City of Rocks and Castle Rock State Park

The City of Rocks and Castle Rocks State Park is your essential companion for the amazing granite climbing in the high desert of southern Idaho, one of the most popular summer rock-climbing areas in the Rocky Mountain West. Other landmarks have been christened «City of Rocks,» but to climbers this one is THE City. It’s been called America’s premiere granite sport-climbing area – and just as often praised for its unique trad climbing. With more than 1000 routes to choose from, you can crimp overhanging patina, grunt up an offwidth, cruise a multi-pitch 5.8, or summit a dramatic spire – all within a short walk of your campsite. Nearby you’ll find historic inscriptions, hikes, mountain biking, and the funky Western town of Almo to keep you supplied and entertained on rest days.

Also included here is the sweet climbing at nearby Castle Rocks State Park. With a different, quieter vibe than the roadside crags in the City, Castle Rocks is a worthy destination in itself, with over 300 routes up to three pitches long, featuring many moderate climbs with a more ‚modern,‘ novice-friendly equipping style.

New for this edition are dozens of close-up photos of base areas at popular crags, plus all-new beta for exploratory backcountry areas in the City, Graham Creek, and northern Castle Rock. The access, beta, and maps have all been updated and there are new action photos to inspire your next trip to the City. We are using flexi-bind binding for this new edition to ensure that your book will last for many years of hard use.

2nd edition 2025
334 page, Colour photos and topos throughout