5 Cool Rock Climbing Spots in Utah

Located on the east side of Provo, Rock Canyon is arguably the area’s most stunning feature (that is, apart from Mount Timpanogos to the north). And residents definitely treasure this canyon. At nearly any time of day (or night) there are hikers, rock climbers, trail runners, or mountain bikers on the trail. There are various, popular rock climbing spots in the canyon that range in difficulty. At the mouth of the canyon, the rock is mostly a reddish quartzite, while farther up the canyon, you’ll see plenty of gray limestone. There is plenty of room for exploration in this canyon, and if you finish famished, it’s only 10 minutes to Provo grocery stores and restaurants. 

Famous for the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, American Fork Canyon is a hotbed for both aspiring and experienced climbers. Often grouped with Rock Canyon, American Fork Canyon is larger and—generally speaking—makes for more demanding rock climbing. The possibilities are pretty much endless inside this canyon, which consists (mostly) of steep, pocket-filled limestone. If you want to spend a few days in American Fork Canyon, there are plenty of nearby campsites. This is Utah’s climbing at its best (and sometimes, at its hardest). 

Home to the world-class ski resorts of Snowbird and Alta, Little Cottonwood Canyon is easily one of Utah’s most popular outdoor destinations. It is also giant, with many a route to climb. Here, you can climb on what rock climbers call “granite,” or quartz monzonite, which is the stone’s scientific name. The earliest climbing activity in Little Cottonwood dates to the 1930s, and, evidently, the canyon has only grown in popularity for rock climbers since that time. While some routes can be difficult to access in the canyon, it is generally easy to find great climbing routes, plus a fair amount of privacy from other climbing troops. Climbers generally use the canyon for trad climbing, sport climbing, bouldering, and ice climbing. 

Ask any Utah climber for a great rock climbing location and they’ll probably mention Maple Canyon. But it’s not just local climbers who know about Maple Canyon—the canyon is world-renowned for its imbedded cobblestone cliffs. Basically, the canyon looks like a bunch of rocks glued together, which makes for prime sport climbing. Maple Canyon features about 550 routes in total, all of which can be accessed by various roads and hiking trails. If you want to avoid the summer heat, Maple Canyon is especially desirable, given that you probably won’t be catching as many of the sun’s rays in what feels like a shaded, rocky grotto. 

Given that Moab is most famous for its rocks (or rather, its geological formations), it makes sense that the area would be home to great climbing. Rock climbers come from across the world to ascend Moab’s Desert Towers. There are many “towers” to climb, most of which consist of the region’s famous red rock, which is really just a bunch of fancy (and often unfathomable) sandstone formations. The towers make for a steep climb, so if you’re a beginner, this should probably come at a later point in your rock climbing career.