The Playground
12 sport climbing routes in Idaho spanning 11 difficulty grades.
- 12 routes
- 5.7 – 5.12b
- Sport
Best time to visit The Playground
Best months: April–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
30° / 16°
11 wet
Feb
36° / 20°
9 wet
Mar
48° / 29°
10 wet
Apr
58° / 34°
10 wet
May
67° / 42°
10 wet
Jun
77° / 49°
7 wet
Jul
86° / 55°
5 wet
Aug
86° / 54°
5 wet
Sep
75° / 45°
5 wet
Oct
59° / 35°
6 wet
Nov
43° / 25°
9 wet
Dec
31° / 17°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Idaho Falls - Kifi, ID, 17.4 mi away at 4,742 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
The Playground is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land within the Pocatello Field Office in Idaho. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Crank Cave about half a mile away and RPM Wall roughly 5 miles off. The area has 12 sport routes, with grades ranging from 5.7 to 5.12+. The Toejam route, a 5.9, was first climbed by Matt TeNgaio and Mike Benson. American Gladiator is a 5.10c, and tequila hangover is the hardest at 5.12+. Summer is the warmest stretch for climbing. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Idaho Falls show July and August highs around 86°F with lows in the mid-50s, while winter highs stay near freezing.
Routes (12)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)East Gully
~1h 25m drive
East Gully in Idaho has 8 routes with 6 difficulty grades, featuring alpine no fixed protection.
Photo: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Garden Creek Gap
~1h 25m drive
Garden Creek Gap in Idaho has 4 routes with 3 difficulty grades.
Crank Cave
~1 min drive
Crank Cave in Idaho has 14 sport climbing routes across 10 difficulty grades.
RPM Wall
~9 min drive
RPM Wall in Idaho has 8 sport climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
Midget Widget
~43 min drive
Midget Widget in Idaho has 22 climbing routes across 9 grades, offering sport and trad styles.
Ririe Reservoir
~46 min drive
Ririe Reservoir in Idaho offers 13 sport climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.
Pointless Crag
~53 min drive
Pointless Crag in Idaho has 19 climbing routes with 14 difficulty grades.
Main Wall
~53 min drive
Main Wall in Idaho has 7 sport climbing routes spanning 6 difficulty grades.
In the trees
~53 min drive
10 climbing routes in Idaho ranging from 9 difficulty grades.
East Idaho
~54 min drive
East Idaho, Idaho — 11 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades.
