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University Of Colorado Boulder Recreation Center

4.7 ★★★★★ 455 Google reviews · Climbing gym in Boulder, Colorado

Adaptive climbing

Multi-use recreation facility featuring indoor basketball and tennis courts, plus a pool, climbing gym, soccer pitch, and ice rink.

Plan your visit

  • Gear rental nearly every climbing gym rents shoes (~$5–8 typical) and chalk; harness rental is often bundled with a ropes pass
  • Waiver always required at climbing gyms — sign it online before you go to skip the front-desk line
  • First timer? bouldering needs zero experience — rent shoes and walk in; staff will point you at the easiest problems
  • Memberships available — worth asking about if you'd climb more than a few times a month
  • Today see hours ·
  • Phone (303) 492-6880
  • Website colorado.edu

Hours

Monday 7 AM–9 PM
Tuesday 7 AM–9 PM
Wednesday 7 AM–9 PM
Thursday 7 AM–9 PM
Friday 7 AM–9 PM
Saturday 10 AM–9 PM
Sunday 10 AM–9 PM

Hours can shift for holidays, competitions, and youth-team practice — worth a quick check before a special trip.

What's inside

Walls and programs at University Of Colorado Boulder Recreation Center, confirmed by climbers' own reviews.

🪨 Bouldering Gyms 7 mentions

“Although I'm not a student at CU Boulder, it's comforting to know that there's a facility of this magnitude available for my daughter and other students to utilize.”

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🧘 Climbing + Yoga & Fitness 16 mentions

“The perfect REC center inside out, can easily spend hours in here and every thing is available, free weights, lifting rooms, machines, 20 different type of cardio machines.”

All gyms with climbing + yoga & fitness →

What climbers say again and again

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 455 Google reviews — with their own words as proof.

🧼 spotless & clean 4 mentions

“Their facilities are well-maintained and they keep their machines updated regularly.”

🧘 yoga & fitness included 12 mentions

“Great weight room and exercise facility!”

From the reviews

During my time in CU Boulder, I spent most of my time here. The perfect REC center inside out, can easily spend hours in here and every thing is available, free weights, lifting rooms, machines, 20 different type of cardio machines. I miss this place and highly recommended

★★★★★ — Mohsen, Sep 2020

I'll preface this by saying that this review is based on a one-time visit at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year; therefore, I'm uncertain if my experience would be consistent if I were to visit multiple times.

★★★★☆ — Dm, Aug 2024

We visited for a campus tour last week, and we left speechless. My daughter and I both fell in love with the campus. The rec center is state of the art. We visited one of the five libraries and it was beautiful, and full of activity. Our tour guide is outstanding.

★★★★★ — Lucinda, Oct 2025

The vibrant most place in CU Boulder. The place where you want to come after a long day to exercise and chill. The subscription for students is reasonable though it is a tad high for staffs and postdocs. It is completely worthy btw considering the amazing indoor facilities it has!

★★★★★ — Aiswarya, Apr 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 455 reviews →

Adaptive climbing

University Of Colorado Boulder Recreation Center is mentioned for adaptive climbing or paraclimbing — sessions, equipment, or coaching that make the walls climbable for people with disabilities. