Main Boulder
7 bouldering routes in New Mexico spanning 6 difficulty grades.
- 7 routes
- V2 – V8
- Bouldering
Is Main Boulder open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name Main Boulder, so check the source for the area it covers.
NFSR 313 Closed Due to Washout Near NM Highway 12
Agency closure covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District
Gilman Tunnels closed due to rockslide
Agency alert covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Jemez Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Main Boulder
Best months: April–May 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
48° / 19°
4 wet
Feb
52° / 22°
4 wet
Mar
60° / 28°
4 wet
Apr
67° / 33°
3 wet
May
76° / 41°
3 wet
Jun
87° / 50°
4 wet
Jul
89° / 55°
9 wet
Aug
86° / 54°
9 wet
Sep
80° / 47°
6 wet
Oct
70° / 36°
4 wet
Nov
56° / 26°
4 wet
Dec
47° / 19°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Jemez Springs, NM, 6 mi away at 6,262 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Main Boulder is a bouldering area in the Jemez Ranger District of Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Upper Deck about 0.3 miles away and The Wave about 0.5 miles away. The area has seven bouldering routes, all rated on the V scale. The easiest is Warm-up Arete at V2, and the hardest is Full Rail Job at V8. Anasazi Access and Rail Roaded are both V6, and Flaunt It runs V7-8. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Jemez Springs weather station show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 70°F, while July and August average highs near 89°F with more wet days. Paliza Campground is about 1.4 miles away, and the Bench Trail hike is about 4.5 miles off.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kent G. Budge, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Second Tunnel
~11 min drive
Second Tunnel in New Mexico has 8 routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Photo: Skarz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Gilman Tunnels
~11 min drive
16-route climbing area in New Mexico with sport and trad options.
Photo: Kent G. Budge, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Corridor
~11 min drive
The Corridor in New Mexico has 6 sport climbing routes with 6 distinct difficulty grades.
Photo: Kent G. Budge, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Broken Arrows
~11 min drive
Broken Arrows, The in New Mexico has 4 sport climbing routes.
Photo: Skarz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Left Arrow
~11 min drive
Left Arrow in New Mexico has 6 sport climbing routes across 5 grades.
Photo: Skarz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Right Arrow
~11 min drive
Right Arrow in New Mexico has 7 climbing routes with 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: RuggyBearLA, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Jemez Cave (a.k.a. Crystal Cave) - CLOSED
~12 min drive
Jemez Cave (a.k.a. Crystal Cave) in New Mexico has 10 sport climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
The Corral
~0 min drive
Accessible New Mexico crag with moderate climbing and scenic desert setting.
Upper Deck
~1 min drive
Upper Deck is a New Mexico climbing area with 9 routes across 7 grades.
The Wave
~1 min drive
The Wave is a New Mexico climbing area with 7 routes on bouldering pads.
