Best Indoor Rock Climbing Spots In The Bay Area

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber, the rock climbing gyms in and around San Francisco will challenge you and allow you to meet awesome new people along the way. There are popular climbing sites like El Capitan in Yosemite and Rock Creek Canyon in the High Sierras, and many gyms offer outdoor trips to feed your sense of adventure. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next Alex Honnold or Chris Sharma.

1. Planet Granite San Francisco

Gym, Park

Climbers getting pumped to climb at Mission Cliffs

Planet Granite’s picturesque location along the waterfront in San Francisco’s Crissy Field is a big draw for climbers all over the city. From belay classes to power and endurance training, this gym will leave you feeling capable and prepared for a variety of routes. After initiation fees, individual membership costs $77 a person and includes benefits like unlimited climbing access, use of free weights, unlimited yoga classes, and gear discounts.

other locations: Belmont, Sunnyvale, and Portland, OR

2. Touchstone Climbing Mission Cliffs

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With a gym located in the same building as Burning Man’s headquarters, Mission Cliffs is a cool place to be. Touchstone Climbing Mission Cliffs, which was opened in 1995, is the oldest climbing gym in San Francisco and proud of it! Memberships are not available online and must be completed in person.

other locations: Berkeley Ironworks, Sacramento Pipeworks, Diablo Rock Gym, GW Power Co., Metalmark, the Studio, Dogpatch Boulders, LA.B, Cliffs of ID, and Hollywood Boulders

3. ClubSport Pleasanton

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ClubSport Pleasanton’s beautiful gym includes a full sized basketball court, a pool, tons of fitness classes and groups, and a great rock wall and climbing area. Its experienced staff will help keep you safe while you develop your skills on the wall.

4. Touchstone Climbing Berkeley Ironworks

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A division of Touchstone Climbing, Berkeley Ironworks offers bouldering and climbing classes as well as cycling, yoga, and other fitness classes. As the largest climbing gym in the East Bay, Berkeley Ironworks offers fitness solutions to all kinds of athletes. Although membership options vary, an individual monthly membership is $77 per month after initiation fees and includes a ton of perks and discounts.

5. Bridges Rock Gym

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At $59 per month, Bridges Rock Gym offers one of the best deals in the Bay. Prices get even better if you’re a student or military personnel, with monthly memberships at $54 and $45 a person. Bridges Gym has dedicated itself to creating technical routes to test your skills and even offers a slackline area for developing balance.

6. Touchstone Climbing Diablo Rock Gym

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Diablo Rock Gym is the home of CoCo Crossfit, a fun and challenging group that will help you reach a new squat PR and get to the top of a difficult climbing wall. With tons of climbing routes, fitness classes, cardio machines, free weights, steam rooms, saunas, and showers, Diablo Rock Gym is sure to turn into your second home.

7. Touchstone Climbing Great Western Power Co.

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Touchstone Climbing Great Western Power Co. offers hundreds of fitness options, like TRX classes, cardio boxing, and Crossfit V16. This fun and friendly gym will help you accomplish your fitness goals while also learning new skills.

8. Bladium’s Rock Wall and Bouldering Gym

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Bladium’s Gym is the go-to place for the ultimate sports fan. From indoor and outdoor sport courts to climbing walls to CrossFit, this gym has it all. After you’ve been belay certified, Bladium’s rock wall and climbing gym are available for use during all open hours.

9. Touchstone Climbing Dogpatch Boulders

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Dogpatch Boulders, one of Touchstone Climbing’s newest gyms, officially opened its doors in 2013 in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood. After achieving great success these past few years, Dogpatch will soon expand its gym to provide more climbing space and gym amenities.
Susan Blick, a San Francisco Bay Area native, recently graduated from Colgate University, where she double majored in Environmental Studies and Sociology & Anthropology. A proud morning person, she lives by Phil Dunphy’s Phil’s-osophy to ‘Watch a sunrise at least once a day.’

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