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Black Rocks 


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Lat, Long: 37.155, -113.6072 Map
Page Views: 36,345. Good page? (3 likes)   
Administrators: Andrew Gram, Perin Blanchard, grk10vq, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Guy H. on Oct 28, 2004

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Closed March 15 through June 30 MORE INFO >>>


Popular toproping area with a minimal approach. C...

Description 

These short, black, basalt walls are located very close to town. A warm micro environment on otherwise cold, sunny, winter days, the area is quite popular.

The area was developed with bolted sport lines in the mid-nineties by Tupper and Goss, but trad lines were done as early as the late eighties by Olvesky.

The routes are easily divided into a southeast-facing Sunny Side and a northwest-facing Shady Side.

The majority of the routes on the Sunny Side are in the 5.8 to 5.10 range. The Shady Side routes range from 5.8 to 5.13, with the largest number in the 5.10 range.

This is a great place after a big rain when all of the area's sandstone is wet, and when it is cold out.


Getting There 

From downtown Saint George, drive north on Bluff Street (don't turn left towards Santa Clara). Drive approximately 1.5 miles past the turn to Snow Canyon State Park, passing the parking area for the Chuckawalla trailhead on the left.

Park here and walk north on the bike trail a hundred feet or so, then branch left onto the canyon trail. The trail crosses a fence with a tortoise barrier.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Black Rocks:
Noahs Ark   5.8     Trad, 40 feet   Sunny Side
Petrophyte    5.8     Trad, 40 feet   Shady Side
Objective Reality   5.9-     Trad, TR, 35 feet   Sunny Side
Welcome to Black Rocks   5.10a     Sport, 50 feet   Shady Side
Keystone Arete   5.10a     Sport, 40 feet   Sunny Side
Moses Had a Stick Clip   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Sunny Side
Extinction   5.10a/b     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Shady Side
Primordial Soup    5.10b     Sport, 40 feet   Shady Side West
Mickey Mantle   5.10b     Sport, 1 pitch, 35 feet   Sunny Side
Galactic Cannibalism   5.10b     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Sunny Side
Dark Matter   5.10c     Sport, 40 feet   Sunny Side
What Was I Thinking   5.10c     Sport, 50 feet   Shady Side
Oh My Hell   5.10c     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Sunny Side
Gravitational Attraction   5.11a/b     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Sunny Side
Flying off the Handle   5.12b     Sport   Shady Side
Browse More Classics in Black Rocks

Featured Route For Black Rocks
Off the Handle 12b and Jumping to conclusions 12c are on this piece of rock

Flying off the Handle 5.12b  UT : Saint George : ... : Shady Side
Amazing basalt climbing through very technical crimps pockets slopers and side pulls. Great crimper crux to chains!...[more]   Browse More Classics in UT


Photos of Black Rocks Slideshow Add Photo
black rocks

black rocks

sunny side and shady side

sunny side and shady side

sunny side

sunny side

shady side

shady side

the sunny side... in late December

the sunny side... in late December

The crew walking the approach to Black Rocks.

The crew walking the approach to Black Rocks.

Traffic jam at the lip of Black Rocks canyon. The place can be a zoo in February...

Traffic jam at the lip of Black Rocks canyon. The ...

Dropping down into Black Rocks canyon. Messner, in the foreground, makes his first rock climbing moves of his 6-month life! Pappa Duece watches the young pup from above.

Dropping down into Black Rocks canyon. Messner, in...


Comments on Black Rocks Add Comment
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By Matt McMurray
From: Castle Rock, CO
Jan 18, 2007

Is it possible to divide this area into the sunny side and shady side, and then group the routes accordingly? It would make it a lot easier for users to plan a trip (rather than looking at every route to determine where it is).

I sure wish these cliffs were taller...

MM

By DanielRich
Nov 19, 2008

I was curious, alot of these routes need slings to toprope. Does anyone know how long the slings need to be?

I was planning a road trip to visit some relatives in st. george and wanted to take some of them climbing while I was there.

By Fett
Nov 8, 2009

I find it strange that people complain about bolted cracks at Crawdad but not here. Seems like the same set up as Crawdad except the fact that you have to pay to climb in Crawdad. Both places are still fun to climb, love the sic nar pockets.

By Matthew Oliver
From: Salt Lake City
Feb 29, 2012

I have not seen anyone mention that this crag is closed from mid March to June 30th every year due to desert wildlife conservation (Desert Tortoise). If you are planning a trip in the spring, count Black Rocks out.

By Chris Celani
From: Ivins, Utah
Jul 25, 2012

Best bet is to use a four foot sling, but you may still get a little rope ware do to some of the angles.

By Natalie Jaime
Nov 22, 2012

Just a word about climbing etiquette: if draws are left up on a climb, they haven't been abandoned, and it does not mean you are entitled to take them. I came back the next day and my draws had been taken off 'Flying off the Handle.' I walked over to the sunny side and asked a group, and they immediately gave them back and said I shouldn't leave my draws in such a popular area. I know you run the risk of getting draws stolen when you leave them up, (in this case it was overnight) but if you take them, it is still stealing. Feel free to use them, but don't steal them. Fun climb! Great work to the gumbie who made it to the top in efforts of stealing on thanksgiving day!