9 PLACES TO CLIMB IN 2025, ACCORDING TO 9 DIFFERENT CLIMBERS

This  year’s best climbing destinations, from Ecuador to Turkey

Where are the best places to climb around the US—and the world—in 2025? We asked nine climbers which destination tops their list right now and why you should consider going this year.

From a newly protected granite paradise, to under-the-radar sport climbing destinations, here are nine places we want to climb this year.

Columnas de Tangán, Sigchos, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador

Splitter cracks in the cloud forest

Like many climbers, I’ve sampled my fair share of splitter cracks. But nothing compares to the jamming I found while visiting the Columns of Tangán outside the mountainous town of Sigchos in Central Ecuador. Tangán offers impeccable trad climbing on volcanic andesitic columnar cracks. The geological nature of the cliff demands solid crack technique and familiarity with laybacking, stemming, and crimping.

Along with cracks so good they’re seemingly cut via extraterrestrial laser beams, a pristine Ecuadorian cloud forest envelops you with jaw-dropping beauty. Tangán’s land owner, Don Ramiro Uribe—along with local climbers—has transformed the crag into a dirtbagger’s Shangri-la with a sustainable climbing tourism business. Don Ramiro can help facilitate local transport and porter your belongings to and from the camping zone.

Many of us are craving a way to get off the beaten path right now, which is part of the appeal of this area. Tangán is best enjoyed as a backcountry experience, packing everything in and out. Be prepared for a spring-like climate with plenty of humidity. Don’t forget your rain gear and bring footwear that can handle mud!

Tangán is easily a stand-alone destination, but most travelers add it to a longer climbing or mountaineering itinerary. The go-to guidebook for Tangán is Rutas de Escalada en Ecuador Vol.2, written by Felipe Proaño Iturralde, a prominent developer of the Tangán zone.

—TeddyDondanville,rock climbing guide & freelance writer

Rumbling Bald, North Carolina

Trad, slab, and bouldering in a hurricane recovery area

An iconic traditional crag located in western North Carolina, Rumbling Bald saw most of its development in the 1970s. In 1977, Jeep Gaskin made the first ascent of the iconic route, Shredded Wheat, a challenging 5.11a finger crack along the Cereal Buttress feature. I spent two seasons flailing on Shredded Wheat and tackling dozens of other routes. The rock is polished, but trustworthy.

As someone who loves slab, I prefer Rumbling Bald to many of the nearby routes found on Looking Glass. Local climbers also love this area for its complex and plentiful bouldering problems.

While the nearby town of Lake Lure continues to recover from Hurricane Helene damage, the climbing area was left relatively unscathed. Locals are making efforts to reopen the town and the nearby state park to encourage tourism and an economic rebound. The town’s calendar of events can be found here. 

The best place to find beta for Rumbling Bald is on Mountain Project or in the Rumbling Bald & Table Rock guidebook.

Pro tip: Hit this area early in the morning to avoid mobs of climbers on the Cereal Buttress. Winter is the best time of the year to climb here.

—Mary Beth Skyllis, outdoor journalist and trad climber

Asturias, Spain

An under-the-radar sport climbing area in Spain

Mallorca and Oliana, step aside—if you’re looking for a summer sport climbing destination with great conditions, world-class limestone, and breathtaking scenery, Asturias should be on your list. Located in northwestern Spain, this mountainous region—often called “Green Spain”—boasts thick forests, a maritime climate, and a rugged coastline reminiscent of Oregon. Cool temperatures, mountain breezes, and occasional rain make it an ideal escape from summer heat. But don’t worry—many routes stay dry even in a downpour, and there are plenty of bluebird days.

Asturias boasts hundreds of sport routes, ranging from delicate slabs to steep tufas on immaculate limestone. Grades are stiff but rewarding, and while it’s a large region that requires driving, Teverga is a dense hub of world-class routes. For alpine adventures, the Picos de Europa range delivers towering limestone walls with huts for multi-day trips.

Beyond climbing, Asturias is perfect for outdoor lovers, with epic road biking, national parks for rest-day hikes, quaint villages, and day trips to the ocean. As climbing areas get more and more crowded, this lesser-known destination offers a cooler, less crowded alternative to Europe’s usual summer hotspots.

Pro tip: A rental car is a must, and staying in a village southwest of Oviedo is ideal. Bring a raincoat and a puffy—you’ll need both! For guidebooks and other resources, check out Roca Verde

—Brian Stevens, climber, educator, and writer

Peñas, Bolivia

Scenic sandstone sport climbing and visa-free travel

On a road trip in 2009 across the Atacama-Uyuni region of Bolivia, while bouldering in the Valle de las Rocas, I broke my foot in three places. Crutches weren’t available in the small towns of the area, so I hopped around on one foot for two days, and rode in the luggage compartment of a bus with my friend to get back to La Paz and fly home.

I’ve wanted to return to Bolivia ever since—but this time, to sport climb and further explore the country’s dramatic landscape of mountains, rainforest, salt flats, and desert. I would love to sample the 150-some sport routes on the sandstone crags of Peñas. The climbing looks mellow, sunny, and full of views of the surrounding Cordillera Real. Plus, Peñas is conveniently located just an hour-and-a-half drive from La Paz. Drive another hour north from the crags, and you’ll be at the high-altitude Lake Titicaca—a great spot for rest day exploring.

Another reason to go? In October last year, Bolivia introduced visa-free travel for citizens of 52 countries, including the US.

—Maya Silver, editor-in-chief of Climbing

Yangshuo, Guangxi, China

Easily accessible (and visa-free) karst climbing in Southern China