Parking Lot Rock
Parking Lot Rock in Idaho has 4 climbing routes on 4 difficulty grades.
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 4 routes
- 5.10a – 5.12b
- Sport · Trad
Is Parking Lot Rock open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for City of Rocks National Reserve.
As of · Source: NPS · City of Rocks National Reserve. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Parking Lot Rock
Best months: April–June and August–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
35° / 16°
8 wet
Feb
39° / 19°
7 wet
Mar
48° / 27°
6 wet
Apr
55° / 33°
7 wet
May
65° / 41°
9 wet
Jun
75° / 50°
6 wet
Jul
86° / 59°
5 wet
Aug
85° / 57°
6 wet
Sep
74° / 48°
5 wet
Oct
60° / 35°
5 wet
Nov
45° / 24°
6 wet
Dec
35° / 17°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rosette, UT, 24.3 mi away at 5,685 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Parking Lot Rock is a climbing area in City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho, managed by the National Park Service. It sits within the reserve's land, about a mile from Independence Lakes Campground, and the parking lot itself makes the most natural base for a day of climbing here. The area has four climbing routes, three of which are sport and one is trad. Their YDS grades run from 5.10a to 5.12b. The routes are Thin Slice (5.10a, trad), Cairo (5.11a, sport), Bombs Over Tripoli (5.12a, sport) and Inspiration or Perspiration (5.12b, sport). For a full day, plan to pair the rock with the South Fork Circle Creek Trail or the Tea Kettle Trail, both about a quarter mile away, or with the Morning Glory Spire climbing area, also close by. Independence Lakes Campground is roughly 10 miles off.
Routes (4)
Parking Lot Rock - Northeast(4)
Facts about this crag
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