Interstate SP (Taylors Falls) Climbing

The quaint Minnesota village of Taylors Falls is a short hour (45 miles) away to the northeast of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. A small town of approximately 1000 residents, this area is jam packed with all-year recreational activities. There are many things to do in the immediate area. Wild Mountain Recreation offers a water park, alpine slide and go karts during summer months, and skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing for wintertime fun. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and climbing are favorite warm-weather activities.

Rock climbing is mostly located in the Interstate State Park. This 300-acre area is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and is one of the four state parks specifically designated for rock climbing activities. Interstate Park sees a lot of traffic; upwards of 370,000 annual visitors come out to check out the geologic wonders at the park. It's not unusual to be applauded by a large crowd when one finishes a climb in the Tourist Area. Climbers are required to obtain a climbing permit free of charge from the Park Ranger station, and must carry it with them while climbing. The permits are valid for the calendar year.

Interstate Park is a traditional climbing and bouldering area; there are no bolted sport routes. Minnesota State Parks strongly endorse a "clean climbing" philosophy. In all but very limited, pre-approved instances, placement of hardware will be limited to that which can be temporarily placed using the climber's fingers. All such protection must be placed and removed without altering the rock."