Boy Scouts of America Troop 44
Campground
Campground · 2.2 mi from the trail
Connecticut · Rock climbing · Haddam · Near Middletown
Pad Crag
- 5 routes
- 5.7 – 5.11
- Trad · Mixed
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Pad Crag is a climbing area in Connecticut, about a mile from the town of West Haddam. It sits among a cluster of hiking trails, with Washburn Trail and Old Forest Trail both within a mile, and Wildwood Trail about a mile away. The climbing here is trad, with a few mixed routes, and the grade range runs from 5.7 to 5.11. The five routes at Pad Crag include Piddling Pup at 5.7, Storming the Castle at 5.9 and Belly at 5.10, along with the mixed Fat Elliot at 5.11. The hardest of them, Fat Elliot, was first climbed by Nate Labieniec, and the others are all trad. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Meriden run to highs around 70°F in May and 75°F in September, with July the warmest month at about 84°F. Other climbing in the area includes The Hideout and Molar Rock, both about 4.7 miles away. Paddlers can head to Higganum Creek, about 3.7 miles off, and the Hammonasset River, about 5.7 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after 
If it rainsJoe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDavison Art Center
Gallery
In townUniversity art museum in Middletown, Connecticut
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in MiddletownBest time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Pad Crag
Best months: April and June–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.
Jan
37° / 19°
10 wet
Feb
39° / 20°
9 wet
Mar
47° / 28°
10 wet
Apr
60° / 38°
11 wet
May
70° / 48°
13 wet
Jun
79° / 57°
12 wet
Jul
84° / 63°
12 wet
Aug
82° / 61°
12 wet
Sep
75° / 54°
11 wet
Oct
64° / 42°
12 wet
Nov
52° / 32°
10 wet
Dec
42° / 24°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Meriden Markham Muni Ap, CT, 15.6 mi away at 103 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)East Lyme Property
~22 min drive
East Lyme Property in Connecticut has 21 bouldering routes.
Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Keeny Road Boulders
~22 min drive
Keeny Road Boulders in Connecticut has 3 bouldering routes across 3 difficulty grades.
Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Balancing Rock
~22 min drive
Balancing Rock in Connecticut has 6 bouldering routes across 5 grades.
CLIMB
The Hideout
~8 min drive
The Hideout in Connecticut has 6 climbing routes across 5 grades.
CLIMB
Molar Rock
~8 min drive
Molar Rock in Connecticut has 5 bouldering routes across 4 grades.
CLIMB
Powerline Area
~9 min drive
Powerline Area in Connecticut has 8 climbing routes with bouldering pads and 6 difficulty grades.
CLIMB
Seven Falls Bouldering
~9 min drive
Seven Falls Bouldering in Connecticut has 4 bouldering routes.
CLIMB
Bible Rock
~9 min drive
Bible Rock in Connecticut has 8 climbing routes with 6 difficulty grades.
CLIMB
Pancake boulder
~9 min drive
Pancake boulder in Connecticut has 6 bouldering routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.11c.
CLIMB
Lemon Boulder
~9 min drive
Lemon Boulder is a bouldering crag in Connecticut with 6 routes.
