Field Mag's benevolent overlord, Graham Hiemstra is a writer & photographer with over a decade experience covering style, design, and outdoor gear.
Field Mag may receive a minor commission from purchases made via affiliate links.
Co-written by Noah Walker, a New York City-based writer, former digital editor of Gripped Magazine, and dedicated climber.
New York City is home to over 8 million people, and thousands of them are rock climbers. As America’s most diverse population, the city’s five boroughs accommodate every niche interest imaginable, including climbing, which as we all know by now is steadily becoming more mainstream by the day. While the region's climbing history is deeply rooted in trad climbing, bouldering in Central Park has been popular for decades and now, 13 rock climbing gyms exist in NYC for urban climbers.
In this guide we’ll dive deep into all you need to know about NYC climbing culture, gyms, history, where to go and what to expect. Whether you’re looking to get outside or simply climb indoors, this is your complete guide to rock climbing in NYC.
While you're here, brush up on your climbing lingo.
To discuss rock climbing in New York City one must start 85 miles up the Hudson River at “The Gunks.” Here, at the southern edge of the Catskill Mountains, a wall of quartz undulates and recedes behind the Shawangunk State Forest creating one of the earliest Meccas of trad climbing in North America and what is still today widely considered a top destination for one-to-three pitch trad climbing worldwide.
In the centuries that followed colonization, western climbing developed in the region named for a Dutch transliteration of the Munsee Lenape word for the area—“Schawan” is reported to mean “it is smoky air.” Fritz Wiessner would give birth to the area’s current reputation in the 1930s. And nearly a century later, young guns like Will Moss would establish climbs like The Best Things in Life Are Free, a 5.14d angling to be amongst the country’s hardest trad climbs.
Today, over 1,200 routes lace the Shawangunk Ridge. In accordance with its history, bolting is not allowed in the Gunks, making it largely a destination for multi-pitch trad climbing (though a new via ferrata at the Mohonk Mountain House also offers an opportunity for less experienced climbers to traverse a number of the region's beautiful vertical walls). Though bouldering flourishes on the ground, too. Most of the Gunks is part of the Mohonk Preserve, New York’s largest nonprofit nature preserve that looks after 8,000 acres on the northern Shawangunk Ridge, which charges an entry fee of $20 per day to access climbing zones (an annual membership is also available for $115 for year-round access).
As such, most climbers will begin their day on The Carriage Road near the Trapps, the largest and most popular cliff at the Gunks. Only after tasting the accessible approach might a boulderer look deeper into the forest, into Lost City and Waterworks, to the other secrets left by climbers decades ago, or by today’s up-and-comers.
Although the Gunks is great, it’s far and it’s expensive (that harness and rack don’t come cheap!). While a day pass (or $100 year pass) is more than worth it for dedicated climbers, access to a car is required. And since most New Yorkers don’t own cars—though having a friend with a car is highly recommended—we’ll wrap up this section and move onto climbing in actual New York City itself.
For many urban climbers, Central Park will be their first outdoor proving ground. (Case in point: Central Park is where Ashima Shiraishi learned to climb as a youth.) Though the sheer amount of concrete, steel, and glass surrounding Central Park makes the area the warmest in the state, the ancient Manhattan Schist rock and the climbs are better than they seem. Plus, the climbing is legal and free, and the climate is temperate enough to access nearly year round (though summer months definitely get sweaty, and most winters anything but).
As with any crag, knowing where to climb is key. Sure you can show up to Rat Rock (known to Google Maps as Umpire Rock, located near the park’s SW entrance) and follow the chalky holds, but for those looking for more direction New York City Bouldering is a classic guide book. For a free, digital alternative check out Beta Boys’ OG online bouldering guide, or check out the Gunks App, filled with accurate coordinates for a range of climbing areas around New York City.
Rat Rock, Cat Rock, and Worthless boulder each boast numerous three- and four-star lines. Locate a crash pad or two, pack a towel to clean your climbing shoes and a brush to clean holds, and catch the uptown BDFM. Below is a quick rundown of the most popular boulders in Central Park.
Rat Rock’s Polish Traverse (V5) is likely the most famous climb in New York City. Want something a little easier? Just over to the left of the same boulder is a four-star V1 called Flake Route. Fair warning: if you plan to climb past dusk expect to meet many namesake residents of Rat Rock.
Nearby Rat Rock. The Arête is sick. This four-star V2 climbs a proud arete and is one of the most obvious features in the park. Want something harder? Private Angel is a lovely four-star V7 just lover from The Arête.
