Virginia · Rock climbing · Fort Valley · Near Front Royal

Buzzard Rocks

Buzzard RocksPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
30 routes
5.3 – 5.10c/d
Trad · Sport · Bouldering
Apr, Jun
best months

Is Buzzard Rocks open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. It doesn't name Buzzard Rocks, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

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

Buzzard Rocks is a climbing area in the Lee Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of trails and climbing spots, with the Buzzard Rock Trail for mountain biking just 0.2 miles away and the Talking Headwall climbing area 0.3 miles off. The area offers a range of climbing styles, with 30 routes in total. About 16 are traditional, 9 are sport, and 3 are boulders. Grades run from 5.3 up to 5.10c/d, with a few boulders in the V0 to V7 range. Zig Zag is a 5.3 trad route, and Anonymous Flake Direct is a 5.10c/d trad route. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Front Royal show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 78°F, with July peaking near 87°F. The Massanutten Trail is about 1.2 miles away, and Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp is about 1.3 miles away. Passage Creek offers river fishing about 2.2 miles off, and the Shenandoah River is about 6.1 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Elizabeth Group Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Lil Barnyard Diner

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 4 mi
  • If it rainsNyttend, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

    Strasburg Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 4.3 mi from Front Royal

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Nyttend, Public domain (commons)

More in Front Royal
  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun

    Best time to visit Buzzard Rocks

    Best months: April, June and August–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

      43° / 24°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      46° / 26°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      54° / 33°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      67° / 43°

      11 wet

    5. May

      74° / 51°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 60°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      87° / 64°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 62°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      78° / 56°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      67° / 45°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      56° / 35°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      47° / 28°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Front Royal, VA, 7 mi away at 930 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (30)

Cortez the KillerFA: Mark Fletcher5.10-Adam Kopley Memorial RouteFA: Mark Fletcher5.10aAnonymous Flake - Left Variation5.10aLike a HurricaneFA: Mark Fletcher5.10bAnonymous Flake Direct5.10c/dZig ZagFA: Mark Fletcher5.3Three Amigos5.4ArêtetrifyingFA: Mark Fletcher and Josh Shifflet5.5El GordoFA: ???April 3, 20205.5Three Amigos Double Direct5.5Failure to Communicate5.6Arêtetrifying RightFA: Mark Fletcher and Josh Shifflet5.7Keep Off the Riff Raff5.7Kimberly5.7Obscure Adventure5.7Raising Arizona5.7Unknown 15.7Buzzard GutsFA: Westman & Graver5.8Edge of Sunshine5.8Melungian Brotherhood5.8Prajapati5.8Rather be Sk8boarding5.8Anonymous Flake Right5.8-Ass Cannibal5.8-Half and Half5.8-Pulp Friction5.9-The Bulge5.9-Unknown v0FA: UnknkownV0Slope Surfer DirectFA: Mark Ulbrich, Apr 2021V5Slope SurferFA: Mark Ulbrich, Apr 2021V7

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Talking HeadwallPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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