 – 5.12
Sport · Mixed · Trad

Is Waterfall Wall open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Waterfall Wall, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Waterfall Wall

Best months: June–July 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

    34° / 15°

    8 wet · 7 snow

  2. Feb

    36° / 19°

    8 wet · 7 snow

  3. Mar

    44° / 25°

    9 wet · 8 snow

  4. Apr

    52° / 31°

    9 wet · 6 snow

  5. May

    63° / 39°

    7 wet · 2 snow

  6. Jun

    74° / 47°

    6 wet

  7. Jul

    79° / 53°

    10 wet

  8. Aug

    75° / 51°

    14 wet

  9. Sep

    69° / 45°

    11 wet

  10. Oct

    57° / 34°

    8 wet · 3 snow

  11. Nov

    44° / 24°

    8 wet · 6 snow

  12. Dec

    35° / 16°

    8 wet · 7 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ouray, CO, 3 mi away at 7,840 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Waterfall Wall is a climbing area in the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Technicolor Wall (also known as Techno Crag) just 0.2 miles away and Secret Stash, The about 0.7 miles off. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the Ouray weather station, about 3 miles away, show July highs near 79°F with lows around 53°F, while winter brings highs in the mid-30s and regular snow days from December through February. Other nearby options include the Hayden mountain biking area about a mile away and the Mears hike at roughly 1.3 miles. For an overnight stay, Thistledown Campground is about 2.6 miles from the wall.

Routes (11)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Technicolor Wall aka Techno CragPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Technicolor Wall aka Techno Crag

~0 min drive

Technicolor Wall (Techno Crag) in Colorado has 11 sport routes with 9 difficulty grades.

Dallas Peak

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Route to the summit of Dallas Peak (13,675 ft) from Mill Creek Trailhead.

Jimmy CliffPhoto: Jacob Montgomery, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jimmy Cliff

~4 min drive

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Camp Bird Road

~4 min drive

Camp Bird Road in Colorado has 9 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.

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Camp Bird Mine Rd/Mountain Rescue Cache Crag

~5 min drive

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Uncompahgre Gorge aka Ouray Ice ParkPhoto: Jacob Montgomery, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Uncompahgre Gorge aka Ouray Ice Park

~5 min drive

2 trad routes at Uncompahgre Gorge / Ouray Ice Park in Colorado.

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Five Fingers area

~5 min drive

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Randall's Badger Sanctuary aka Spider Den

~5 min drive

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Pipeline WallPhoto: Daniel Weber, CC0 (via Flickr)

Pipeline Wall

~12 min drive

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Million Dollar BoulderPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Million Dollar Boulder

~13 min drive

Million Dollar Boulder in Colorado has 5 bouldering routes across 5 grades.