New Mexico · Rock climbing · Red River

Roadside Distraction

7 sport climbing routes at Roadside Distraction in New Mexico.

7 routes
5.7 – 5.11b
Sport

Is Roadside Distraction open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Carson National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Carson National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Roadside Distraction

Best months: May–September. 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

    37° / 8°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 14°

    4 wet

  3. Mar

    53° / 21°

    5 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 27°

    5 wet

  5. May

    70° / 35°

    5 wet

  6. Jun

    80° / 44°

    4 wet

  7. Jul

    83° / 49°

    8 wet

  8. Aug

    81° / 48°

    9 wet

  9. Sep

    75° / 41°

    6 wet

  10. Oct

    65° / 30°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    51° / 19°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    38° / 9°

    5 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cerro, NM, 3.3 mi away at 7,650 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Roadside Distraction is a sport climbing area in the Questa Ranger District of Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the climbs sit along the road that gives the area its name. The climbing here is all sport, with seven routes spread across a range from 5.7 to 5.11b. Scare Way to Heaven, at 5.7, is the easiest, and The Upper Road, at 5.11b, is the hardest. Highway Men and Moly Mind fall in the 5.10 range. The routes are short and fit a day spent exploring the district. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Cerro weather station run from highs around 80°F in June to about 75°F in September. Winters are cold, with January highs near 37°F and lows around 8°F. Questa RD, a lake fishing spot, is less than half a mile away. Goat Hill campground is about 1.7 miles off, and the Las Vistas de Questa Trail and Pinabete Peak Trail are both within 3 miles. For more climbing, Questa Dome is about 6.6 miles away.

Routes (7)

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