Mountain Project: Climbing SF Bay Area

Castle Rock State Park is one of the larger climbing regions in the area, hosting a variety of sport, trad, boulding and top rope problems.

The rock is mostly sandstone, making it fairly easy on the hands and dynos quite slap happy.

Access into the main park will cost you a couple of dollars, but that shouldn't deter you. If money is a concern, you can also park outside the main area and walk into the park.

The bouldering at Castle Rock is some of the best in the state, if not the whole western U.S.

Getting There

From the North: Drive to the town of Saratoga, which is located a little southwest of San Jose. Find Saratoga by heading south on the 101 a little past the Dumbarton Bridge. Take the 85 south exit, which is also the Cupertino / Santa Cruz exit. Take 85 south for about 10 miles, and exit on Saratoga Ave. Go right onto Saratoga, and follow this road through town. Saratoga Ave becomes Hwy 9, or Big Basin Way. Go up the mountain, and hang a left on Skyline Boulevard (35), which will be the 1st major intersection out of town. The main park is about 2.5 miles up on the right side, and is prominently marked.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Castle Rock State Park:

The Spoon V1 Boulder, 10 feet The Spoon

Waimea Wall V1 Boulder Castle Rock Proper

Mr Magoo V2 Trad, Boulder, 10 feet Magoos, The

Tree Problem V4 Boulder, 20 feet Parking Lot Rock

Bates Arete V4 R Boulder, 10 feet Bates Arete Boulder

Waimea Arete V5 Boulder Castle Rock Proper

Hueco Slap V5 Boulder, 12 feet Magoos, The

Bates Eliminate V7-8 Boulder, 10 feet Magoos, The

University of Santa Clara Practice Climb 1 5.8 Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet Summit Rock - Castle Rock

The Greeboo 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

The Falls 5.10a R Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

Puckered Starfish 5.10a Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet Indian Rock - Castle Rock

Degeneration 5.10a Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

The Great Roof 5.10b TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet Goat Rock

The Oracle 5.11a Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

Putrefaction 5.11a Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

Clamydia 5.11d Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Castle Rock Waterfall Cliff...

Krokus 5.11d R Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet Indian Rock - Castle Rock

Skill Saw Gourmet 5.11d Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Summit Rock - Castle Rock

Donkey Dong 5.12a Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet Indian Rock - Castle Rock

Featured Route For Castle Rock State Park

Me doing the f.a.(?) of the long and pumpy "Sticky Green Traverse"!

The Sticky Green Traverse V6 CA : SF Bay Area : ... : Muffins, The

Stand start on a good "old" V3(?) pocket problem on the right side of the face and do the first couple "hard" moves up the V3 then instead of topping it out traverse left all the way to the moss before the tree and then pull onto the slab to finish - classic slopers and pockets! ...[more] Browse More Classics in CA

Comments on Castle Rock State Park

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By Blitzo
Sep 12, 2006

The rock here, although short, is pretty cool. The forest is beautiful! The bugs get annoying and the yellowjackets are vicious!

By Tevis Blom
From: Boulder
Dec 24, 2007

After learning to climb around here, I moved to Colorado... I would definitely recommend leaving the Bay Area if you want to be a climber.

By Aron Quiter
Administrator
From: Berkeley, CA
Jan 5, 2008

Yosemite?

By K Ice
From: Saint Paul, MN
Apr 17, 2008

This area has really cool rock formations. The park service has put together a very nice pamphlet on how it's formed that you can buy for just $2. Check it out!

By Colin Simon
From: Boulder, CO
May 5, 2009

Hah, I learned to climb at Castle and also moved to Boulder. And yeah, it's way, way better here.

By drunkenmaster
From: santa rosa, cali
Nov 13, 2009

the bay area rocks! all you haters - stay in boulder with all the other snobby lizard people.

Castle has some great problems!

By Timmy! Tormey
From: Fakeville, USA
Nov 23, 2009

I'm not sure if the boulder dudes are serious or not. Creeping on their photos for a while only produced pictures of climbing in far away areas (Indian Creek is 7? hours from boulder) and the greasy traverse in boulder notorious for getting smeared with poo poo from time to time. If that's what you're referring to as 'way, way better'...

On the positive side... I stumbled upon this park with my friend about 6 or 7 years ago and it seemed quite nice. It was very peaceful.

By munge
Jan 17, 2010

Tick Marks are not an accepted practice at CRSP without sufficient water or wiping off to remove their presence before moving to a new problem.

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Castle Rock State Park

Description

Getting There

The Classics