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Lists / Best College Climbing Walls

Best College Climbing Walls

Created by College Confidential

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 College
    Hanover, NH • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $65,511
    Out-of-State
    $65,511
    Acceptance Rate6%

    • 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.

    University of Colorado Boulder

  • University of Colorado Boulder
    Boulder, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $11,976
    Out-of-State
    $40,320
    Acceptance Rate80%

    • 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.

    Stanford University

  • Stanford University
    Stanford, CA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $63,936
    Out-of-State
    $63,936
    Acceptance Rate4%

    • 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.

    United States Military Academy - West Point

  • United States Military Academy - West Point
    West Point, NY • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate12%

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

    University of Colorado Denver

  • University of Colorado Denver
    Denver, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $12,366
    Out-of-State
    $35,106
    Acceptance Rate75%

    • 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.

    Colorado State University

  • Colorado State University
    Fort Collins, CO • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $12,559
    Out-of-State
    $32,517
    Acceptance Rate91%

    • 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.

    University of Arkansas

  • University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, AR • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $9,748
    Out-of-State
    $28,772
    Acceptance Rate79%

    • 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.

    Penn State - University Park

  • Penn State - University Park
    University Park, PA • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $20,221
    Out-of-State
    $40,175
    Acceptance Rate55%

    • 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.

    Wake Forest University

  • Wake Forest University
    Winston-Salem, NC • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $64,758
    Out-of-State
    $64,758
    Acceptance Rate25%

    • 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.

    University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus
    Minneapolis, MN • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $14,496
    Out-of-State
    $34,410
    Acceptance Rate75%

    • 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 Dayton

  • University of Dayton
    Dayton, OH • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $47,600
    Out-of-State
    $47,600
    Acceptance Rate74%

    • 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.

    Miami University

  • Miami University
    Oxford, OH • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $17,808
    Out-of-State
    $40,024
    Acceptance Rate88%

    • 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.

    Whitman College

  • Whitman College
    Walla Walla, WA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $61,492
    Out-of-State
    $61,492
    Acceptance Rate48%

    • 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.

    Hamilton College

  • Hamilton College
    Clinton, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $65,740
    Out-of-State
    $65,740
    Acceptance Rate12%

    • 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.

    Colgate University

  • Colgate University
    Hamilton, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $67,024
    Out-of-State
    $67,024
    Acceptance Rate12%

    • 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.

    Purdue University

  • Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $9,992
    Out-of-State
    $28,794
    Acceptance Rate53%

    • 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.

    University of Notre Dame

  • University of Notre Dame
    Notre Dame, IN • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $62,693
    Out-of-State
    $62,693
    Acceptance Rate13%

    • 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.

    Princeton University

  • Princeton University
    Princeton, NJ • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,710
    Out-of-State
    $59,710
    Acceptance Rate6%

    • 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.

    James Madison University

  • James Madison University
    Harrisonburg, VA • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $13,576
    Out-of-State
    $36,128
    Acceptance Rate77%

    • 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.

    Sacred Heart University

  • Sacred Heart University
    Fairfield, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $48,160
    Out-of-State
    $48,160
    Acceptance Rate66%

    • 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.

    Southern Methodist University

  • Southern Methodist University
    Dallas, TX • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $64,460
    Out-of-State
    $64,460
    Acceptance Rate52%

    • 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.

    Reed College

  • Reed College
    Portland, OR • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $67,020
    Out-of-State
    $67,020
    Acceptance Rate31%

    • 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.

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