The must-climb bouldering spot in each state

I'm taking a working road trip throughout the country and will hit more than half of the states, but am not sure exactly which ones yet. I'll be solo most the time, so sticking to bouldering. If I could only go to one place in each state, which one would it be?

Don't miss Gold Bar Boulders and ?? in Washington state. And while you're in the Northwest you'd do well to hit up the bouldering in Squamish as well.

Just a couple places I've been to:

New Hampshire: Pawtuckaway
Rhode Island: Lincoln Woods
New York: Gunks
Massachusetts: Farley (find a local to show you around)
Alabama: Horsepens

If you are traveling around, a copy of Tim Toula's climbing atlas "Rock and Road" is worthy purchasing. It is getting a bit old and is being replaced by Mountain Project, but it is still a worthy resource.

Check out John Sherman's book called Stone Crusades. I can't believe I did all that work on the other post and you changed it to bouldering. This is a much larger can of worms that you are opening here. Almost every state has boulders, even Kansas. Not every state has sport climbing cliffs.

Best of the USA Bouldering

Hueco Tanks Texas
Bishop California
Joe's Valley Utah
LRC Tennessee
Horse Pens Alabama
RMNP/ MT. Evans Colorado

If your traveling during the hotter summer months Squamish, BC. is a great option.

When will you be doing your road trip? Season matters. Joe's Valley here in Utah is awesome for spring and fall but super hot in summer and an ice climbing destination in winter.

Governor Dodge, Wisco

Mass - Farley AND Great Barrington
CT - Bradley Mountain

The Pond in NM, Priest Draw in AZ, Rumbling Bald in NC, Bishop in CA.

I've been thinking about a similar topic for a few weeks now. My wife and I are keeping track of how many of the 50 states we've been to, and I thought, "Hey, why not try to climb something in each of the 50 states." One of the problems is that we've both been to something like 26 or 27 states, but have only climbed in 4 states. We'd have to revisit some of those states to climb.

Now, a second problem was that I didn't want to climb just any pile of choss, but I wanted to climb something good, so I started doing some research on MP.com, looking up the best climbing in each state. The problem is that not all the states have climbing in them according to MP.com (there are probably boulders in almost all of them, but I have no way of knowing...). I haven't gotten so desperate to look on the other site yet.

It was at this time, that I also gave up on the dream (that was really just more of a piqued interest) to visit the 50 high points. I don't want to be sneaking around in people's backyards. Maybe I should visit each point over 1000 ft....

Anyway, when I get a little free time, I look up another state's best crags (according to MP.com). What it's turned into is more just a "best of" for some of the states. (Doing CA, UT, and CO has been tough, so they are very incomplete.)

This list has turned out to serve as a consolation for me, for if I have to move to some far-off place with "no climbing". Someday I'll have to stop being a professional student and get a job. I recently moved from UT to PA, so this has served to keep the psych up during those times where I don't have time for a road trip. As of now, the list is very incomplete, but I intend to finish it and try to climb in some of the best places in the country little by little.

There isn't a whole lot of bouldering, but Illinois's Jackson Falls is one of the most beautiful climbing areas I've ever been to

Kraft boulderfield in Red Rock, Las Vegas, NV

NC and the southeast have some of the better spots in the whole country. It's all Nov-March but sometimes it's not easy to find free or even cheap camping.

There is a gluttonous amount of fantastic bouldering in Cody, WY. Fantastic place to hit with very few other people around. Great guidebook, as well.

Here's a more obscure one for you. I grew up in northern Ohio and there are a couple of small OK spots. Definitely not a destination spot, but if you are trying to climb in all 50 states, I would recommend Whipps Ledges in Hinckley, OH. Its got some pretty good bouldering and up to 35-40' cliffs of sandstone.

I would say Devils Lake over Govenor Dodge for wisconsin, just for quality of rock and volume. If you're going to Minnesota at all go to Taylors Falls, but its all polished as hell and really slick unless you're getting on super hard stuff. the only other options in MN are really far up north...

Evan Sanders wrote:There isn't a whole lot of bouldering, but Illinois's Jackson Falls is one of the most beautiful climbing areas I've ever been to

Yagi wrote:There is a gluttonous amount of fantastic bouldering in Cody, WY. Great guidebook, as well.

BackCountry wrote: Which guidebook? I been meaning to get up there...

NC...Hound Ears, but make sure you come on the right day as it is only open one day a year (to those that don't live there). Otherwise, I'd say Rumbling Bald (winter) or Grandmother (summer).

Southeast boulders...
NC-Rumbling Bald
SC-Jedi
GA-Rocktown and Boat Rock
TN-Little Rock City and Lilly
AL-HP40
VA-Grayson Highlands

Bouldering USA is a little outdated, but still a good reference if you want a general overview of the US.