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As you head east toward the Mississippi River, Iowa’s excellent rock climbing opportunities emerge in the landscape. Featuring sport, top-rope, and bouldering opportunities, every rock climbing route in Iowa is surrounded by stunning scenery to enjoy in between the climbs. Be sure to check out the Iowa Climber’s Coalition for advice on how to make your experience safe! Here are five of the coolest rock climbing spots in the state.
Backbone State Park is not only one of Iowa’s most popular and scenic state parks, but it’s also home to some of the best rock climbing opportunities in Iowa. Featuring limestone dolomite that lends towards the backbone of Devil’s Backbone, the rock climbing at this scenic state park can keep any vertical seeker busy throughout the day. Climbers must register at the park office before gaining their elevation, and proper experience is needed to hang from the harness, but gain the necessary knowledge and tools, and Backbone State Park will stand tall as the best rock climbing spot in Iowa.
Located a stone’s throw away from Indian Bluffs Recreation Area, Pictured Rocks of Monticello offers the perfect landscape for some of Iowa’s best climbing. Steep limestone bluffs define the natural scene surrounding the Maquoketa River, lending towards plenty of vertical options to explore. With over 60 routes to conquer, Pictured Rocks is home to Iowa’s densest collection of rock climbing routes, making it one of the most popular climbing spots in the state. With so many routes to share, plus plenty of beautiful scenery to admire while waiting between climbs, even on a busy weekend for the wall, Pictured Rocks provides for a very memorable experience.
Featuring mainly top-rope routes that require proper anchor building, Palisades Kepler State Park is a fun place to visit for a variety of outdoor activities. Hiking, camping, and river recreation are just a few of the other activities recommended to tack onto your rock climbing experience at Palisades Kepler. The rock climbing routes at Palisades Kepler lend towards all skill levels of climbers, though a base knowledge is needed to proceed with safety. Palisades Kepler can provide a very memorable Iowa climbing experience.
Accessed from the town of Monticello, Indian Bluffs provides some great sport routes for anyone to enjoy. Featuring over 20 named limestone routes to choose from, the vertical at Indian Bluffs overlooks the Maquoketa River and caters towards all abilities of rock climbing. It’s a small hike to the base of the climbs, but the scenery surrounding this rock climbing spot in Iowa is worth exploring for a while.
Also located alongside the Maquoketa River in Eastern Iowa, Joinerville Park is a popular place for bouldering, and has very limited if not non-existent opportunities to tie into a harness. Despite the lack of vertical, the bouldering at Joinerville is some of the best in the state, and alongside a couple of crash pads and some chalk, Joinerville Park can provide a fun-filled day to remember. There are over 60 named bouldering routes to explore in Joinerville, spanning a wide variety of skill levels, and plenty of variations to discover yourself. Whether it’s your intro to rock climbing, or you’re looking for some hard problems to solve, Joinerville Park stands a tall chance for being your new favorite climbing spot in Iowa.
