Winston's Boulder
- 1 route
- 5.8
- Top Rope
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Winston's Boulder is a climbing area in Tapley Woods State Natural Area in Illinois, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits within the natural area's boundaries, and the land is overseen by the state's natural resources agency. Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Galena weather station show highs around 69°F in May and 74°F in September, with July peaking near 82°F. Winters are cold, with January highs averaging about 27°F and several snowy days each month from December through February. Mill Creek, a canoeing spot about 5.5 miles away, and the Mississippi River fishing access at Bellevue State Park, roughly 9.3 miles off, are the closest outdoor options.
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
C: Sun ButtressRock climbing · ~30 min drivePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- D: Open BibleRock climbing · ~30 min drivePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- E: Twin SistersRock climbing · ~30 min drivePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Mississippi PalisadesRock climbing · ~29 min drive
- A: SentinelRock climbing · ~30 min drive
- B: Forgotten WallRock climbing · ~30 min drive
- F: Brother ButtressRock climbing · ~30 min drive
- H: Indian HeadRock climbing · ~30 min drive
- Cattesse HollowRock climbing · ~30 min drive
- I: Bee WallRock climbing · ~31 min drive
Best time to visit Winston's Boulder
Best months: April and 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
27° / 10°
9 wet · 7 snow
Feb
31° / 14°
8 wet · 6 snow
Mar
45° / 24°
9 wet · 3 snow
Apr
57° / 36°
11 wet · 1 snow
May
69° / 47°
13 wet
Jun
78° / 58°
11 wet
Jul
82° / 62°
10 wet
Aug
80° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
74° / 51°
9 wet
Oct
61° / 39°
9 wet
Nov
46° / 28°
9 wet · 2 snow
Dec
33° / 17°
9 wet · 5 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Galena, IL, 5.6 mi away at 822 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
