Utah · Rock climbing · Virgin

Grotto & Base of Great White Throne

12 traditional climbing routes at Grotto & Base of Great White Throne in Utah.

Grotto & Base of Great White ThronePhoto: buzzard525, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
12 routes
5.8 – 5.12a/b
Trad

Is Grotto & Base of Great White Throne open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Zion National Park. It doesn't name Grotto & Base of Great White Throne, so check the source for the area it covers.

  • Watchman Trail closed

    Park closure covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

  • Toxic cyanobacteria in rivers, streams, and pools

    Park alert covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

  • Large vehicle restrictions on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway

    Park alert covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Zion National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Grotto & Base of Great White Throne

Best months: February–May and October–November. 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

    54° / 30°

    7 wet

  2. Feb

    58° / 34°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    66° / 39°

    8 wet

  4. Apr

    73° / 44°

    6 wet

  5. May

    83° / 53°

    4 wet

  6. Jun

    95° / 62°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    100° / 70°

    5 wet

  8. Aug

    98° / 69°

    6 wet

  9. Sep

    91° / 61°

    5 wet

  10. Oct

    78° / 49°

    5 wet

  11. Nov

    64° / 37°

    5 wet

  12. Dec

    53° / 29°

    6 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Zion Np, UT, 3.5 mi away at 4,038 ft. The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Grotto & Base of Great White Throne is a climbing area in Utah's Zion National Park, within the Zion Wilderness. The National Park Service manages the land, and the area sits about half a mile from the broader Zion National Park climbing area. The climbing here is all trad, with 12 routes ranging from 5.8 to 5.12a/b. Among them are Rookie Crack at 5.8, Rain at 5.10, and Batteries not Included at 5.12a/b. The routes are spread across the grotto and the base of the Great White Throne. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show April highs around 73°F and October highs around 78°F, while July averages about 100°F. That station sits roughly 1,400 feet lower than the area, so temperatures up here run cooler. Zion National Park and the Lower Emerald Pool Trail are both within a mile. Angel's Landing is about 1.5 miles away, and Watchman Campground is about 4 miles off.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Zion National ParkPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Zion National Park

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Angel's Landing

~3 min drive

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~3 min drive

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~4 min drive

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Temple of SinawavaPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~4 min drive

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Short Stuff CragPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~5 min drive

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East TemplePhoto: Capt' Gorgeous, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

East Temple

~5 min drive

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