Summary
Officially called the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Red Rocks is one of the sandstone climbing dreamscapes of the U.S. Located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, Red Rocks is easy to get to, yet far enough away from the Las Vegas strip to feel like you are in a whole other world.
As a desert crag, winter, spring, and fall are the primary Red Rock climbing seasons. If you are a super early bird (i.e. up at 4 and at the crag by 5 a.m. and off the rock by 11 a.m.) you can have the place to yourself in the summer and not scorch. But beware, the dark patina rock can get damn hot, making climbing quite painful if you wait too long to get onto or off your climb in those summer months.
Red Rocks is popular for a reason - it offers something for everyone. Read on.
Directions
Getting to Red Rock Canyon is easy. Take any of the main highways or streets to the far west end of Las Vegas, then hop onto highway 159 (inside the city 159 is the same as Charleston Blvd). Continue heading southwest and follow the signs.
The camp ground is also off 159, but is not well labeled. There is not a campground road sign if you are heading southwest from Vegas on 159 (there is a sign going the opposite direction). Look for the following signs to give a clue about where to turn: "Do Not Feed the Burrows," "Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center 2 miles," and "BLM Fire Station." Turn left on to Moenkopi Rd just after the Fire Station sign and follow that road to the end.
Grading, Boltings, and Guidebook Tips
The grading and bolting in Red Rocks tends to be on par with today’s modern standards, in some places it's even a little soft. But beware of some of the old school (pre-1980) trad routes, especially the 5.9s, they can be sandbagged (5.9 was the top grade in the 1970s, so a 5.9 can be a 5.9 or a 5.11 or possibly higher).
Occasionally there is run out or mild sandbagging on bolted sport routes, but for the most part you can be pretty confident you are well protected and the grade will be in the “ball park.”
Guidebooks and Climber's Map (Listed Alphabetically)
Rock Type, Climbing, and Style
Red Rock Canyon climbing is primarily sandstone (there are limestone cliffs high above the sandstone which are also being developed). Sandstone is soft and holds can sound hollow and break off. The rock is porous, so after a rain it can become dangerously crumbly. Do not climb on the sandstone within 24 hours of a light rain, or 48 hours of a bigger rain. A handy rule-of-thumb is to lift up rocks partially buried in the ground and if the soil is still wet beneath those rocks, do not climb on the sandstone (there are other non-sandstone climbing areas nearby, check those out!).
There are two important reasons to not climb after a rain. (1) Climbs can be ruined when holds break off. It can make a climb significantly harder and, honestly, it fucks up the experience for the next person. (2) It could be dangerous for you. If a hold breaks you could take a nasty whipper, and your protection might be compromised. Trad gear does not hold as well in wet rocks, and the ability for the rock to hold onto a bolt might also be compromised. (Think about it, water decreases friction, also, if the rock becomes wet and crumbly a cam won’t hold as well, and a bolt might not either.) I know it’s a bummer when your vacation is messed up by rain, but there are other crags around - go climb the limestone (Desert Rock sports carries the Limestone Bible and some other guidebooks that can get you climbing elsewhere, there are also some city crags in Mountain Project).
Red Rocks is so diverse it offers plenty of sport, trad, and multi-pitch climbing (from a few pitches to thousand foot climbs).
The primary style is face climbing with some slab and pure crack sprinkled in the mix. Generally, there are plenty of beautiful cracks to place protection, and if you really want to jam a hand or foot, it’s there for you, but typically you are out on the face and the pro is in the crack. Many of the multipitch climbs also have chimney and offwidth sections, so be prepared for a variety of styles on the longer climbs.
Camping
As popular as Red Rocks is, the camping is surprisingly limited. There is one moderate sized campground that rapidly fills up every weekend during the climbing season. If you arrive on a weekend, be prepared to ask if you can join someone else in their camp spot.
The campground is located on Moenkopi road. See above for directions.
There are also not any nearby/convenient free public land camping, you have to drive a bit. You cannot car camp in the park. The only way to camp in the park is to get a permit and backpack above 5000 feet in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness and above 6500 feet in the La Madre Mountain Wilderness. Call 702-515-5050 to obtain permits.
Many people choose to rent an Air-BNB, which can be closer and more affordable than nearby hotels, especially if you share the cost with several people. The closest hotel is the Red Rock Casino, and it can be pricey.
Yeahs
Neahs
Opinion Rating
It Rocks! Totally world-class climbing.
*Full disclosure – the author is the co-owner of Climb-On Maps :-).
Officially called the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Red Rocks is one of the sandstone climbing dreamscapes of the U.S. Located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, Red Rocks is easy to get to, yet far enough away from the Las Vegas strip to feel like you are in a whole other world.
As a desert crag, winter, spring, and fall are the primary Red Rock climbing seasons. If you are a super early bird (i.e. up at 4 and at the crag by 5 a.m. and off the rock by 11 a.m.) you can have the place to yourself in the summer and not scorch. But beware, the dark patina rock can get damn hot, making climbing quite painful if you wait too long to get onto or off your climb in those summer months.
Red Rocks is popular for a reason - it offers something for everyone. Read on.
Directions
Getting to Red Rock Canyon is easy. Take any of the main highways or streets to the far west end of Las Vegas, then hop onto highway 159 (inside the city 159 is the same as Charleston Blvd). Continue heading southwest and follow the signs.
