Crags
From easy, beginner pitches to some of the toughest routes in the country, rock-climbing in southwest Montana is well-known for its quality rock and vast collection of route options.
Paradise Valley has no shortage—or variety—of good stone along its length: backyard alpine at Mount Cowen, exciting trad in Mill Creek, quality bouldering on both sides of Yankee Jim Canyon. Read more >>
“You’ve gotta check out this arête, it’s amazing,” Tom Kingsbury urges on one of his many guided tours through the Desert, a bouldering area outside Whitehall. The six climbers following him gather around the blunt, overhanging arête and spread their thick foam bouldering pads around the base. Read more >>
As winter slogs along and you begin to crave stone to pull on, finding the right shoulder-season crag can make for perfect afternoon climbing while your friends are out skiing on slush. Read more >>
Bozeman Boulders
Directions: Drive north on N. Rouse Ave. Take a right on E. Tamarack St and follow it until it curves right. The boulder will be on your right side after the curve. Read more >>
Directions: Located near the "Bozeman Beach" at the East Gallatin Recreation Area, also known as Glen Lake Park. Drive north on N. Rouse Ave past the interstate. Turn left on E. Griffin Dr. and then take a right on Manley Rd. The lake and road access will be on your right. Look for the sign. Read more >>
Directions: From Main Street head west until it turns into Huffine Ln. Continue on Huffine Ln. past Ace Hardware and turn right onto S. Fowler Ave. Take your first right into Bozeman Pond Park. Read more >>
Langohr Park Boulder is the first of the Bozeman Boulders to be built. It is located on the Gallagator Trail towards the South end at Langohr park. Read more >>
The larger of the two Boulders at the Gallatin County Regional Park. Directions: From Bozeman take Durston Rd. west past 27th St. and turn right on Hunters Way. Take a left on W. Oak St. and then a right on Davis Ln. The park will be on your left side. Read more >>Bozeman Pass
The Bozeman Pass climbing area, known as "The Pass," is located between the Bear Caynon Exit and Trail Creek Exit off Interstate 90. This area has sport routes for the beginner and advanced routes for those pushing the limits (5.6 to 5.13b). Read more >>
Clearly visible from Bozeman, Frog Rock is a beautiful collection of limestone jutting up from the hillsides of Bozeman Pass. Read more >>This summer, the future of one of Bozeman’s most convenient and visible rock climbing sites becomes more certain. For the past 20 years, rock climbers have flocked to the limestone crags of Bozeman Pass, just a quick drive east on I-90 from Bozeman. Read more >>Practice Rock
Practice Rock is a great opportunity to sneak a climb into your day. The cliff offers excellent routes (5.6 to 5.12b, mostly 5.8-5.10b), a short approach, and is one of the closest crags to town. The granite forms long, smooth faces, clean cracks, arêtes, and corners. Read more >>Gallatin Canyon
The Gallatin Canyon has prominent rocky features that will entice the inexperienced and expert rock climber alike. The east side is home to a range of trad routes (Spare Rib, the Waltz, et al), while Gallatin Tower and the Cube are on the west side. Read more >>
After one very early morning phone call to cancel our ice-climbing plans (too warm for ice), Conrad Anker and I agreed to meet at a coffee shop and head out to some rock instead. Read more >>The rock looked flat to me; nothing to grab but tiny protruding nubs. How the hell do people do this? I thought. Our instructor Coop, scampering up the wall easily a few minutes before, had made it look so simple. Read more >>If you want to get in some good rock-climbing without the approach and commitment of an alpine climb, "the Canyon" is your spot. Gallatin Canyon’s gneiss formations are close by, just long and exposed enough to get your heart going, and many climbs see very little traffic. Read more >>Easing over a small roof, I mantle up onto an ice cream sandwich-sized ledge, some 300 feet above the Gallatin River. It's our fourth pitch, and I stand quickly, hips tight to the rock, and grasp for a small egg-sized pebble protruding from the rotten cliff face. Read more >>
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