Washington · Rock climbing · Stevenson

The Dome

Dome, The in Washington has 10 climbing routes with 7 difficulty grades.

10 routes
V3 – V10-11
Bouldering

Is Dome, The open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

As of · Source: USFS · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Dome

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

    42° / 33°

  2. Feb

    48° / 34°

  3. Mar

    54° / 36°

  4. Apr

    61° / 41°

  5. May

    68° / 47°

  6. Jun

    73° / 52°

  7. Jul

    80° / 56°

  8. Aug

    82° / 57°

  9. Sep

    76° / 51°

  10. Oct

    63° / 45°

  11. Nov

    50° / 39°

  12. Dec

    43° / 33°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade Locks, OR, 3 mi away at 142 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Dome is a bouldering area in Washington's Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, within the CRGNSA General Management Area Special Designated Area. The Forest Service manages the land, and the climbing here is all bouldering, with 10 routes spread across the area. The boulders sit at the edge of the Gorge, about 1.1 miles from the Bridge of the Gods Boulders and roughly 2.7 miles from the Portland & The Gorge climbing area across the river in Oregon. The closest trail is the Mill Pond Trail, about 1.6 miles away, and the Heartbreak Ridge Trail is about 2.3 miles off. The climbing runs from V3 up to V10-11, with the hardest route, Rodeo Low, at V10-11. The median grade is V6. The area is open year-round, and the most comfortable months for a visit are typically July and August, when typical averages from the nearby Cascade Locks weather station reach highs around 80 to 82°F and lows in the mid-50s. That station sits about 500 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures on the rock run a little cooler.

Routes (10)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

North Forest BouldersPhoto: Kingofthedead, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Beacon Rock BoulderingPhoto: Kingofthedead, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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