The camp ground is also off 159, but is not well labeled. There is not a campground road sign if you are heading southwest from Vegas on 159 (there is a sign going the opposite direction). Look for the following signs to give a clue about where to turn: "Do Not Feed the Burrows," "Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center 2 miles," and "BLM Fire Station." Turn left on to Moenkopi Rd just after the Fire Station sign and follow that road to the end.
Grading, Boltings, and Guidebook Tips
The grading and bolting in Red Rocks tends to be on par with today’s modern standards, in some places it's even a little soft. But beware of some of the old school (pre-1980) trad routes, especially the 5.9s, they can be sandbagged (5.9 was the top grade in the 1970s, so a 5.9 can be a 5.9 or a 5.11 or possibly higher).
Occasionally there is run out or mild sandbagging on bolted sport routes, but for the most part you can be pretty confident you are well protected and the grade will be in the “ball park.”
Guidebooks and Climber's Map (Listed Alphabetically)
- A Climber's Map for Red Rock Canyon, NV: Crag Summaries, Approaches, and Walk-Offs (By Climb-On Maps, 2017) - A climber’s approach and walkoff map available to complement Mountain Project and the Handren guide. The map picks up where the guidebooks leave off, which is very detailed directions on how to get to the majority climbing walls inside and outside of the loop. Available at Climb-On Maps, Amazon.com, and Desert Rock Sports.
- Best Climbs: Red Rocks (Falcon Guide, by Jason D. Martin, 2016) - Amazon carries a Kindle and paper back version of the book.
- Red Rocks: A Climber's Guide (By Jerry Handren, 2017) - This is the most comprehensive guidebook for the area. It can be purchased at the website http://www.redrocksguidebook.com/ or at Desert Rock Sports
- Red Rocks Climbing (By Super Topo, 2004) - Guidebook with detailed topos of multiple traditional mulitpitch climbs. They sell these online and have a downloadable digital version, it is also available in some stores.
Rock Type, Climbing, and Style
Red Rock Canyon climbing is primarily sandstone (there are limestone cliffs high above the sandstone which are also being developed). Sandstone is soft and holds can sound hollow and break off. The rock is porous, so after a rain it can become dangerously crumbly. Do not climb on the sandstone within 24 hours of a light rain, or 48 hours of a bigger rain. A handy rule-of-thumb is to lift up rocks partially buried in the ground and if the soil is still wet beneath those rocks, do not climb on the sandstone (there are other non-sandstone climbing areas nearby, check those out!).
There are two important reasons to not climb after a rain. (1) Climbs can be ruined when holds break off. It can make a climb significantly harder and, honestly, it fucks up the experience for the next person. (2) It could be dangerous for you. If a hold breaks you could take a nasty whipper, and your protection might be compromised. Trad gear does not hold as well in wet rocks, and the ability for the rock to hold onto a bolt might also be compromised. (Think about it, water decreases friction, also, if the rock becomes wet and crumbly a cam won’t hold as well, and a bolt might not either.) I know it’s a bummer when your vacation is messed up by rain, but there are other crags around - go climb the limestone (Desert Rock sports carries the Limestone Bible and some other guidebooks that can get you climbing elsewhere, there are also some city crags in Mountain Project).
Red Rocks is so diverse it offers plenty of sport, trad, and multi-pitch climbing (from a few pitches to thousand foot climbs).
The primary style is face climbing with some slab and pure crack sprinkled in the mix. Generally, there are plenty of beautiful cracks to place protection, and if you really want to jam a hand or foot, it’s there for you, but typically you are out on the face and the pro is in the crack. Many of the multipitch climbs also have chimney and offwidth sections, so be prepared for a variety of styles on the longer climbs.
Camping
As popular as Red Rocks is, the camping is surprisingly limited. There is one moderate sized campground that rapidly fills up every weekend during the climbing season. If you arrive on a weekend, be prepared to ask if you can join someone else in their camp spot.
The campground is located on Moenkopi road. See above for directions.
There are also not any nearby/convenient free public land camping, you have to drive a bit. You cannot car camp in the park. The only way to camp in the park is to get a permit and backpack above 5000 feet in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness and above 6500 feet in the La Madre Mountain Wilderness. Call 702-515-5050 to obtain permits.
Many people choose to rent an Air-BNB, which can be closer and more affordable than nearby hotels, especially if you share the cost with several people. The closest hotel is the Red Rock Casino, and it can be pricey.
Yeahs
- The climbing is so freaking awesome. There is something for everyone – easy, moderate, difficult, trad, sport, multipitch. And not just a little bit – a lot!
- Spectacular, mind boggling, unusual beauty.
- It’s easy to access – fly or drive into Las Vegas.
- Plenty of stores and restaurants are nearby. If you want the Vegas party scene, it’s just 30 minutes away.
Neahs
- Difficult finding camping during the climbing season.
- The one-way loop becomes annoying day after day. It adds about 13 miles to each trip.
- Can’t climb on the sandstone after the rain – go seek out some of the nearby limestone crags.
- Popular multipitch climbs can have a line. Try exploring off the beaten path.
- During the winter Red Rocks is overrun with tourists. The parking in the pull-outs can be full and difficult to find parking. Carpool into the park if your can.
- Red Rocks is large and confusing. You can waste a lot of time looking for your climb. We highly recommend the Climb-On Map for Red Rock Canyon to use in combination with the guidebook to maximize your climbing time*. You can also use it to find different, less over-run areas.
Opinion Rating
It Rocks! Totally world-class climbing.
*Full disclosure – the author is the co-owner of Climb-On Maps :-).