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Lists / Best College Climbing Walls

Best College Climbing Walls

Created by College Confidential
Photo: Vlada Karpovich/Pexels

Interested in climbing? Many schools offer recreational, competitive, and club opportunities for indoor and outdoor climbing. Here is a list of the best colleges for climbing opportunities, facilities, and classes. This list includes schools recommended by USA Climbing and by the College Confidential community. USA Climbing is the national governing organization for competitive climbing in the United States.

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth is recommended by USA Climbing for their competitive climbing team, which is one of the most competitive in the country. In addition to competitive climbing, Dartmouth has several climbing clubs and even climbing classes that can be taken for physical education credit.

  • Dartmouth College
    Hanover, NH • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $62,658
    Out-of-State
    $62,658
    Acceptance Rate6%

    • University of Colorado Boulder

    CU Boulder is recommended by USA Climbing for their competitive climbing team, which is one of the most competitive in the country. Additionally, climbing gym courses are available through the university’s recreation services.

  • University of Colorado Boulder
    Boulder, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $12,496
    Out-of-State
    $38,314
    Acceptance Rate80%

    • Stanford University

    Stanford is recommended by USA Climbing for their competitive climbing team, which is one of the most competitive in the country. In addition to Stanford’s climbing team, the university also offers climbing facilities for students and local youth and families.

  • Stanford University
    Stanford, CA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $56,169
    Out-of-State
    $56,169
    Acceptance Rate4%

    • United States Military Academy - West Point

    West Point is also recommended by USA Climbing for their competitive climbing team, which is one of the most competitive in the country.

  • United States Military Academy - West Point
    West Point, NY • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate11%

    • University of Colorado Denver

    CU Denver is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. The university offers a 38-foot climbing wall and a 12-foot bouldering wall. Climbing is open for all skill levels and the university also offers lessons and workshops for beginners.

  • University of Colorado Denver
    Denver, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $9,591
    Out-of-State
    $26,079
    Acceptance Rate72%

    • Colorado State University

    Colorado State University is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. CSU offers a variety of climbing resources including a 55-foot bouldering space, two free-standing towers, a pool climbing wall, and an outdoor boulder. Classes are available through the Student Recreation Center.

  • Colorado State University
    Fort Collins, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $12,331
    Out-of-State
    $31,613
    Acceptance Rate90%

    • University of Arkansas

    University of Arkansas is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. The university’s recreation center houses a bouldering wall and a climbing wall. Classes through the recreation center are available for students looking for classes and/or community climbing activities.

  • University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, AR • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $9,574
    Out-of-State
    $26,390
    Acceptance Rate83%

    • Penn State - University Park

    Penn State is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. Penn state has a 40-foot climbing wall with 16 climbing lanes and a 14-foot bouldering wall.

  • Penn State - University Park
    University Park, PA • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $18,898
    Out-of-State
    $36,476
    Acceptance Rate58%

    • Wake Forest University

    Wake Forest is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. Wake Forest offers an indoor climbing wall with 10 lanes, two belay ledges, and free equipment. Outdoor climbing trips are also available through the recreation center.

  • Wake Forest University
    Winston-Salem, NC • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,770
    Out-of-State
    $59,770
    Acceptance Rate25%

    • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus

    University of Minnesota is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. Through the recreation and wellness center, students can climb with a semester pass which includes orientation, training, and equipment loans. Additionally, the university offers climbing trips and learning clinics. Each year the university offers a few international climbing trips to locations like Iceland, Ecuador, and China.

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus
    Minneapolis, MN • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $17,090
    Out-of-State
    $35,680
    Acceptance Rate73%

    • University of Dayton

    University of Dayton is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing resources. Climbing at University of Dayton is available recreationally or through team participation UD has a 35-foot wall with six stations as well as a bouldering cave. Routes are changed each week to provide maximum variety for patrons.

  • University of Dayton
    Dayton, OH • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $44,100
    Out-of-State
    $44,100
    Acceptance Rate81%

    • Miami University

    Miami University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Miami University offers a climbing wall and bouldering. Classes are available through campus services for a fee.

  • Miami University
    Oxford, OH • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $17,464
    Out-of-State
    $38,493
    Acceptance Rate89%

    • Whitman College

    Whitman College is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Whitman College offers recreational climbing, team climbing, and club climbing. The climbing center boasts a 7,000 square foot climbing area and free gear rental for students. Students can also take climbing classes for credit through the Sports Studies, Recreation and Athletics department.

  • Whitman College
    Walla Walla, WA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $55,982
    Out-of-State
    $55,982
    Acceptance Rate59%

    • Hamilton College

    Hamilton College is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. The climbing facility at Hamilton College houses a 3,000 square foot climbing area including a bouldering area.

  • Hamilton College
    Clinton, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,970
    Out-of-State
    $59,970
    Acceptance Rate14%

    • Colgate University

    Colgate University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Colgate has a climbing wall with bouldering routes with trained climbing staff always available to assist beginners. The climbing facility is free for students, faculty, and staff and accessible with a day pass for local community members. The university also has short local climbing outings known as Backyard Adventures. Outdoor climbing classes are available for physical education credit each semester, as well.

  • Colgate University
    Hamilton, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $64,290
    Out-of-State
    $64,290
    Acceptance Rate17%

    • Purdue University

    Purdue University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Purdue has a 55-foot climbing wall and a bouldering wall with more than 60 horizontal feet of space. Climbing classes are available through the recreation center.

  • Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $9,992
    Out-of-State
    $28,794
    Acceptance Rate69%

    • University of Notre Dame

    Notre Dame is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Notre Dame houses a 1,125 square foot vertical climbing wall and a 852 square foot bouldering wall. Climbing and bouldering walls at Notre Dame are free for students, faculty and staff.

  • University of Notre Dame
    Notre Dame, IN • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $58,843
    Out-of-State
    $58,843
    Acceptance Rate15%

    • Princeton University

    Princeton University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Princeton offers recreational and competitive climbing as well as a climbing club. Princeton’s climbing facility offers a 32-ft high, 66 ft long wall with 14 belay stations. Climbing classes are available for students through the recreation center.

  • Princeton University
    Princeton, NJ • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $56,010
    Out-of-State
    $56,010
    Acceptance Rate4%

    • James Madison University

    James Madison University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. James Madison offers two climbing walls and a bouldering wall. The school offers learning programs for beginners and workout classes for fitness enthusiasts.

  • James Madison University
    Harrisonburg, VA • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $12,330
    Out-of-State
    $29,230
    Acceptance Rate86%

    • Sacred Heart University

    Sacred Heart University is recommended by USA Climbing for having excellent climbing resources and learning opportunities. Sacred Heart has a 45-foot climbing structure with routes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbers. In addition to recreational climbing, Sacred Heart also offers club climbing.

  • Sacred Heart University
    Fairfield, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $46,580
    Out-of-State
    $46,580
    Acceptance Rate64%

    • Southern Methodist University

    Southern Methodist University is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. The climbing wall at SMU provides 2,600 square feet of climbing space. Through student affairs, students can participate in classes, events, and competitions.

  • Southern Methodist University
    Dallas, TX • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $61,980
    Out-of-State
    $61,980
    Acceptance Rate53%

    • Reed College

    Reed College is recommended by College Confidential users for their exceptional climbing opportunities and resources. Reed college offers recreational, workout, and educational opportunities for climbers.

  • Reed College
    Portland, OR • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,620
    Out-of-State
    $60,620
    Acceptance Rate31%
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