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Connecticut · Rock climbing · Burlington · Near Middletown
Petro Cliffs
Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 8 routes
- 5.4 – 5.12-
- Trad · Top Rope
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Petro Cliffs is a climbing area in Connecticut, about 1.8 miles from the town of East Plymouth. It sits right next to the Mile of Ledges climbing area, about a tenth of a mile away, and the Blue-Yellow Trail passes within a third of a mile, so the two areas make an easy pairing for a day on the rock and a hike on the same outing. The climbing here is a mix of trad and top-rope routes, with eight routes in all. Trad routes dominate, at five of the eight, and the top-rope routes include the Left Side Face at 5.9 and Tunxis Twister at 5.12-. The hardest route is The Longest Mile at 5.11. The YDS grade range runs from 5.4 up to 5.12-. For a change of pace, the Tunxis Blue-White Trail is about 0.8 miles away and the Yellow Diamond Trail about 1.6 miles. Paddlers can reach the Naugatuck River, roughly 3.9 miles off.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after 
If it rainsJohn Phelan, CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIndustry museum in Terryville, Connecticut
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0 (commons)
More in MiddletownBest time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Petro Cliffs
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.
Jan
36° / 17°
10 wet · 4 snow
Feb
39° / 18°
9 wet · 3 snow
Mar
47° / 26°
10 wet · 2 snow
Apr
59° / 36°
11 wet
May
70° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
78° / 57°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 62°
11 wet
Aug
82° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
75° / 53°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
10 wet
Nov
52° / 32°
9 wet
Dec
41° / 24°
11 wet · 2 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Burlington, CT, 6.2 mi away at 505 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Morrowlong, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Mile of Ledges
Next door
Mile of Ledges in Connecticut has 2 trad climbing routes.
Photo: H. Morrow Long, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Upper Tier
~13 min drive
Upper Tier in Connecticut has 5 climbing routes with bouldering, top-rope, and trad options.
Photo: H. Morrow Long, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Whitestone Cliffs
~13 min drive
Whitestone Cliffs in Connecticut has 6 trad climbing routes across 4 difficulty grades.
Photo: H. Morrow Long, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Right End
~13 min drive
Right End in Connecticut has 8 routes ranging from moderate to hard difficulty, offering both top-rope and traditional climbing.
Photo: H. Morrow Long, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Jericho Cliff (Junkyard)
~14 min drive
Jericho Cliff (Junkyard) in Connecticut has 8 climbing routes across 7 grades.
Photo: Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Central Valley
~15 min drive
Accessible Connecticut valley crag with moderate climbing for developing climbers.
Photo: Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Cracked Wall
~15 min drive
11-route climbing crag in Connecticut with 7 difficulty grades, top-rope and trad.
Photo: Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)A-Frame Wall
~15 min drive
A-Frame Wall in Connecticut has 9 climbing routes ranging from easy to difficult.
CLIMB
Burlington Fish Hatchery Boulders
~7 min drive
Burlington Fish Hatchery Boulders in Connecticut has 9 bouldering routes with pads.
CLIMB
Thomaston Ice Climbing (closed)
~11 min drive
Closed Connecticut ice climbing area.
