Big Cottonwood Canyon - Search Nearby - Added by Lindsay Daniels
Close to the city. Easy sport and top-roping routes. Cool spot in the summer with river nearby. One of the best 5.13a sport climbs in the canyon.
If you can avoid the crowds, Dogwood is an easy crag to get to with a lot of 5.fun climbs and a legendary 5.13a sport climb. From the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Dogwood picnic area is 1.1 miles up the canyon. Park on the street to avoid having to pay $8 and walk into the picnic area. Follow the trail that parallels the river and you'll end up right at the base of the crag. If you want to top-rope, there is a trail on the west side of the wall that heads to the top. The first two climbs are top-rope only and are both under 5.7. The first bolted route is one of the best 5.8's in the area. To get to the other climbs blocked by the river, you'll have to climb around to the top of the routes, head east, and climb down the other side. That's where you'll find the legendary 5.13a sport climb "Cross-Eyed and Painless" and some of the harder routes at this crag.
You never know when a Boy Scout group is going to pull up and practice rappelling, so you'll want to get here early and head over to the east side of the wall if you're looking for a little more privacy.
Note: Be aware of climbers below while setting up top-ropes.
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Overall rating:
Great top-roping
This is a fantastic spot for top-roping with beginners and kids. Nice place for families to hang out.
Perfect for Beginners
Dogwood is the perfect crag for rookie climbers. You can hike up to the top and set your anchor up without needing to lead climb up. Just beware, it can get super busy and you might not be able to get a spot.
Slick and busy
Dogwood is a great place to take beginners or small groups. All of the routes are accessible from the top, which you can easily reach from a small trail. The east side of the crag sees a lot of traffic because of its ease of access and nice area to hang out. The west side has some more challenging climbs, is far less crowded, and has a cool cave that you can explore.
