Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Elevation: 5,345 ft
GPS: 40.2229, -105.27
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 1,116,153 total · 5,080/month
Shared By: John McNamee on Mar 2, 2006
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

Lyons is a small town of approximately 1500 people located North of Boulder but part of Boulder County. It lies at the downhill end of the canyon connecting with Estes Park.

While there may be no towering cliffs here, there is some interesting climbing for those with patience to search out the hidden gems. The area nearby includes a variety of rock types, from Dakota Sandstone, a variety of sandstone layers in the cliffs just NW of town, coarse granite of the S. St. Vrain Canyon, and the smoother granite in the Button Rock area. Some of the rock here overlaps the descriptions of the Estes Valley area.

Getting There Suggest change

From Boulder follow US 36 north for approximately 10 miles. Watch out for cyclists!

Map of Lyons

Food

Suggest change
Lyons is oddly a culinary hotspot which draws gourmands from a far.

Restaurants here include: Ophelia's Kitchen (burritos), Dairy Delight (for greasy burgers or soft serve), a great little Mexican restaurant (Cilantro Mary's), Soda Fountain (breakfast & sandwiches), the family restaurant (formerly the Outlaw, now Linda & Jeana's), Kokopelli's Italian, Oskar Blues Bar & Grill, Gateway Cafe (need reservations on popular evenings) ($$$), Andrea's ($$$), Black Bear Inn ($$$$)....

For ice cream, Lyons Dairy Bar has replaced the Dairy Delite.

Tubing/Waterfun

Suggest change
To be the heat after climbing on hot days, you can tube the St. Vrain after the spring runoff. Some put in above Lyons, on the south side (public land) of US 36. Some put in at the park northwest of the intersection of CO 7 and the St. Vrain. You can pullout at Bond Park.

Innertubes are sometimes sold in town for as low as $12.

Climbing Gear Resources

Suggest change
Estes Park Mountain Shop (US 34 near the dam on Lake Estes) has discount prices and decent selection and a small, indoor gym. Trail Ridge Outfitter's is another climbing shop located downtown on Elkhorn near Ed's Cantina with a small gym as well.

Neptune Mountaineering (Table Mesa Shopping Center). It is the oldest climbing shop in Boulder and has a great selection of gear and a knowledgeable staff. Thursday night slide shows are often with world-famous climbers. Check out their climbing museum: photos and climbing memorabilia from all over the world, including Edmund Hillary's boots, and a photo of Gaston Rebuffat running it out with just a hemp rope tied around his waist!

Rock and Resole was originally primarily a rock and ice boot resoler. As of 2017, they have become an "outfitter" carrying shoes, tools, aid gear, bouldering gear, cams, and ropes.

Bent Gate Mountaineering on Washington St. carries rock, bouldering, ice, and snow gear and is the closest gear shop in Golden.

REI, a long time outdoor co-op, located in various locations including Denver, Boulder, and Westminster, carries rock, snow, and ice gear.

768 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Lyons Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at Lyons

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V4 6B PG13
 25
Big Cat
Boulder
V6 7A
 28
Hyperion Proboscis
Boulder
V10 7C+
 9
Get Over It
Boulder
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 125
Upside The Cranium
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 179
Introducing Meteor Dad
Sport
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 24
Pocket Hercules
Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 273
Redneck Hero
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R
 44
Neurosurgeon
Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 72
Temptation Arete
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 35
Big, Big, Monkey Man
Trad
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 46
Old Yellar
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 53
New Horizon
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 31
Botany of Desire
Sport
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
 21
Brother From Another Planet
Sport
5.13b/c 8a+ 29 X- 30 E7 6c
 32
Le Diamant E'ternal
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Big Cat Lion's Den
 25
V4 6B PG13 Boulder
Hyperion Proboscis Lion's Den
 28
V6 7A Boulder
Get Over It St Vrain Canyons > … > Big Elk Meadows… > Double Trouble Boulder
 9
V10 7C+ Boulder
Upside The Cranium St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vr… > Monkey Skull
 125
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Introducing Meteor Dad St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 179
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Pocket Hercules St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 24
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Redneck Hero St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 273
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Neurosurgeon St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 44
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R Trad
Temptation Arete St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vr… > Trojan Bunny Buttress
 72
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Big, Big, Monkey Man St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 35
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Trad
Old Yellar St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > Old Yellar Dome
 46
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
New Horizon St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 53
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Botany of Desire St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vr… > Trojan Bunny Buttress
 31
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Brother From Another Planet St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 21
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport
Le Diamant E'ternal St Vrain Canyons > … > Longmont Reserv… > River Wall II
 32
5.13b/c 8a+ 29 X- 30 E7 6c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Lyons »

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

loading