South Fork of the Clearwater
7 trad routes at South Fork of the Clearwater, Idaho
- 7 routes
- 5.7 – 5.12a
- Trad
Is South Fork of the Clearwater open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. It doesn't name South Fork of the Clearwater, so check the source for the area it covers.
Updated 250 Road Closure
Agency closure covering Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest · USFS · Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Grangeville Salmon Road Closure Extension
Agency alert covering Salmon River Ranger District · Order 01-17-01-26-004 · USFS · Salmon River Ranger District
Laird Park Water Unavailable For 2026 Season
Agency alert covering Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest · USFS · Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit South Fork of the Clearwater
Best months: 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
38° / 25°
9 wet · 3 snow
Feb
42° / 25°
9 wet · 3 snow
Mar
49° / 29°
12 wet · 3 snow
Apr
56° / 34°
13 wet · 1 snow
May
64° / 42°
13 wet
Jun
70° / 48°
11 wet
Jul
82° / 54°
6 wet
Aug
83° / 53°
5 wet
Sep
73° / 45°
6 wet
Oct
58° / 37°
9 wet
Nov
45° / 29°
11 wet · 2 snow
Dec
37° / 24°
10 wet · 4 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Grangeville, ID, 16.3 mi away at 3,300 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
South Fork of the Clearwater is a climbing area in Idaho's Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, within the Salmon River Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits among several other climbing spots and trails in the district. The climbing here is all trad, with seven routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.12a. Realities Realm is the easiest at 5.7, and The Road Warrior is the hardest at 5.12a. Bastille Wall and Beyond Thunderdome fall in the 5.9 to 5.10 range. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Grangeville weather station show July and August highs in the low 80s with only five or six wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the upper 30s and a few snow days each month. Rolling Stone Wall and Lightning Dome are both about 1.2 miles away. Cougar Creek Trail and Big Burn Point Trail are each about 1.6 miles off.
Routes (7)
Bastille Wall(2)
Huddleson Bluff(1)
Road Warrior Wall(4)
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