Penitente Canyon

About Penitente Canyon

If technical rock climbing is your type of adventure, then Penitente Canyon may have what you want. The canyon is known for its nearly 300 world class technical rock climbing routes. South-facing routes can be climbed year-round within the Recreation Area. Numerous Trails are also available for your enjoyment within Penitente Canyon SRMA. Other attractions include trout fishing in La Garita Creek and primitive camping. For more information, please contact the San Luis Valley Field Office.

How to Get There

From Highway 285 turn west on County Road G, travel about 6 miles to La Garita follow County Road 38A until you see the Penitente Canyon turn off on your right, less than a mile. From Del Norte travel northwest on Highway 112 to road 38A turn north, stay on 38 A until you see signs for Penitente Canyon, about 8 miles.

Plan Your Visit to Penitente Canyon

Heading to Penitente Canyon? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Make a reservation
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)