Rock Climb Indian Creek, Utah

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Indian Creek is a prominent climbing area in Canyonlands near Moab, Utah, renowned for its sandstone crack climbing. There are thousands of crack climbs to choose from, but very few routes for beginners: if you plan to climb in Indian Creek, be prepared for a challenge. Each year, the Bureau of Land Management urges climbers and outdoor recreationists to avoid certain areas in Indian Creek from March through late summer to protect nesting raptors. Falcons, eagles and hawks return annually to nest on cliffs and rock walls, and human disturbance can jeopardize their success. Notices are posted during the spring through summer, and climbers should refer to BLM’s raptor protection map to identify avoidance areas. Raptors and other migratory birds use shallow depressions on ledges, cliffs, and rock walls to build nests, often returning to the same site, year after year, to raise their young. These cliffs and rock walls are also highly sought after in climbing communities. Crags and cliffs known in guidebooks as The Wall, Far Side, The Meat Walls, Cliffs of Insanity, Public Service Wall, Disappointment Cliffs, Fin Wall, Broken Tooth, Cat Wall, Slug Wall, Reservoir Wall and Critic’s Choice have high potential nesting activity. While this list serves as a guide, it does not indicate every avoidance area or encompass all known names of the affected climbing areas. Please refer to the raptor protection map below to identify avoidance areas. Notices have been posted throughout the Indian Creek corridor. Biologists begin the annual surveys of raptor activity in spring, verifying which nest sites are being used. Typically, by late April or early May, biologists can identify active nesting areas. At that time, areas without active nests will be cleared for recreational use. The BLM asks climbers, campers, and hikers to completely avoid areas with active nests until the young birds have fledged, which is usually by late summer.

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