Parking listed elsewhere is on private property MORE INFO >>>
Commonly known access for this area is on/through private property. Please carefully read alternative directions listed for accessing Main Wall Left.
BETA PHOTO: Overview of the approach up to the Main Wall.
Description
Box Springs Mountain Park in Riverside offers some very nice climbing on good granite, if you don’t mind short climbs. There are some walls of greater height but they are in more remote locations and are to my knowledge undeveloped. Six main walls lie within easy access, surrounded by many smaller boulders, offering great potential for bouldering problems. Most of the climbs are bolted sport routes but there are a few nice cracks that protect well on gear. There are several TR problems but then most of the lines in Box Springs can be easily set up for top-rope. Although certainly not a destination crag, Box Springs is a great place to spend the day when the more popular spots in Southern California are experiencing highs in the 40’s or 50’s; Riverside tends to be 10 or more degrees warmer than the high desert. There are potential access problems for the climbing areas of Box Springs; please be sure to read the following directions as well as any access updates that may be posted.
A note regarding star ratings: The routes here are very short and it has been my experience that most climbers don’t think much of short routes. Therefore they tend to be quite stingy when it comes to awarding stars. I have always held that star ratings should be specific to the area; call it a suggestion as to the better (or worse) climbs in that area. That being said, a 4 star climb in an area such as this probably could never compare to even a 2 star route in Owens or Williamson. But even a one star route in Box Springs has something fun or challenging to offer and is worthy of a go.
Getting There
Box Springs Mountain Park is located just off the CA-60 in Riverside, on the flanks of Box Springs Mountain, up behind the UC Riverside. If coming from LA or points north, take the CA-60 east and exit to Blaine St. east. If coming from points south or east (San Diego, Moreno Valley), take the CA-60 west and exit Watkins Dr. north. This takes you through a residential neighborhood with plenty of stop signs but avoids most of the aggravation of the perpetually-under-construction CA-60. From Watkins, turn right on Blaine. Park at the wide gravel area at the end of Blaine.
Note: While there is a closer parking area listed elsewhere, it requires parking on and walking through private property. Although the use of this undeveloped house lot is apparently okay with the owners, I would advise that we avoid potential problems and park at the end of Blaine. The extra 5 – 10 minutes hiking that this adds is over easy ground with little vertical gain.
Box Springs Mountain Park
Printer Friendly View
RSS Feed
