Massachusetts · Rock climbing · Needham

Illusive Cliff

11 routes
V0 – V5+
Bouldering
Apr–Oct
best months

Illusive Cliff is a bouldering area in Massachusetts, about half a mile from Charles River Station. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Needham Town Forest and Rainbow Rocks both about 0.2 miles away and Ship's Prow Boulder at a similar distance. The area is close to the Bay Colony Rail Trail, a mountain biking route about a mile off. The climbing here is all bouldering, with 11 routes spread across the V0- to V5+ range. The easiest are Warm-Up Crack at V0- and Exquisite Firecraft at V0+, while Hydraulic Press is the hardest at V5+. Earthquake Sit, a V3, was first climbed by Jonathan Gregg. Summer is the warmest stretch for a visit. Typical averages from the nearby Natick weather station put July highs around 82°F with lows near 62°F, and September still runs in the low 70s.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Illusive Cliff

    Best months: April–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

      35° / 17°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 18°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 25°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      58° / 35°

      11 wet

    5. May

      68° / 46°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      76° / 56°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 62°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 59°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 52°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 40°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      51° / 31°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      41° / 23°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Natick, MA, 4.7 mi away at 180 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (11)