Cañon de Valle Boulders
24 bouldering routes at Cañon de Valle Boulders in New Mexico.
- 24 routes
- V1 – V8-9
- Bouldering
Is Cañon de Valle Boulders open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Espanola Ranger District.
Headquarters Well Area Closure on Española Ranger District
Agency alert covering Espanola Ranger District · Order 03-10-06-25-17 · USFS · Espanola Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Espanola Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Cañon de Valle Boulders
Best months: April–June and September–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
40° / 21°
6 wet
Feb
45° / 24°
6 wet
Mar
53° / 30°
7 wet
Apr
61° / 35°
6 wet
May
70° / 44°
6 wet
Jun
81° / 53°
7 wet
Jul
83° / 57°
13 wet
Aug
80° / 55°
14 wet
Sep
74° / 49°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 38°
6 wet
Nov
50° / 28°
5 wet
Dec
40° / 21°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Los Alamos, NM, 2.6 mi away at 7,424 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Cañon de Valle Boulders is a bouldering area in the Espanola Ranger District of Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of bouldering spots, with several climbing areas within about a mile, making it an easy addition to a day spent exploring the surrounding crags. The area holds 24 boulder problems, all rated on the V scale. Grades range from V1-2 up to V8-9, with the median at V4. Some of the named routes include Dark-eyed (V1-2), Leaf-tosser (V2-3), Scrub-jay (V5-6) and the Double Arête Project (V8-9). Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Los Alamos put May highs around 70°F and October highs around 63°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 13 and 14 a month. The station sits about 660 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures up here run cooler. Hikers can pair a session on the boulders with the Perimeter Traverse and Rim Run, both within a third of a mile. The Main Wall and The Dungeon climbing areas lie about 1.2 miles away.
Routes (24)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kent G. Budge, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Los Alamos & White Rock
~9 min drive
Los Alamos & White Rock is a New Mexico crag with 1 sport climbing route.
Photo: AlisonChaiken, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Sportsman Boulder - Rendija Canyon
~13 min drive
6 bouldering routes in Rendija Canyon, New Mexico, spanning 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: Mary P Madigan, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The Y
~16 min drive
Y, The in New Mexico has 3 climbing routes with mixed protection.
Photo: Mary P Madigan, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Y - North Side
~16 min drive
Y - North Side in New Mexico has 20 climbing routes across 11 grades in mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Main Wall
~2 min drive
Main Wall in New Mexico has 19 climbing routes across 10 grades, offering bouldering and sport styles.
45° Boulder
~2 min drive
45° Boulder in New Mexico has 14 routes spanning 11 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Los Alamos Canyon
~5 min drive
Los Alamos Canyon in New Mexico has 10 climbing routes with 9 difficulty grades.
North Rd. West
~6 min drive
North Rd. West in New Mexico has 17 bouldering routes across 12 grades.
Pueblo Canyon Areas
~7 min drive
Pueblo Canyon Areas in New Mexico has 4 climbing routes.
School Canyon
~7 min drive
School Canyon in New Mexico has 1 sport climbing route.
