One reason to love the Hudson Valley is the beauty of the changing seasons, yet winter sometimes makes it hard to participate in the same activities that inspire adventure in the warmer months. With a wide range of hiking trails, scrambling experiences, and climbing escapades, the region produces many natives with a passion for rock climbing in all its glory. Icy mountains and closed trails make this hobby more difficult to achieve in the colder season, but these indoor rock climbing gyms around the Hudson Valley stay toasty year-round to ensure that even the most ambitious climbers can get their fix.
BC’s Climbing Gym
New Paltz
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Right in the heart of some of the best outdoor climbing spots in the region and not too far from Mohonk Mountain House and all its surrounding hiking trails is this indoor gem. Since 2018, BC’s Climbing Gym in New Paltz has been specializing in high-quality boulder problems, primarily for climbers aged 13 years and up. The boutique bouldering space obsesses over setting and resetting the gym walls to create carefully curated routes that teach movement and body positions that translate to outdoor climbing. The perfect place to practice your skills in the off-season, a day pass at this gym will only run you $18, and shoe, chalk bag, and harness rentals are all $5 or less.
The Gravity Vault
Poughkeepsie
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In Poughkeepsie, The Gravity Vault makes everyone’s rock climbing experiences positive and memorable. This indoor rock climbing gym’s welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment invites all climbers, young and old, to reach new heights both on the walls and in all aspects of life. The Gravity Vault offers two types of climbing (top rope climbing and bouldering) for beginners, in addition to belay classes and other instructor-led programs. On the other hand, experienced climbers can join a route-setting clinic, technique class, or just come in for a day of free climbing. A day pass at The Gravity Vault is $28, and annual memberships and family packages are also available.
Hapik
Yonkers
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Hapik prides itself on being a fun climbing gym for families and groups in Westchester. The gym is over 10,000 square feet with two ropes course and more than 150 routes across 50 climbing walls. At Hapik, vertical challenges and easy walls make for safe and fun auto-belay climbing, with party packages, group events, and other programs available as well. After-school sessions thrill and teach skills to even the youngest of climbers, while a $27.50 climbing pass gets anyone two hours of free range to the gym’s walls and routes. Book a family climbing session online for just $67.50 and have the time of your life with your closest pals.
Movement (Formerly The Cliffs)
Valhalla
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The gym that’s for climbers, by climbers, Movement, formerly known as The Cliffs, has it all in Valhalla. With over 200 boulder problems and routes, three auto-belay stations, a fitness center, yoga classes, and full locker room with showers, Movement is a one-stop shop for all your exercise needs. If you’re new to climbing, try the Learn to Climb package that grants unlimited month-long access to the gym, along with two introductory-level climbing classes, weekly yoga and fitness instruction, and free rental gear for just $59. For a day pass to get your climb on, pay just $22 for full access.
The Rock Club
New Rochelle
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Not far from Valhalla’s Movement is The Rock Club in New Rochelle. Grab your harness and scale the tallest walls in the gym or climb your way up shorter walls on a bouldering course at this all-levels indoor rock climbing gym. If it’s your first visit, rent a belayer to have an expert help guide your climbing experience, and take a quick top rope test if you already know how to belay yourself. Lead certifications are also available, and a day pass is $22 per person, with a discounted rate of $18 for students and bouldering-only courses.
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