Four Corners Area Climbing

This subarea was intended to lump a number of climbing areas spread out in the southwest corner of Colorado that might be harder to find if they were alone and you were not familiar with the region.

The Four Corners is the only point in the United States shared by four states: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Four Corners Monument sits on top of the vast and arid Colorado Plateau. It is managed by the Navajo Nation and is a great place to shop the the local artisan stands.

The nearest hub in Colorado within the Four Corners is Cortez of Montezuma County.  This area is best known for Mesa Verde National Park where beautiful ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings can be found. The Four Corners area of Colorado has a very high concentration of cliff dwellings and rock art even outside of the Park. It is not uncommon for ruins or rock art to be in close proximity to climbing areas. It is important to not disturb the artifacts and structures. While the landscape is rugged, it is also fragile so practicing Leave No Trace ethics is important. The Four Corners area of Colorado is a quintessential western experience where cattle drives go through the middle of the small towns such as Dolores, Mancos, and Dove Creek.

Largely sandstone crags and boulders are found in the region. The rock quality can vary from a fragile sandstone, surprisingly hard sandstone, and even some crack climbing. Camping is generally easy to find in this rural area. The area is surrounded by mesas, hidden canyons, and the San Juan Mountains. There are plenty of climbing opportunities to be found for the adventurous type.