Located 20 minutes away from Yakima, the Tieton River crags spread out along a 20-mile stretch of the river drainage on the south cascades of Washington state’s east slope. Most of the crags are composed of andesite, part of a 50-mile-long flow from the Goat Rocks ancient volcano.

This site has over 400 routes evenly split between sport and trad. Generally, the lower canyon crags (Moon Rocks, the Bend, and the Royal Columns) have more crack routes, while the higher drainage crags (the Cave, the Oasis, Wildcat, Lava Point, Rainbow Rockks, and South Fork) have more sport routes. The Tieton shines at the 5.11 grade for sports climbs and 5.10 for trad routes.

The lower canyon is semi-arid with cactus, oak groves, and sagebrush: the higher crags and mixed forests of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. Throughout the area, almost every crag offers a morning or afternoon shade. With little planning, summer climbing in Tieton can be a wonderful experience.