Climbing & Bouldering — Indoor and Outdoor

Climbing gyms with thousands of routes, boulder halls for an after-work session, and real outdoor crags for weekend trips.

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Climbing gym Crag / outdoor climbing Boulder Tap a marker for details and directions.

Three worlds, one map

This map shows three related but different worlds: indoor climbing gyms (with rope, tall walls, thousands of routes per gym), boulder halls (max 4 m, no rope, thick mats, perfect after work), and real outdoor crags — from sandstone in low mountains to alpine granite. The popup shows difficulty (UIAA in DE/AT, French in FR/ES), route count, and rock type. Use the filters above to toggle indoor and outdoor.

Looking for a gym for after work? A crag for the weekend? Planning your first multi-day trip to a climbing area? The map combines indoor gyms, boulder studios, outdoor crags, and alpine routes in one view. POI popups show grades (UIAA, French), route count, rock type, and opening hours where the community recorded them in OSM.

Difficulty grades

UIAA (Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Roman numerals): I easy, V medium, VII demanding, X+ elite. French (France, Spain, many gyms worldwide): 3a easy, 5c medium, 7a advanced, 9c world-class. Boulder: Font scale — 4 easy, 7A advanced, 8B+ top.

The popup shows the min/max range, if the gym or crag recorded it in OSM. A UIAA gym from V- to VIII+ covers beginners through advanced climbers. Outdoor areas are often more specialized — Frankenjura is famous for high grades, Saxon Switzerland has its own scale, Spain (Margalef, Siurana) covers everything from 5a to 9b.

Data source: OpenStreetMap

The map queries OpenStreetMap live (Overpass API). The following tags are evaluated:

  • sport=climbing — main tag for any climbing facility
  • climbing=route_top_rope|sport|bouldering|... — subtype — bouldering, top rope, sport (lead), multi-pitch, alpine
  • leisure=sports_centre + sport=climbing — classic climbing gym, often with both boulder and route sections
  • climbing:grade:uiaa:min/max + climbing:grade:french:min/max — difficulty range in UIAA and French scales — rendered in the popup

Safety & notes

  • Indoor: belay certification (e.g. DAV / KLEVER / TopRope) is required in many German-speaking gyms. First-time visitors often need a short course or belay test.
  • Outdoor: check weather and rock conditions before every climb — wet rock (especially limestone, sandstone) breaks more easily. Wait at least 24 hours after rain.
  • Conservation: many crags are in protected areas. Respect breeding-season closures (usually March–June) for peregrine falcon and eagle owl — violations lead to complete closures.
  • Wear a helmet: on outdoor multi-pitch and alpine routes, a helmet is standard. Rockfall is the most common cause of serious injuries.

When do I need this map?

  • After-work gym: quickly find the nearest boulder or route gym with matching opening hours.
  • Outdoor day trip: find crags within 50 km that match your grade range.
  • Climbing trip: plan multi-day trips — gym for rainy days, crag for sun, hut for sleeping.
  • Travel research: mark boulder studios and gyms at your destination to keep training on the road.

Frequently asked questions

Which OSM tags are evaluated?
sport=climbing is the main tag, with climbing=* for subtype (boulder, sport, top_rope, multipitch, alpine). Gyms are identified via leisure=sports_centre + sport=climbing or climbing=gym. Grades come from climbing:grade:uiaa:min/max and climbing:grade:french:min/max.
Are all crags freely accessible?
No. Some outdoor areas require access through private land, others have day fees or alpine club membership. Gyms always charge (€10-25 day pass). The popup shows fee=yes/no where mapped.
What gear do beginners need?
Bouldering: climbing shoes (often rentable) and chalk bag — that's it. Roped climbing: also harness, belay device, rope, helmet — most gyms rent full sets. Outdoor: add a helmet and quickdraws.
Do I need a guidebook for outdoor climbing?
Yes, an up-to-date guidebook is essential. It contains topo sketches, grade ratings, route names, first-ascent info, and access directions. Local apps (theCrag, 8a.nu) and club guidebooks are also useful. This map only shows location — you still need detailed route info elsewhere.

Privacy

This map runs entirely in your browser. Your location is never sent to our servers — it's only used to center the map. Map data comes from OpenStreetMap.

