Massachusetts · Rock climbing · Medford

Highway Cliff

6 routes
V0 – V5+
Bouldering
Jun–Oct
best months

Highway Cliff is a bouldering area in Massachusetts, about a mile from the community of Malden Highlands. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Slopes Boulder and the Red Cross Path Vicinity each about 0.1 mile away and Quarry Road/Bellevue Pond at Middlesex Fells about 0.2 mile off. The area is a compact, close-together set of boulders, and the routes here are all bouldering grades from V0 up to V5+. The climbing is straightforward to get to. The closest trails are East Dam Road, about 0.4 mile away, and Hemlock Pool Path, about 0.8 mile away. For a longer outing, Nanepashemet Road is about 1.2 miles off. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring through early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Reading run from highs around 70°F in May to about 75°F in September, with July the warmest at about 84°F. Winter brings regular snow days, with January averaging eight. The routes at Highway Cliff are all bouldering, and the grade range runs from V0 to V5+. The easiest is Cracks and Flakes at V0, and the hardest is Right Arete, Exit Left at V5+.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Highway Cliff

    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.

    1. Jan

      38° / 19°

      12 wet · 8 snow

    2. Feb

      40° / 20°

      11 wet · 7 snow

    3. Mar

      48° / 27°

      13 wet · 6 snow

    4. Apr

      60° / 37°

      13 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      70° / 47°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      78° / 56°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 63°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 61°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 53°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 42°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      53° / 32°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      43° / 24°

      12 wet · 5 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Reading, MA, 5.9 mi away at 110 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (6)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Hemlock Pool at Middlesex FellsPhoto: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hemlock Pool at Middlesex Fells

~1 min drive

15 bouldering routes at Hemlock Pool in Massachusetts.

Painted BoulderPhoto: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Painted Boulder

~1 min drive

Painted Boulder in Massachusetts has 5 bouldering routes across 3 grades.

The CovePhoto: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Cove

~2 min drive

Cove, The in Massachusetts has 8 climbing routes on 6 difficulty grades.

Crag 3Photo: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Crag 3

~2 min drive

Crag 3 in Massachusetts has 5 routes with 4 difficulty grades, offering top-rope and trad climbing.

Crag 54Photo: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Crag 54

~3 min drive

Crag 54 in Massachusetts has 8 routes with 6 difficulty grades, offering bouldering and top-rope climbing.

Fat ManPhoto: Karlunun, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Fat Man

~3 min drive

Accessible Massachusetts climbing area with varied routes for developing climbers.

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Slopes Boulder

Next door

Slopes Boulder in Massachusetts has 5 bouldering routes with 5 distinct difficulty grades.

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Red Cross Path Vicinity

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Red Cross Path Vicinity in Massachusetts has 7 bouldering routes across 4 grades.

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Quarry Road/Bellevue Pond at Middlesex Fells

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12 climbing routes in Massachusetts spanning 8 difficulty grades.

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Cliff 2

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Cliff 2 is a bouldering area in Massachusetts with 6 routes.