Best mountain towns for climbing
Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the climbing scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.
- Gallatin ValleyBozeman & Big Sky — the Bridger, Gallatin & Madison ranges.8 groups
- Fort CollinsColorado State University — the Poudre River & canyon, Horsetooth & Lory.7 groups
- BendCentral Oregon — Phil’s trails, Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock & the Deschutes.5 groups
- LanderThe Wind River Range — Sinks Canyon, Wild Iris & NOLS.5 groups
- SpokaneInland Northwest hub — the Spokane River, Mt. Spokane & Riverside State Park.5 groups
- WenatcheeNorth Central Washington — Sage Hills, Leavenworth’s Icicle Canyon & Mission Ridge.5 groups
- BoulderCU Boulder — the Flatirons, Chautauqua & Boulder Creek.4 groups
- CodyYellowstone’s east gate — the Absarokas, the Shoshone River & South Fork ice.4 groups
- Colorado SpringsPikes Peak — Garden of the Gods, the Incline & Manitou Springs.4 groups
- EugeneTrackTown USA — the University of Oregon, the McKenzie & the Willamette.4 groups
- MissoulaUniversity of Montana town — the Rattlesnake, Bitterroot & Clark Fork.4 groups
- North IdahoCoeur d’Alene & Sandpoint — Schweitzer, Lake Pend Oreille & the Panhandle.4 groups
- PocatelloIdaho State University town — the Portneuf Range, City Creek & Pebble Creek.4 groups
- ProvoBYU — Mount Timpanogos, Provo Canyon & Utah Lake.4 groups
- SeattleThe Mountaineers & WTA — the Cascades, the Olympics & Puget Sound.4 groups
The 15 towns where we track the most recurring climbing groups (of 61 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.