Description:

Located outside of the town of New Castle, Main Elk Creek is home to some good, limestone, sport climbing crags. These are quickly gaining in popularity during the winter months due to their southern exposure and breadth of climbing grades and styles.

Directions / Travel Info:

From New Castle, travel west on County Road 245, which can be found at the west end of main street by following the sign for "National Forest Service Access." Continue until the Main Elk Road turnoff (County Road 243) and make a right. Drive until the pavement ends after about about 6 miles. Continue past a sharp right hand turn and the across Main Elk Creek on a bridge. Shortly thereafter is a large pullout on the left with a large brown sign for the Clinetop bighorn sheep and a large informational bulletin board. This is the trailhead for the Hadley Gulch Trail, which accesses many of these crags in the area.

Take the Hadley Gulch Trail for about .5 of a mile, then take a left fork. Main Elk will appear on your right after another .5 of a mile.