Utopian Vistas  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  6,300' Lat, Long:  36.3671, -105.7276 Map Page Views:  40,180. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Mike Howard, Aaron Hobson, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Mike Howard on Oct 12, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

BETA PHOTO: View from the rim at the parking spot above the cr...

Description and Geology 

A nice collection of quality climbing on iron hard pocketed basalt. There is something here for everybody and a few more to come. From vertical to overhanging jug-hauls, to technical corners, powerful roofs and thin fingers. Mostly sport, some mixed and a few classic trad pieces in sound, clean stone. Set above the "Rock Garden" of the Rio Grande Box, this area is surrounded by climbing areas, rafting, fishing, camping, and mountainbiking all about 20 miles from the town of Taos. Expect solitude, which means low traffic and no chalk marks.

Celebrating the spirit of escapism, independence and defiance many of these route names honor the visionaries, artists, authors and crazies that saw a Utopia in Northern New Mexico's Vistas.

These are new routes and they might still give up a hold or two so a helmet is recommended. Yearly freeze thaw can be severe on New Mexico's basalt, climb with caution.


The geology of the Rio Grande Box is largely volcanic. Olivine tholeiite basalt forms the three main layers of the Servilleta Basalt. The middle basalt unit is separated from the upper and lower tiers by layers of sediment forming the benches. These horizontal basalt layers of dark-gray, pahoehoe (ropey), vesicular (air pocketed) lava compose the main climbing walls in the gorge (Vista Verde, Utopian Vistas, Dead Cholla, John Dunn area, Horse Thief, etc.). The rock we climb in the upper Box area of the Wild and Scenic is more dense, can be red to light brown and was not from the lateral Servilleta flow. These remnants of volcanic plugs are more appropriately termed dacite, and it may contain crystal inclusions known as phenocrysts. The middle box or La Junta section has several examples of swirled volcanic rock from old low relief dacite volcanos. Miners' crag is a nice example. The wall across from Miners' is also a remnant.

Star ratings are relative to this area.

Getting There 

See Dead Cholla under Taos Area or click the Aerial Photo link above for driving instructions to Dead Cholla parking area.
From the well signed Dead Cholla parking area...head up river (North) along the edge of the cliff band.

From the Dead Cholla (trailhead for the West Rim Trail) parking, it's about 15 minutes along the West Rim Trail to the wash on the rim -- if you continue past there to where the power lines cross the gorge, you've gone too far (maybe half again too far).

If you time the walk -- at 6 minutes from the car, the trail makes its first significant bend east toward the rim before bending back north; there is a second one of these at 9 minutes. When you hit the third such bend at 15 minutes, you are there -- look for a pullout on the right just as you come over a rise (the rim of the wash).

Drop southerly (right) along the wash to the rim, and follow cairns left (north) along the base of the Upper Tier, then, as Bob says, pretty much straight downhill from Black Mamba, the pretty black-streaked corner. The trail goes down past the juniper and deposits you at the south end of the lower cliff."

The Classics

Featured Route For Utopian Vistas

Obamanos! 5.11  NM : Taos Area : ... : (L1) John Nichol's Wall

Second Route on the lower tier. Bouldery start up to shallow crack leads to technical crux. Continue the pump on pockets to the chains. "Yes we can!" First set of climbs of the main wall. #1Bones then Stimulus Package then #2 Obamanos. Rest are in order.Submitted By: Mike Howard on Aug 10, 2007 ...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM

Photos of Utopian Vistas Slideshow

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Utopian vistas.	BETA PHOTO: View Looking West. Shows relative locations and a...	Taking in the view with Ron Olsen and Jack Roberts
The beautifully scenic Utopian Vistas