Mountain Project: Climbing SF Bay Area > Castle Rock & Sanborn-Skyline Parks

Castle Rock State Park is one of the larger climbing regions in the area, hosting a variety of sport, trad, boulding and top rope problems.

The rock is mostly sandstone, making it fairly easy on the hands and dynos quite slap happy.

Access into the main park will cost you a couple of dollars, but that shouldn't deter you. If money is a concern, you can also park outside the main area and walk into the park.

The bouldering at Castle Rock is some of the best in the state, if not the whole western U.S.

Getting There

From the North: Drive to the town of Saratoga, which is located a little southwest of San Jose. Find Saratoga by heading south on the 101 a little past the Dumbarton Bridge. Take the 85 south exit, which is also the Cupertino / Santa Cruz exit. Take 85 south for about 10 miles, and exit on Saratoga Ave. Go right onto Saratoga, and follow this road through town. Saratoga Ave becomes Hwy 9, or Big Basin Way. Go up the mountain, and hang a left on Skyline Boulevard (35), which will be the 1st major intersection out of town. The main park is about 2.5 miles up on the right side, and is prominently marked.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Castle Rock & Sanborn-Skyline Parks:

The Spoon V1 Boulder, 10 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : The Spoon

Waimea Wall V1 Boulder Castle Rock Proper

Bates Arete V4 R Boulder, 10 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : Bates Arete Boulder

Tree Problem V4 Boulder, 20 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : Parking Lot Rock

Yabo Roof V5 Boulder, 10 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : Parking Lot Rock

Waimea Arete V5 Boulder Castle Rock Proper

Hueco Slap V5 Boulder, 12 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : The Magoos

The Sticky Green Traverse V6 Boulder The Muffins

Deforestation V7+ Boulder, 14 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : Parking Lot Rock

Bates Eliminate V7-8 Boulder, 10 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : The Magoos

360 Degree Traverse V8 Boulder, 10 feet * Castle Rock Bouldering : 360 Degree Boulder

University of Santa Clara Practice Climb 1 5.8 Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet Summit Rock

Degeneration 5.10a Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet Waterfall Cliff

The Falls 5.10a R Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet Waterfall Cliff

The Great Roof 5.10b TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet Goat Rock

Rectalphobiac 5.11b R Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet Summit Rock

Clamydia 5.11d Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Waterfall Cliff

Skill Saw Gourmet 5.11d Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Summit Rock

Krokus 5.11d R Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet Indian Rock

Center Route 5.12a Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet Chew Tooth

Featured Route For Castle Rock & Sanborn-Skyline Parks

Mike Arechiga below the crux of "Clamydia" (5.11d) at CR Falls, Castle Rock State Park, California. The route is harder now due to broken holds.

Clamydia 5.11d CA : SF Bay Area : ... : Waterfall Cliff

This is a superb route requiring strong fingers, strong arms, and good balance and technique. The climb is found just right of the 5.7 Lieback corner route about in the middle of the cliff. The "clams" is an obvious rock formation about 35' up. Getting to the first bolt and past, to rest on ramp, is steep and fingery. Moving from the second to third bolt is a very difficult short traverse left to right on tiny holds. Moving up to the "clams" is a stumper! Moving past the "clams" requires i...[more] Browse More Classics in CA

Comments on Castle Rock & Sanborn-Skyline Parks

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Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Nov 6, 2012

By Blitzo
Sep 12, 2006

The rock here, although short, is pretty cool. The forest is beautiful! The bugs get annoying and the yellowjackets are vicious!

By Tevis Blom
Dec 24, 2007

After learning to climb around here, I moved to Colorado... I would definitely recommend leaving the Bay Area if you want to be a climber.

By Aron Quiter
Administrator
From: Berkeley, CA
Jan 5, 2008

Yosemite?

By K Ice
From: Saint Paul, MN
Apr 17, 2008

This area has really cool rock formations. The park service has put together a very nice pamphlet on how it's formed that you can buy for just $2. Check it out!

By Colin Simon
From: Boulder, CO
May 5, 2009

Hah, I learned to climb at Castle and also moved to Boulder. And yeah, it's way, way better here.

By drunkenmaster
From: santa rosa, cali
Nov 13, 2009

the bay area rocks! all you haters - stay in boulder with all the other snobby lizard people.

Castle has some great problems!

By Timmy! Tormey
From: Fakeville, USA
Nov 23, 2009

I'm not sure if the boulder dudes are serious or not. Creeping on their photos for a while only produced pictures of climbing in far away areas (Indian Creek is 7? hours from boulder) and the greasy traverse in boulder notorious for getting smeared with poo poo from time to time. If that's what you're referring to as 'way, way better'...

On the positive side... I stumbled upon this park with my friend about 6 or 7 years ago and it seemed quite nice. It was very peaceful.

By munge
Jan 17, 2010

Tick Marks are not an accepted practice at CRSP without sufficient water or wiping off to remove their presence before moving to a new problem.

By nono
Feb 4, 2011

Any good camping nearby?

By Gary L. Reno
Feb 10, 2011

Castle is a great place to climb. Expecially for those who need a break from Yosemite. I have never been to Fountaineblaeu, but I've been told Castle mirrors it. Maybe its not so grandiose, but maybe a great place to train?

By Brian Snider
From: NorCal
Feb 16, 2011

Your best camping option is in the park. There is a hike in campground 2.8 miles from the parking lot. It's a nice little spot that is rarely busy. Memorial Day weekend and we were only one of three groups in the whole camp ground.

By Josterling
Nov 6, 2012

Found Some gear below Greeboo Route On the water fall cliff. if you have lost your gear give me an email Jordanius@live.com and let me know what you lost ill get it back to you. or call me 805-835-1626

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Castle Rock & Sanborn-Skyline Parks

Description

Getting There

The Classics