While Rat Rock gets the most attention, Worthless Boulder is a close second, though located much farther uptown near 110th street. Worthless Boulder represents one of the highest densities for three- and four-star climbs in the city, with Sweat (V10), Family Values (V6), Mean Green (V4), and A.D.D. (V6) being standouts.
Considered by some to be the best boulder in New York City. YoYo Jiminy (V11), Invisible Cities (V13), and Heart of Gold (V2) each offer four-star lines that make it the perfect place to project. Though as the name implies, be sure to check the ground of stray pokey things.
Elsewhere around the city you’ll find more natural crags worth the effort to find. Though the following spots are less “centrally located” they are all accessible by the subway. This is New York City, after all.
Morningside Park, Saint Nicholas Park, Highbridge Park, Loony Bin, Harlem River Park, Fort Tryon Park, Van Cortlandt Park, and several other areas each have climbs as well. Though increasingly popular in these locations, bouldering is technically not allowed at some of these locations. That said, any “no climbing” signs are easily ignored (or discarded… plastic zip ties aren’t that sturdy after all). And so long as you’re not blocking walkways or causing a ruckus, you should be OK. Just remember to be kind, be aware of your presence and your surroundings, clean up after yourself.
If you’re living uptown, or maybe looking to get out of Central Park, Harlem River Park provides. The river-side aesthetic in conjunction with numerous low-end boulder problems make it the perfect place for a Saturday on the rocks. Greenland Shark is a four-star V5 that climbs a steeper section of wall with a bit of a dynamic punch.
Up in Washington Heights sits Fort Tryon Park and French Connection, which might just be the best V6 in the city. With 16 climbs in the V0 to V2 range, Fort Tryon Park is a also great place to begin outdoor climbing and well worth the train ride to 190th street.
As one of the easier crags in the city, Edgecombe Park provides climbers with over 30 boulder problems, all below V3. All of the lines are near one another making it a great place to introduce someone to sport.
For pulling plastic, the local scene in New York City is surprisingly solid. It’s based around a bunch of super nice folks that have climbed here forever and all work in the local scene—though the number of venture-backed climbing gyms is rapidly growing. The core community of route setters tend to operate across several different gyms, and often friends may end up climbing at different gyms on different days of the week. So the scene really isn’t too centralized. With that said, finding community in any of these gyms can feel a little challenging because of the sheer number of people climb in New York City.
The following is a breakdown of all indoor rock climbing gyms in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Though efforts are underway to increase access to a broader range of New Yorkers, currently no climbing gyms exist in The Bronx or on Staten Island.
Known for putting up some of the hardest boulders in Brooklyn and building the most tight-knit, core community in the city, beloved barebones bouldering gym GP81 is once again open for business after an 11 month hiatus. Though the original 81 Quay Street location in Greenpoint has been torn town to make way for a new luxury condo development, owners Cliff Simanski and Julian Acevedo have built out a new location for GP community in Bushwick—and rest assured it's just as challenging, chalky, and sendy as ever. Still no word on the seltzer tap, though.
Monthly Membership: $128 ($118 for returning GP members)
Day Pass Price: Coming May 2024
Space: TBD square feet
Amenities: Slab, 45, 30, and 15 degree bouldering walls, Moon board, fitness zone, no seltzer tap
Address: 379 Jefferson St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Once the first gym in the city, Brooklyn Boulders’ (aka BKB) original Gowanus location was recently acquired and completely gut renovated by national climbing gym chain The Bouldering Project. Officially open as of 1 January 2024, the 16,000+ sq ft facility now includes a heated yoga studio, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, coworking spaces, and youth programs. With famed climber Kevin Jorgeson heading up "product" at the company, their new location is sure to attract many new climbers.
Monthly Membership: $110 (or $1,100 annual)
Day Pass Prices: $32 for adults, $22 for youth
Amenities: Bouldering, yoga, fitness, coworking
Address: 575 Degraw St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
The Long Island City Queensbridge location is the sole remaining BKB location and offers rope climbing and bouldering in a massive, modern facility where many of the city’s best climb.
Monthly Membership: $119
Day Pass Price: $25
Space: 25,000 square feet
Amenities: Rope climbing, bouldering, weight and fitness area, yoga classes, 45-degree spray wall, office/coworking space
Address: 23-10 41st Ave, Queens, NY 11101
