Utah · Rock climbing · Virgin

South Fork

South Fork in Utah has 26 climbing routes with 17 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad styles.

South ForkPhoto: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
26 routes
5.6 – 5.12a
Trad · Sport

Is South Fork open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Zion National Park. It doesn't name South Fork, 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 South Fork

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

    43° / 20°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    45° / 22°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    53° / 27°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    60° / 32°

    6 wet

  5. May

    69° / 40°

    5 wet

  6. Jun

    80° / 48°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    85° / 56°

    5 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 55°

    5 wet

  9. Sep

    77° / 47°

    4 wet

  10. Oct

    65° / 36°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    51° / 27°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    42° / 19°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cedar City 5e, UT, 17 mi away at 6,465 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

South Fork is a climbing area in Utah's Zion Wilderness, within Zion National Park. The National Park Service manages the land, and the area sits inside designated wilderness on park property. The climbing here runs from trad and sport styles, with 26 routes in total. Grades range from 5.6 to 5.12a, and the median is 5.10+. Among the named routes are Fred Beckey, a 5.6 trad, and Spiderfinger, a 5.12a trad, and the sport route Hueco Traverse at 5.10d. For timing, typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cedar City put September highs around 77°F and lows near 47°F. Winter months there typically hover in the low 20s for lows. A fee is charged for climbing at the area.

Routes (26)

Arete Sport Climb5.10+Hueco 2nd Pitch5.10+Special SauceFA: Todd Stephens (RIP), Troy Anderson, Trisha Breinholdt late ‘90s5.10aXanaduFA: Calder Stratford5.10aTail Of The CockFA: Bob Draney and Sebastian Luque circa 19945.10a/bSand Surfin'5.10bTangoFA: Sebastian Luque5.10bCenter RouteFA: J. Beyer, M. Giesey5.10b/cPulp FrictionFA: Dave Thomas & Antoinette Frates - May, 19965.10cHueco Traverse5.10dLast RitesFA: FFA Greg Barber, Dave Thomas, 19885.10dSouthern ComfortFA: David Thomas, 19865.11High NoonFA: Dave Thomas, Will Hair - May 19885.11aI Stab Ourselves5.11aYahwehFA: Matt Barley5.11aPins and NeedlesFA: Dave Thomas & Stuart Litjens - May, 19965.11a/bTouch Me FallFA: Bob Draney, 19955.11c"ET" Extremely Tough Slab5.11dHall of SmearsFA: Dave Thomas, Antoinette Frates - May 19925.11dSpiderfinger5.12aFred BeckeyFA: Take a wild guess5.6Altered StatesFA: Dave Thomas, Jim Richardson - August, 19885.7ShotgunFA: Ryan Kane, March 20075.8+ExpectingFA: Bob and Kaydi Draney, Sebastian Luque 19945.9Hueco Direct Start5.9Self Abuse5.9

Facts about this crag

Rules & access

Fee
Yes

Source: National Park Service API

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