Cooks Mesa Rock Climbing

Cooks Mesa is the beautiful plateau that rises out of the north on the border of Capitol Reef National Park. On the north side of Cooks Mesa, a beaten path starts off of Route 24 and goes to Cooks Mesa where after 1.5 miles, it reaches a steep boulder filled gully that accesses numerous cliffs and crags. From here, access to Meeks Mesa begins, navigation becomes more intuitive at this point, as the other climbing areas are to the east. 

The approach begins at a pullout on the south side of the road. The trail climbs a colorful, steepening path to the top of Cooks Mesa. The trail follows the bench along the rim and consists of mostly rock and sand. All along the rim you will find views of the Torrey area, the Boulder Mountains and east toward Capitol Reef National Park. The best time of year to explore the climbing here is winter, spring and fall.

Climbing here is sparse and mostly undocumented. Access to the White Harlem Wall , The Observatory and Borderlands can be found here.