Data source

All points come from OpenStreetMap and are fetched live via the Overpass API. Something missing or wrong? Anyone can fix it directly on OpenStreetMap — the map will reflect the change shortly after.

Why This Climbing Map Stands Out

Climbing lives by spots: a bouldering gym, a classic sport-climbing crag, a trad line on the coast. Specialty platforms like The Crag or UKC collect route topos with grades but they are not public or require login. Our map uses OpenStreetMap as a common data source and shows three types in one view: indoor gyms, outdoor spots and bouldering-only areas. It answers a question almost every climber knows — "what is in this region anyway?" — without login and without an app install.

Especially handy is the combined indoor + outdoor view. In winter you see gyms like Magic Mountain in Berlin, Boulderwelt in Munich or the Stuntwerk chain; the same map in summer shows that 60 km west there is a climbing garden in a disused quarry. Via tags like climbing:rock you can filter rock type (limestone, granite, sandstone) — important for route selection, friction behaviour and friction management.

OSM also carries grade information per spot — as min/max in UIAA and French scales. In the popup you immediately see whether a crag suits beginners (UIAA III-V) or pros (UIAA IX+). Combined with the strong tradition of local climbing groups maintaining their spots in OSM (e.g. Frankenjura with the German Alpine Club, Fontainebleau with French boulderers), you get a map astonishingly close to reality.

Concrete Use Cases

How climbers use the map:

  • A beginner in a new city looks for the nearest bouldering gym offering courses.
  • A sport climber plans a weekend in the Frankenjura and filters for UIAA VI-VIII outdoor spots.
  • A bouldering crew looks for all boulder blocks in a forest area within 20 km of a campsite.
  • An Alpine Club group looks for an indoor gym for winter training near the members.
  • A school plans an outing with via ferratas and needs spots for unpracticed students (UIAA II-III).

Data Source, Licence and Updates

Data comes directly from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL). We pull it live via the Overpass API every time you move the map, so you always see the latest state. OSM edits usually appear within minutes. Did you visit a spot that is currently closed (nesting birds, climbing ban, nature reserve), or learn about a new gym? Update the data on openstreetmap.org. The OSM Wiki has a detailed entry on climbing tagging under Key:climbing.

Limits of This Map

We are as good as OSM. Well-mapped regions like Fontainebleau, Frankenjura, Saxon Switzerland, Mallorca or the Swiss Alpine foothills are extremely densely covered. In remote mountain regions or outside Europe density depends on local initiatives. There are inconsistencies between tag schemes (e.g. climbing=* vs sport=climbing) — we catch the most common ones, edge cases may be missing. Also: an OSM entry says nothing about legal access. Always check regional Alpine Club info or local climbing bans before climbing.

More Frequent Questions

How do UIAA, French and Yosemite scales differ?
UIAA is common in German-speaking countries (Roman numerals I to XII). The French scale (number + letter: 6a, 7c+) is the international sport-climbing standard. The Yosemite Decimal System (YDS: 5.4 to 5.15) dominates in North America. Rough conversion: UIAA VI = French 5c = YDS 5.9. OSM tags climbing:grade:uiaa and climbing:grade:french support both views.
Are via ferratas (Klettersteige) also shown?
Via ferratas are a discipline of their own and tagged in OSM as ways (highway=via_ferrata or route=via_ferrata). Our map focuses on spot POIs (gym, crag, boulder block). For a complete via-ferrata overview we recommend viaferrata.org or the DAV/CAI apps.
How do I add a new spot to OSM?
Sign in to openstreetmap.org, navigate to the spot and click "Add a node". Set sport=climbing, add climbing=sport|trad|boulder|toprope and ideally climbing:grade:uiaa:min/max. Mind legal aspects: only add spots in nature reserves or on private land if climbing is permitted. When unsure, talk to the regional Alpine Club or local climbing association first.

Related maps

  • AED map — Defibrillators — important for outdoor accidents while awaiting EMS.
  • Camping map — Campsites and pitches near climbing areas.
  • Drinking water map — Public fountains to fill your bottle before an outdoor day.
  • Bike Service Map — Many crags are easiest by bike — find repair posts and sharing nearby.
  • Accessibility Map — Some boulder and climbing gyms are explicitly built for para-climbing.