New Mexico · Rock climbing · Magdalena

Upper Park

Upper Park in New Mexico has 16 climbing routes with 11 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.

16 routes
5.6 – 5.10c
Sport · Trad

Is Upper Park open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Magdalena Ranger District.

  • Magdalena Ranger District Bear Trap Campground Closure Order #03-03-03-26-01

    Agency alert covering Magdalena Ranger District · Order 03-03-03-26-01 · USFS · Magdalena Ranger District

As of · Source: USFS · Magdalena Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Upper Park

Best months: April–May 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

    53° / 20°

    2 wet · 1 snow

  2. Feb

    57° / 23°

    2 wet · 1 snow

  3. Mar

    64° / 27°

    2 wet

  4. Apr

    71° / 34°

    1 wet

  5. May

    79° / 41°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    89° / 50°

    4 wet

  7. Jul

    87° / 56°

    9 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 54°

    10 wet

  9. Sep

    79° / 47°

    6 wet

  10. Oct

    71° / 35°

    3 wet

  11. Nov

    60° / 25°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    52° / 19°

    3 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Winston, NM, 16.9 mi away at 6,196 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Upper Park is a climbing area in the Magdalena Ranger District of Cibola National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Luna Park just 0.1 mile away and Full Moon Wall and The Northwest Passage each about 0.3 mile off. The area has 16 routes, 13 of them sport and 3 trad, with grades ranging from 5.6 to 5.10c. Rattle Crack is a trad route at 5.6, and Bring Out Your Dead is a sport route at 5.10c. The climbing is spread across a range of styles and grades, so there is something for climbers of different abilities. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Winston, NM, show May highs around 79°F and October highs around 71°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 9 to 10 a month. For a change from the rock, the Grand Enchantment Trail and the Shipman hike are both about 4 miles away.

Routes (16)

Cactus ButtFA: Steve Matsumoto, Mark Grazier & Karl Kiser, Spring 20175.10-Right var. Cactus Butt5.10+Bring Out Your DeadFA: Mark Grazier, Danielle Aronson & Karl Kiser, Summer 20175.10cRattle CrackFA: Burnett Crispell & Tannon Pierce, 19935.6Wingardium Leviosa5.7Grab Them By the CrookshanksFA: Mark Starr, Karl Kiser & Mark Grazier, Fall 20175.7+I Must Not Tell LiesFA: Emile Sfakianos, Alex Sfakianos, Karl Kiser & Mark Grazier, Fall 20175.8Left var. Cactus Butt5.8One Way Ticket to Azkaban5.8Rattle FaceFA: Karl Kiser, Steve Galloway & Mark Grazier, Fall 20175.8Wands At The ReadyFA: Karl Kiser, Mark Grazier, Cynthia Adams & Anna Brown, Spring 20175.8BasiliskFA: Tim & Cathy Brown, Fall 20175.8-Not SlytherinFA: Teresa Sedlacek, Mark Grazier, Karl Kiser & Anna Brown, Summer 20175.8-This Way to Platform 9 3/4FA: Karl Kiser, Danielle Aronson & Mark Grazier, Summer 20175.8+Whomped WillowFA: Steve Galloway, Mike Glover, Karl Kiser & Mark Grazier, Fall 20175.9I'm Not Dead Yet5.9+