Iowa · Rock climbing · Dundee

Backbone State Park

5 routes
5.8
Top Rope · Bouldering · Trad
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Backbone State Park is a state park in Iowa managed by the State Department of Natural Resources, and it serves as a base for rock climbing and hiking in the surrounding area. Several climbing areas and trails sit within a short distance of the park, making it a compact destination for climbers and hikers alike. The park's climbing areas include Backbone East, Drive In Wall and Devil's Backbone, all about 0.1 mile away. The Backbone Trail is also within a tenth of a mile. For a longer outing, Six Pines Trail lies about 0.3 mile off, and Backbone Lake, roughly a mile away, offers fishing. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring through early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Manchester put May highs around 70°F and September highs around 74°F, with July peaking near 82°F. The park's climbing routes run from bouldering to top rope, with two top rope routes, Shagadelic Humper Bumper and The Razor, both graded 5.8.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Backbone State Park

    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.

    1. Jan

      26° / 8°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    2. Feb

      31° / 12°

      8 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      44° / 24°

      10 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      58° / 35°

      11 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      70° / 47°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      79° / 58°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 61°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 58°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 49°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 37°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      45° / 26°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      32° / 15°

      9 wet · 6 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Manchester #2, IA, 11.3 mi away at 990 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (5)