Wondering where to rock climb in Golden, CO? Here are the best beginner-friendly climbing crags and gyms in Golden! Grab your climbing gear and set out for North Table Mountain, Clear Creek Canyon & Movement Golden.
Golden, Colorado
An actual paradise for outdoor lovers, adventurers, foodies, and history buffs. Golden is part of the Denver metro area, yet it is quite literally surrounded by mountains–the most imposing being Lookout Mountain to the west. With its proximity to countless hiking trails, its old main street lined with shops and restaurants, and of course the Coors Brewery, you will certainly find yourself visiting again and again.
Done exploring Golden? Head next door to Morrison, CO, and check out my post on Morrison Boulders Rock Climbing
Best Climbing Areas in Golden
Because of its average of 245 sunny days per year, Golden is a year-round hot spot for rock climbing on Colorado’s front range–consequently, if you decide to go climbing in Golden on the weekend, expect a crowd! However, on weekdays and early mornings, you should be able to find some solitude.
Here are the Golden, CO climbing areas you will find in this post:
- Golden Cliffs/North Table Mountain
- Clear Creek Canyon
- Movement Golden
- Lookout Mountain
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- The Spot Golden
1. Golden Cliffs/North Table Mountain Climbing
Golden Cliffs is a year-round sport and trad climbing spot on North Table Mountain. Because of its ease of access coupled with its proximity to Denver, climbers flock here in impressive numbers. One of the most popular areas is Brown Cloud Rocks, due to its large amount of beginner routes and being the closest wall to the parking area. If there is a crowd, just keep walking west–the trail continues quite a ways and there are plenty of routes for everyone.
Getting there: Take the dirt road at the end of Peery Parkway. There are two parking lots–the main lot, and the upper overflow lot (the upper lot is sometimes closed in winter).
Approach: The trail to the crag is relatively short but steep, so you may find yourself huffing and puffing! Given that there is full sun exposure the whole way up with almost no shade, be sure to wear your SPF.
2. Clear Creek Canyon Climbing
If climbers flock to North Table Mountain, then they most definitely swarm to Clear Creek Canyon, and for good reason. As a gorgeous and mostly sunny canyon close to Denver, this is a sport climber’s promised land. Creek Side, Catslab, and East Colfax are all popular areas for beginners, however, the list of areas to climb in Clear Creek Canyon goes on and on! Note: It is not uncommon to be waiting in line for some of the area’s more popular climbs, so plan accordingly.
Getting there: Take US 6 west out of Golden. There are various pullouts along the road for parking, but spots can fill up quickly. There is almost always construction going on in the canyon, so as a result you may get stuck in traffic.
Approach: A lot of the approaches are short and easy, resulting in about 5 to 10-minute walks to the crag. A few of the tougher crags require tyrolean traverses over the creek in order to reach them, which involves using a fixed line to cross from one point to another.
3. Movement Golden Indoor Rock Climbing Gym
Too cold or windy in Golden for outdoor climbing? Then head inside! Movement Golden (formerly Earth Treks) is an indoor climbing gym with both rope climbing and bouldering. The 2-story gym has over 27,000 square feet of climbing. With grades ranging from intro level to advanced, climbers of all skill levels will undeniably have plenty to climb here.
Getting there: The gym is located at 600 Golden Ridge Rd, Golden, CO 80401. There is a large parking lot.
Cost: A day pass costs $27. They also offer memberships.
BONUS: Lookout Mountain Crag
The Lookout Mountain Crag faces Clear Creek Canyon on Lookout Mountain Road. There are a handful of easy trad routes, mostly graded 5.7 through 5.9. You can set up top ropes for many of the routes. Be careful getting down to the wall, as it is very steep and scrambly. Parking for the crag is a pullout on the right, about 1.8 miles up from the exit on 6th Avenue.
BONUS: Golden Gate Canyon State Park
There are some rock climbing routes in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. A fee is required to park. Most climbs are located at Dude’s Throne located near the parking area for Dude’s Fishing Hole by the Aspen Meadow Campground. The crag can be seen from the parking lot and is accessed by a climber’s trail.
BONUS: The Spot Golden Indoor Rock Climbing Gym
The Spot Golden is an 11,000 sq. ft. indoor bouldering gym located at 1391 Brickyard Rd, Golden, CO 90403. A day pass is $25, and they offer memberships.
Our favorite climbing gear for beginners
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- Beginner climbing shoes:
- Men: La Sportiva Tarantulace climbing shoes – comparatively cheap climbing shoes that are great for beginner climbers
- Women: Evolv Elektra climbing shoes – comfy & easy shoes for starting out. You’ll never want to give these up!
- Climbing harness: Spend a little more money on a climbing harness for more safety and better adjusting for fit. Cheaper harnesses can be bulky and uncomfortable.
- Climbing chalk bag: Chalk bag with smartphone pocket – there is no need to spend a lot of money on a chalk bag. This one has a pocket for your phone!
- Climbing chalk: Climbing chalk – don’t spend a lot of money on chalk.
Golden rock climbing guide books
This Golden Climbing Guide by Fixed Pin Publishing covers North Table Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Golden Gate Canyon, and Morrison (check out the post I made on Morrison Boulders!)
For Clear Creek Canyon climbing, this Rock Climbing Clear Creek Canyon guide book by Fixed Pin Publishing covers it the best!
Best climbing apps
- Best outdoor rock climbing app: Mountain Project is the best rock climbing app available at this time. You can find Golden, CO climbing routes and photos, and especially helpful, you can find experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Climbing areas can be downloaded for offline use in case you are out of service.
- Best indoor rock climbing app: The best indoor rock climbing app is Kaya. On this climbing app, you can find beta for indoor bouldering and indoor rope climbing and track your progress, so you can get better at rock climbing!
In contrast, if you prefer a more old-school approach, there are a variety of guidebooks available for Colorado rock climbing. These are extremely helpful if you are in areas with little or no service.
Where to rock climb in Golden, CO
To conclude, Golden, Colorado is one of the best destinations in Colorado for outdoor rock climbing as well as indoor rock climbing. Whether you choose North Table Mountain climbing or Clear Creek Canyon climbing, you certainly won’t be disappointed!
Done exploring Golden? Head next door to Morrison, CO, and check out my post on Morrison Boulders Rock Climbing
