New York · Rock climbing · Manhattan

Chess Rock

8 routes
V0 – V1-
Bouldering
Apr–Oct
best months

Chess Rock is a bouldering area in Central Park in New York City, on city land. It sits among several other climbing spots, with Cat Rock and Tooth Rock each about 0.1 mile away, and West Face at a similar distance. The area is a cluster of boulder problems rather than a single route, and the climbing is all bouldering, with grades ranging from V0- to V1-. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 76°F, with July the warmest at about 85°F. The routes here are all bouldering, and the grade range is V0- to V1-. Chess Traverse is the easiest at V0-, and Rooked is the hardest at V1-. Several other problems sit at V0, including Blitz, Checkmate and Knight's Move. For a walk nearby, Tech Walk is about 1.3 miles away and Giraffe Path about 2.4 miles. Paddlers can reach the Saw Mill Creek Canoe Trail, about 4.4 miles off, or the New York City Water Trail, about 4.5 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Chess Rock

    Best months: April–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

      40° / 28°

      11 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      42° / 30°

      10 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      50° / 36°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      62° / 46°

      11 wet

    5. May

      71° / 55°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 64°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 70°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 69°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      76° / 62°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      65° / 51°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 42°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 34°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY, 0.7 mi away at 130 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (8)