New Mexico · Rock climbing · Carson

Bat Cave

Bat Cave in New Mexico has 13 sport climbing routes across 10 grades.

13 routes
5.11 – 5.13a
Sport

Best time to visit Bat Cave

Best months: May–June and August–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

    42° / 12°

    3 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 19°

    3 wet

  3. Mar

    55° / 25°

    4 wet

  4. Apr

    63° / 31°

    4 wet

  5. May

    73° / 37°

    5 wet

  6. Jun

    84° / 47°

    5 wet

  7. Jul

    87° / 53°

    8 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 51°

    10 wet

  9. Sep

    78° / 45°

    6 wet

  10. Oct

    67° / 32°

    5 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 22°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    42° / 14°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Taos, NM, 9.2 mi away at 6,965 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Bat Cave is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land in the Taos Field Office of New Mexico, about 9 miles from the town of Taos. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Gold Rush Wall, Afterburner Face and Wayne Manor all about 0.1 mile away. The area is a sport climbing destination, with 13 routes spread across the same grade range. The easiest is Subaru Nation at 5.11, and the hardest is Horrorscope at 5.13a. The median grade is 5.12a. Some of the named routes include Holeistic Healing, Path to Enlightenment and Letting Go. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Taos show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 78°F, while July and August run hotter and wetter, with highs in the mid-80s and about 8 to 10 wet days a month. Vista Verde Trail and Vista Verde Crag are close by, and the West Rim Trail and The Slide Trail are within a mile.