...Or spots worth checking out as you travel along.
The classic, well-known climbing areas get all the attention, but with a little research and curiosity, you can venture off the beaten path and discover crags that rarely see crowds. While Squamish, Skaha, and Canmore are popular destinations, this leaves plenty of opportunities to climb in peace at overlooked gems.
We've put together a few of these hidden spots that might pique your interest and help you start exploring the obscure and little-known. Sure, you might have to tackle a few “no-star” routes along the way, but you'll also uncover classic climbs that only a lucky few have experienced.
This article isn't a guide, but it might help fill in a few blanks on your map for the next road trip.
Roche Lake (near Kamloops, BC)
Roche Lake is a hidden gem in British Columbia's Kamloops region, offering a peaceful climbing experience in a beautiful forested setting. With roughly 29 single-pitch routes up to 23 meters, it caters to a wide range of climbers. The grades span from 5.8 to 5.13a, routes go from slabby on the left to vertical and roofs in the centre, and gently overhanging on the right end, offering a very dense collection of high-quality climbing on solid gneiss rock. Access is easy via a short 60-second downhill hike, and the area is family-friendly. Located just outside Roche Lake Provincial Park, this destination also provides amenities like campsites, pit toilets, and day-use areas—making it an ideal spot for a weekend climbing getaway.
Blanket Canyon & Echo Bay (near Revelstoke, BC)
Just 15 minutes south of Revelstoke along Highway 23, Echo Bay and Blanket Canyon are two of the region's newer climbing areas—and well worth a stop. While Revelstoke is best known as a ski town, its climbing scene is impressive and often overlooked, with everything from massive walls to bouldering and diverse sport routes.
These two crags offer a range of grades and a tucked-away atmosphere along a scenic creek, perfect for those seeking quieter sessions. For details on routes and approaches, check the local guidebook or online resources. And if you have time, remember that Revelstoke isn't just a stop; it's a climbing destination in its own right.
Aberdeen Columns (near Vernon, BC)
Aberdeen Columns offers one of Canada's most geologically unique and climber-rich experiences for those into crack climbing. It's approachable, off the beaten path, and rewarding.
Located 45 minutes southeast of Vernon in the North Okanagan Valley, BC and roughly 1.5 hours from Kelowna. The crag consists of striking basalt formations with polygonal columns rising up to 25 meters high and has a very short 5 min approach.
Aberdeen Columns is a trad-focused crack climbing destination offering nearly perfect finger to off-width cracks, ideal for jamming. Over 140 routes, ranging from 5.3 to 5.12a, with most climbs in the 5.9-5.10 range. Routes are mostly climbed ground-up with trad protection; anchor stations at the top (chains or trees) exist, but bolting is discouraged.
Drive along the Buck Hills road and park at 18 km on Goat Creek FSR, with the trailhead being marked by a handmade sign that leads through woods, marshy areas, and talus. The rock is slippery when wet, and it can be buggy in early summer. The crag gets morning shade, so start early and pick up the North Okanagon guidebook or check out the free online topos to learn more
Bon Echo (near Northbrook, ON)
Bon Echo is one of Ontario's most iconic traditional climbing destinations, famous for its dramatic cliffs rising directly from the shores of Mazinaw Lake. It offers an adventurous, wilderness-style climbing experience that feels remote and committing. Located approximately 3 hours southwest of Ottawa and 4 hours east of Toronto, within Bon Echo Provincial Park.
Bon Echo is composed of quartzite, offering solid rock with sharp edges, cracks, flakes, and occasional slabs. The main face, Mazinaw Rock, is over 100 meters, making it one of the tallest cliffs in Ontario. This trad area offers routes from 5.4 to 5.11, with many classics in the 5.7-5.9 and anchors are mostly natural or gear-based, as bolting is prohibited due to park regulations.
Bon Echo rises directly out of Mazinaw Lake, so be prepared to paddle by canoe or kayak to the base of the route, all part of the adventure! Canoe rentals are available in the park. Climbing began at Bon Echo in the 1950s, pioneered by adventurous Ontario climbers looking for big-wall style routes close to home and preserves the traditional ethics, i.e no bolting, no fixed protection. This history of minimal impact and bold ground-up ascents continues today. Bon Echo is quick to dry and is best visited late spring to early fall and requires an ACC permit.
Go try "Sweet Dreams" (5.8, 4 pitches), which follows cracks and corners for 100m, offering sustained and exposed climbing with beautiful views of the lake below. It's often the first multi-pitch route many Ontario climbers tackle here.
Kamouraska (1.5 hours East of Québec City, QC)
Kamouraska is a unique sport climbing destination perched above the St. Lawrence River, offering stunning panoramic views of the water and its islands. Developed in the 1980s and 90s, the area is best known for its clean quartzite cliffs and striking setting. With a short 10-15 minute approach, it's best visited in spring and fall when conditions are ideal.
The crag hosts over 100 single-pitch sport routes from 5.6 to 5.13, with the highest concentration of quality climbing in the 5.11 range. The cliffs are divided into several sectors, each with its own character, from beginner-friendly slabs to steep technical faces.
Bring a 60 m rope and a full set of quickdraws!
