Rock Formation · Oregon

Smith Rock

The birthplace of American sport climbing

TypeRock Formation
StateOregon
Best seasonSpring & fall (summer bakes; winter is crisp)
How to visitState park; day-use fee

A wall of welded tuff and basalt looping around a bend of the Crooked River in central Oregon — where modern sport climbing was born, and where Misery Ridge delivers one of the state’s best short hikes. Spires, raptors, and the river far below.

The shot

Monkey Face spire from Misery Ridge.

Nearby & worth pairing

  • Misery Ridge Trail
  • Crooked River
  • Bend nearby
  • Monkey Face

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