Much Of America's Best Rock Climbing Is In This Colorado Mountain Park With Ice Caves And Surreal Beauty

Considered by some as the country's best limestone climbing area, Rifle Mountain Park is a climber's paradise located in Rifle, Colorado. Just over 16 miles north of I-70, the park is accessed through the town of Rifle via State Highway 13 to 325. Grand Junction Regional Airport and Eagle County Airport are domestic airports providing quicker routes for visitors, but the nearest international airport is Denver International, 206 miles east.

Rifle Mountain Park is a prime destination for climbers in search of technical routes. With around 500 routes from 5.7 to 5.15a, including 250 bolted routes, the limestone canyon walls provide opportunities for powerful climbing sequences. The park is home to one of the largest concentrations of 5.13-5.14 sport routes in the country. The variation of slightly to very overhanging climbs and short and long routes are plentiful in Rifle's classic areas like Ruckman Cave and Wasteland.

Wasteland, for example, is home to iconic routes like Never Believe (5.12d) and The Beast (5.13a). Guided climbing trips in Rifle Mountain Park are also offered by local Colorado companies like Denver Mountain Guiding. Pack some essentials for a quick and easy camping retreat in Rifle Mountain Park's primitive camping spots. Day passes to the park are just $10, with an additional $20 for camping passes. If Rifle Mountain Park's infamous rock climbing gets too strenuous, visitors may find relief just an hour away in Glenwood Springs at the world's largest mineral pool along Colorado's historic hot springs loop.

Though the park is internationally renowned for its epic rock climbing, that isn't the only thing that draws visitors worldwide. In the winter months in Rifle, world-class rock climbing turns into world-class ice climbing. From late December through February, the park isn't as crowded, offering reliable ice climbing and ice cave exploring. Ice climbing in Rifle Mountain Park rivals one of the ultimate places to visit on a trip to Colorado, Ouray Ice Park.

Rifle Mountain Park features four stunning ice caves along Kopers Trail, a clearly marked trailhead just a short drive past the entrance. The trail spans 3.7 miles out and back and has a 561-foot elevation gain. The four caves, Ice Palace, Final Curtain, Stone Tree, and Soul on Ice, are stunning turquoise sheets of ice formed from the park's waterfalls.

Ice climbing in the park ranges from WI4+-6 with seven total climbs. Even if you're not up for a climb on the giant ice formations in the park, walking or climbing into the ice caves is an adventure all its own. Some of the caves have a more obvious, open entrance, while some are just a small sliver between the limestone and ice. For first-timers, private route guides and instructors are available online and locally around the town of Rifle. If you prefer to go it alone, downloadable climbing maps are a great idea since some Reddit users report no cell service in the park.