THE SELF-COACHED GUMBY
RED ROCK CANYON
Red Rock Canyon is an amazing area just 20 minutes away from the Las Vegas strip. It really has something for everyone - plentiful routes in all grades from 5.6-5.13, world-class sport, trad, and bouldering. The climate can't be beat for winter climbing in the U.S.
Guide Completeness Rating: 8/10
Las Vegas is a city built for tourists, so generally there is plenty of everything you need available in a price range that works for you - from housing, to food, to rental cars.
What the Crux?
Avoid these logistical snafus at all costs
If you are going into Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on weekends or holidays, get there early. Arrive later in the day and you’ll have trouble parking, or might not even be let in. See more info under Climbing > Area Access below.
For most people, flying into Las Vegas will be the best option. Red Rocks is conveniently located just 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Airport (as well as the Strip), and there are cheap & direct flights from most of the country. Alternatively, it is a 4-hour drive from L.A. or Phoenix.
It is easy enough to rent a car, though be aware that if you use certain budget rental companies you will have to take two busses to get to your car and there may be a long line (we had to wait over an hour once when we got in around midnight - check reviews). Some companies - Hertz specifically - allow you go straight to your car with no human interaction at all, which for me is worth the marginal price difference.
You will not have a problem finding a place to stay in Vegas. There are tons of Airbnb's available of all sizes, as well as hotels (the fittingly named "Red Rock Casino" is quite close to the park). We've mostly stayed in Airbnb's in the Spring Valley area. There are many suburban neighborhoods where groceries and coffee are never more than a few blocks away.
There is a $15/night campsite 2 miles outside the park operated by the Bureau of Land Management. Reservations can be made for larger group sites, but not for individual sites. It does get crowded, so there is a chance it will be full. The site has only the basics - water and a toilet. Note that even from the campsite, it would be a very long walk (over 3 miles) to reach even the absolute closest crag.
Getting Around
A car is a necessity for Red Rocks. You can't (legally) camp inside the park, and there is no public transportation to the park. You could maybe work something out with a cab service or tour company, but keep in mind some areas of the park have poor cell service.
Food & Drink
There are plenty of eating and drinking options - you're in Vegas.
Gear
Forget something? There is an REI just off the road that leads to Red Rocks! This store carries a wider range of climbing shoes than most REI's (especially women's), so check it out if you are in the market for new shoes.
Non-Climbing Activities
There is plenty to do on rest days and nights. Regardless of your thoughts on the casino scene overall, it is definitely worth it to check out the Strip and see what it is all about if you have never been. The level of extravagance and general outrageousness of the scene and the people is quite entertaining.
One random personal recommendation is the mini-golf at Angel Park Golf Club. It is a well-maintained, real grass putting course with 100-foot holes - closer to real golf putting than arcade-style mini-golf. It's only $5 and is close to the road that leads towards Red Rocks.
Rock Type(s): Sandstone
Route Grading: Fair - personally I've found the vertical crimpy face climbs slightly tougher than graded, while past-vertical juggy climbs tend to be softer.
Recommended Sport Sub-Sector: The "Second Pullout" parking area has the best density and variety of sport crags all within a 20-minute approach.
You'll see warnings everywhere that the rock becomes very brittle after rain. Do not climb shortly after rain. I don't know exactly how long it takes to dry, but I've read that a good rule of thumb is if the sand on the ground around the crag is still at all moist, the walls probably are too wet. (If anyone has experience with how long it takes to dry let me know!)
Guide Book
There are a number of books available. The only one I am familiar with is an older edition of Red Rocks, a Climber's Guide by Jerry Handren. It is quite good - my favorite part is that it distinguishes sport routes from trad routes by color (strange that most books don't do this).
Mountain Project
You could probably get by just using Mountain Project if you had to - it is mostly complete for the area and even has a few new crags that may be missed by some guide books. However, I'd recommend having a guide book to cross-reference with MP and locate the crags.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Most of the climbing areas can be accessed by driving into the park. The day fee is $7, but the America the Beautiful pass is good here (purchasable at the entrance), or you can get an annual pass. Most guide books and MP divide the crags by the pullout (aka parking lot) they are closest to.
On weekends and holidays, the park gets very crowded so get there early. If you arrive after 10am, you will wait in a long line to get in and have trouble parking (legally, at least) - especially at the second pullout which only fits about 20 cars. From my experience, they don't ticket cars parked on the side of the road near the pullouts - but maybe I've just been lucky so far. Occasionally the park will hit capacity and they will not let any cars in at all; this only appears to happen later in the afternoon.
One other thing to keep in mind - the only road through the park is a one-way 13-mile loop. It can take over 30 minutes to get out of the park. If you get behind excessively slow sight-seers, the road is wide enough to pass and I don't hesitate to gun it by them (unclear if this is frowned upon by park officials though...)
Calico Basin
The turn off for Calico Basin is about 2 miles before the park entrance (coming from Vegas). This area has a few sport climbing crags, but is most popular for the Kraft Boulders. It is a good alternative if the park is too crowded, though it also gets packed on weekends.
Main Parking Areas:
The average length of single-pitch sport routes at Red Rocks is relatively short. I'm not sure I've found any routes that required more than a 60m rope (some at Sunny and Steep may come close), though double check the crag you are visiting to help decide. Twelve quick draws will be enough for almost any route. A stick clip can be useful if you are pushing your limit or for routes above rough terrain, but it is not as essential as some other areas.
