Wild Basin Climbing

This digital Wild Basin climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Wild Basin days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

A timed entry permit is required to enter Wild Basin during the busy season. Please visit recreation.gov for more details on how to acquire such a permit. Wild Basin is a dark and wild corner of the park, home to bears, elk, and mountain lions. Bounded on the north by Longs Peak, to the west by the Continental Divide, and to the south by the Elk Tooth, it sits on the southernmost boundary of RMNP. For years climbers walked past the numerous scattered erratics and mini-talus fields dotting the forests and hillsides. Today, it is one of the most popular bouldering destinations... Show more

This digital Wild Basin climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Wild Basin days smoother, safer, and more dialed. A timed entry permit is required to enter Wild Basin during the busy season. Please visit recreation.gov for more details on how to acquire such a permit. Wild Basin is a dark and wild corner of the park, home to bears, elk, and mountain lions. Bounded on the north by Longs Peak, to the west by the Continental Divide, and to the south by the Elk Tooth, it sits on the southernmost boundary of RMNP. For years climbers walked past the numerous scattered erratics and mini-talus fields dotting the forests and hillsides. Today, it is one of the most popular bouldering destinations in Colorado. There are many incredible boulders hiding in the woods of “The Basin.” Not all are documented here in an effort to preserve some of its wild nature, but many amazing problems have been established in the last few years and this section attempts to document the most well known of those efforts. Season: Wild Basin is best in the fall, particularly late September through October. The road remains open until late October, the aspen are beautiful and the temperatures are crisp. Spring can see good days, but by the time the gate has opened, the hot summer weather has rolled in. It possible to climb in Wild Basin in the summer, but it will be hot. Winter is cold and snowy, and most of the boulders are buried, particularly on the south side of the river. Directions and Approach from Boulder, CO: Wild Basin is approached via the southernmost entrance to the east side of RMNP. Head W on Hwy 36 for 14 miles to the town of Lyons. Turn left at the first light, staying on Hwy 36. Drive through the Lyons business district. This is the last place to stock up on food and gas until Wild Basin. Stay in the left lane, and turn left on Hwy 7 towards Allenspark. Follow Hwy 7 through the scenic south St. Vrain Canyon for 20.5 mile to the Wild Basin Entrance of RMNP. Turn left, and take County Rd. 84 for 0.4 mile. Turn right, following signs, to the Wild Basin Ranger Station. An entrance fee is required. The CO-115 is a narrow dirt road that dead ends at a major trailhead. The road is passable for vehicles of normal clearance. In the summer and on the weekends, the last parking lot can fill up for hours, and there is no shuttle bus. Plan your trip accordingly. All of the bouldering described here begins at the Wild Basin Ranger Station.