Connecticut · Rock climbing · Lyme · Near Middletown

Nehantic State Forest

7 routes
V0 – V8-9
Bouldering
Apr–Oct
best months

Nehantic State Forest is a bouldering area in Connecticut, about 3 miles from the town of North Lyme. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Balancing Rock and Keeny Road Boulders each about 1.5 miles away, and East Lyme Property at a similar distance. The forest's climbing is all bouldering, with seven routes spread across the area. The routes run from V0 to V8-9, with the hardest ones at the top of that range. The Flake is the easiest, a V0 boulder problem first climbed by Dave Williams, and Emerald Eye and Listener are the most challenging, both V8-9. Mitchell Romanat is the first climber on several of the higher-grade problems. Summer is the warmest stretch for a visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Groton show July highs around 81°F and lows near 66°F, while winter brings highs in the upper 30s and a few snowy days a month from December through February.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Aces High RV Park

    Campground

    Campground · 3.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Sweet Rice

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 6 mi · Open after 6
  • If it rainsJERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Connecticut River Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 6 mi

    Maritime museum in Connecticut, USA

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in Middletown
  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Nehantic State Forest

    Best months: April–October. 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

      39° / 24°

      11 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      41° / 25°

      10 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      47° / 32°

      12 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      57° / 41°

      12 wet

    5. May

      66° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 59°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 66°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 65°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 58°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 47°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      53° / 38°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 30°

      12 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Groton, CT, 13 mi away at 40 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (7)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Keeny Road BouldersPhoto: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Keeny Road Boulders

~3 min drive

Keeny Road Boulders in Connecticut has 3 bouldering routes across 3 difficulty grades.

Balancing RockPhoto: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Balancing Rock

~3 min drive

Balancing Rock in Connecticut has 6 bouldering routes across 5 grades.

East Lyme PropertyPhoto: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

East Lyme Property

~3 min drive

East Lyme Property in Connecticut has 21 bouldering routes.

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Pickwick's Preserve

~8 min drive

Pickwick's Preserve in Connecticut has 5 bouldering routes across 4 difficulty grades.

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Eastern Coastal Slope

~8 min drive

Eastern Coastal Slope in Connecticut has 8 climbing routes across 8 grades, offering sport, top-rope, and trad options.

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Oswegatchie Hills

~10 min drive

Oswegatchie Hills in Connecticut has 12 bouldering routes across 6 difficulty grades.

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100 Acre Wood

~11 min drive

100 Acre Wood in Connecticut has 10 bouldering routes across 7 grades.

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Rocky Neck

~12 min drive

Rocky Neck in Connecticut has 5 bouldering routes across 5 difficulty grades.

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Mamacoke Island

~16 min drive

Mamacoke Island in Connecticut has 7 climbing routes across 4 grades, offering bouldering and trad.

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Spider Cave

~18 min drive

Spider Cave in Connecticut has 3 bouldering routes.