Waterloo Eddy Boulders (near Castlegar, BC)
Located just outside Castlegar in Waterloo Eddy Regional Park, along the scenic shores of the mighty Columbia River. Trailhead GPS: 49.2634402, -117.6392080.
This gneiss bouldering area is a fairly new zone and will be included in the new guidebook. The release is slated for early October. The Eddy Boulders feature two main sectors, the DREAM Boulders, which are set just above the river in a picturesque lodgepole pine and birch forest, and the EXCALIBUR Boulders, which can be found tucked beneath the cliff bands above the main trail.
Both of these zones offer beautifully featured rock, a wide variety of problems, and excellent landings, which are perfect for beginners and experts alike. The best time to visit is spring & fall, but the Excalibur Boulders can be climbed nearly year-round, with winter sends not uncommon. If visiting in the summer, climb early or late in the day, then cool off at the nearby Waterloo Eddy swimming hole. ⚠️ Please follow the local access rules & etiquette; the boulders sit within a regional park that is popular with dog walkers, anglers, and other outdoor users. So leave No Trace, no fires, stay on designated trails, and be courteous to other visitors. Climbing is still a new sport here, so let's leave a positive impression.
All problems are accessed via the main park trail, making for an easy and scenic approach. Here are a few standout problems to try across a spectrum of grades: Waterloo (V0) Beautiful stone and a perfect beginner line, Lawless (V5) Steep, cave-like climbing with fun beta, Dream Factory Low (V9) The proud line on the Dream Boulder—slopey and dynamic, and for the beasts out there Killer Queen (V10) The test piece: unique features and gym-like movement. For more beta on bouldering near Castlegar check out the West Kootenay Bouldering Guidebook.
Forbidden (near Vermillion Bay, ON)
Parking can be found here: 49.826591, -93.548682. Trailhead GPS: 49.8262778, -93.5451944.
(Info from guidebook authors Matt Gain and Chris Tarry)
To date, the Forbidden bouldering area contains 84 documented boulder problems in the guide. The problems range from V0-V8, with a number of potentially harder projects. There are plenty of smaller boulders for folks that only have one pad with them, as well as plenty of fun highballs for those that are looking for something taller. One of the area warm-ups and classics to try is Humble Beginnings (V2).
There is also a huge cliff that is being developed that currently has 8 routes ranging from 5.11a-5.13b, with two main walls: Campfire Wall, which features several sport climbs, and Tempest Wall, with its slightly overhanging nature and sustained routes. Go try Black Clover (11c).
The season is primarily May-early July and then late August-mid October. There are also numerous roadside pull-offs to camp; however, Blue Lake Provincial Park is only a 15-minute drive for folks who want an official campsite with hookups, fire pits, picnic tables, and bathrooms.
For more beta on bouldering near Manitoba and Kenora, check out the Manitoba and Kenora Bouldering Guidebook.
⚠️ Please familiarize yourself with and be aware of all relevant fire bans.
Flatrock (near St. John's, NL)
Flatrock is the premier rock climbing and bouldering destination on the Avalon Peninsula, located about 20 minutes north of St. John's. The crag boasts the highest concentration of routes and boulder problems in Newfoundland. The cliffs are composed of coarse-grained conglomerate sandstone and are generally of high quality. The Main Face segment includes longer and even a few two-pitch climbs. The area also features bouldering on short sea cliffs and isolated boulders, with more than 100 problems available, making it a compact, accessible climbing zone for both sport and bouldering.
With over 100 single-pitch mixed sport and trad routes, plus a few longer routes, Flatrock has something for everyone. Combined with breathtaking coastal bluff scenery, Flatrock offers dramatic cliffs and oceanic beauty, creating a uniquely inspiring climbing environment.
Park in town, and use either Wind Gap Road or the East Coast Trail, depending on the area you want to access; it's a short walk to the climbing zones. If you time it right, you can join the locals for the Flatrock Climbing Festival, organized by the ACC Newfoundland & Labrador Section, or the FlatBloc Fest, a bouldering competition where climbers are challenged to top as many problems as possible within a set time.
Newfoundland Climbing Guide coming spring 2026
Off the Beaten Path
Once in a while, a crag gets developed that's well off the beaten path but would make for an amazing few days of climbing. This one crossed our minds, and it's definitely not on the regular climbing map.
Pope Mountain (near Fort St. James, BC)
Area 51, also known as the T Caves, is a limestone sport-climbing cave on the north shoreline of Stewart Lake, just south of Mount Pope. Its walls are streaked with pockets and sculpted by water-worn features, offering a truly otherworldly climbing experience.
The T Cave features stellar routes—the standouts are the fun 5.10, a powerful 5.13b, and a quality 5.12b. This zone is where the cave really shines, with the most enjoyable climbing and even potential 5.13+/14 projects on the steepest walls. The project lines are amazing, but could use some cleaning and fresh bolts. Another sector, the vert-to-slab routes of 7th Heaven Slab, offers a cool contrast and will only get better as it cleans up over time.
Have another spot in Canada we should explore? Share your experience in the comments - we'd love to hear from you. Happy climbing!
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