It is a desert so bring a lot of water (2L for a full day). It gets very hot in the sun, but cool in the shade.
Each section below contains basic info about the crag, as well as some thoughts & recommendations.
Try using the search bar above to find desired grade (e.g. "5.10"), a parking area (e.g. "Second Pullout"), or a time when it is shady (e.g. "Afternoon").
Recommended Crags for Each Grade:
5.6-5.7 - Panty Wall
5.8-5.9 - Magic Bus, Hunter S. Thompson Dome
5.10a-5.10b - Black Corridor, Civilization Crag, Dante's Wall
5.10c-5.10d - Stone Wall, Black Corridor
5.11a-5.11b - Sweet Pain Wall, Black Corridor
5.11c-5.11d - The Gallery, Sunny and Steep
5.12a-5.12b - Sunny and Steep, Wall of Confusion
Popularity - Very High
Ideal Grade Range - 5.9-5.10
Approach - 10 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Always
Thoughts:
Good for
-groups looking to jump on a high volume of moderates
-getting a feel for Red Rocks-style climbing
Bad for
-those that are bothered by crowds
-those looking for variety in climbs & interesting features
Pictured: Victoria and Mexin with a moderate crowd building up in the Corridor
Popularity - Medium
Ideal Grade Range - 5.11b-5.12c
Approach - 5 minutes
Parking Area - Red Springs
Shade - Some in Morning, All in Afternoon
Thoughts:
I haven't personally climbed here, but you can get some amazing photos on Caustic (5.11b). This one is on my list to check out next time.
Popularity - High
Ideal Grade Range - 5.8-5.10b
Approach - 20 minutes
Parking Area - First Pullout
Shade - Until late afternoon (mostly)
Thoughts:
One of the better crags for those looking for 5.8 to low 5.10, though you will always have some company here. "Conquistador" is a fun 5.10d, (though stick clip is highly recommended for that one).
Picture: A friend climbing 'Conquistador'
Popularity - High
Ideal Grade Range - various
Approach - 15 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Never
Thoughts:
There is such a wide range of grades that there is at least 1 climb for everyone - on the flip side, there is no real ideal grade range for this area. Plenty of great short routes though, including the mega-classic The Gift. You can see this wall from the second pullout so you can avoid it if it looks packed.
Pictured: Me on Yaak Crak
Popularity - Medium
Ideal Grade Range - 5.8
Approach - 15 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Morning
Thoughts:
There are only 5 sport routes on this wall, but most are solid. The 5.8's on the left are some of the best of the grade at Red Rocks I think, and the 5.10c and 5.11a on the right are kind of one-move-wonders, but enjoyable. This is a good alternative if Black Corridor and Sweet Pain are crowded as it is just a few minutes past these.
Popularity - High
Ideal Grade Range - 5.8-5.9
Approach - 15 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Early Morning
Thoughts:
A good area for a high concentration of easy routes. If someone leads one route, it is easy to traverse to adjacent anchors and set up a top rope. Another one that you can clearly see from the parking lot to gauge crowds.
Popularity - Medium
Ideal Grade Range - 5.7-5.8
Approach - 20 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Morning, partial late afternoon
Thoughts:
I was only at this wall briefly, but I wouldn't really recommend this wall unless you are looking for 5.7's and everywhere else is crowded. The routes are slabby and at least some of them (the 5.9 and 5.10 on the right) are rather runout, so are not great for new outdoor climbers. If you are ok with routes 5.8 and higher, there are better options like Black Corridor, Panty Wall, Civilization, The Gallery.
Popularity - Medium
Ideal Grade Range - 5.7-5.9
Approach - 15 minutes
First Pullout
Shade - Possibly early morning, sunny most of the day
Thoughts:
A bunch of 5.8s in a row next to each other make this a good spot for newer climbers to get a feel for the character of the rock in the area.
Popularity - Low
Ideal Grade Range - 5.10c-5.11b
Approach - 15 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Afternoon
Thoughts:
Lack of people and some really solid 5.10c routes make this a great wall for an afternoon, especially if Black Corridor gets over crowded.
Popularity - Medium
Ideal Grade Range - 5.11b-5.11d
Approach - 15 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Afternoon
Thoughts:
Relatively low-graded, high-rated steep routes at a wall that seems to always have some climbers, but doesn't get crowded. Definitely worth spending an afternoon for those looking for a bunch in the 5.11 range.
Popularity - Low
Ideal Grade Range - 5.11b-5.12
Approach - 30 minutes
Parking Area - Kraft Mountain
Shade - Never
Thoughts:
Some very highly rated mid-11's to low 12's (Mr. Choad's Wild Ride makes Climbing's list of top U.S. climbs), not much in the way of moderate warm-ups. It gets very hot in the sun, so not recommended on warm days (though I'm sure it would be empty).
Popularity - Medium/High
Ideal Grade Range - 5.11c-5.12b
Approach - 20 minutes
Parking Area - Second Pullout
Shade - Never, aside from a few in the cave
Thoughts:
I thought 11's in the cave were a lot of fun, and a few very steep 12a/b's looked very classic for those looking for that range.