Washington · Rock climbing · Stevenson

Empire Boulders

20 bouldering routes in Washington, 9 difficulty grades.

20 routes
V0 – V8
Bouldering

Is Empire Boulders 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 Empire Boulders

Best months: May–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

    38° / 28°

    19 wet

  2. Feb

    43° / 29°

    16 wet

  3. Mar

    50° / 31°

    17 wet

  4. Apr

    57° / 35°

    16 wet

  5. May

    66° / 41°

    12 wet

  6. Jun

    72° / 46°

    7 wet

  7. Jul

    81° / 49°

    3 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 49°

    3 wet

  9. Sep

    74° / 44°

    6 wet

  10. Oct

    60° / 38°

    12 wet

  11. Nov

    46° / 33°

    17 wet

  12. Dec

    38° / 29°

    20 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Carson Fish Hatchery, WA, 13.3 mi away at 1,134 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Empire Boulders is a bouldering area in Washington's Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of bouldering spots, with Viking Boulder and Roman Boulder each about 0.1 mile away. The area holds 20 boulder problems, ranging from V0 to V8. The easiest is Croton at V0, and the hardest is Experiments with Truth at V8. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 81 to 82°F with only about three wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the upper 30s and rain on most days. For more time in the area, the Little Wind River offers canoeing about 0.7 mile away, and Wind Mountain Trail is a hike about 2.2 miles off. Wyeth Campground, across the river in Oregon, is about 3.8 miles away.

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