Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon in Idaho has 7 sport climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 7 routes
- 5.8- – 5.12d
- Sport
Is Hells Canyon open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Payette National Forest.
Lost Valley Log Hauling
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · USFS · Payette National Forest
Granite Mountain Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-635 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Gordon Titus Upper Elevation Parking Lot Winter Restrictions
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-543 · USFS · Payette National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Hells Canyon
Best months: June and September–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
41° / 25°
11 wet · 1 snow
Feb
46° / 26°
10 wet · 1 snow
Mar
55° / 30°
13 wet
Apr
62° / 35°
13 wet
May
71° / 41°
13 wet
Jun
78° / 47°
10 wet
Jul
90° / 52°
5 wet
Aug
90° / 52°
4 wet
Sep
79° / 45°
5 wet
Oct
63° / 36°
8 wet
Nov
48° / 29°
11 wet · 1 snow
Dec
40° / 24°
12 wet · 1 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Riggins, ID, 22.5 mi away at 2,056 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Hells Canyon is a climbing area in the Council Ranger District of Idaho's Payette National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. It sits within the broader Hells Canyon corridor, which crosses into Oregon, and the nearest town is Riggins, Idaho, about 22 miles away. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Riggins weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs near 79°F, while July and August average about 90°F. Allison Creek is a hike just 0.3 miles away, and Big Bar campground is 0.4 miles off. Hells Canyon Reservoir Viewpt and Eckels Creek are both within about 1.6 miles.
Routes (7)
11 Wall, The(1)
Dry Gulch(1)
South Face of the Flatiron, The(4)
War and Peace Cave(1)
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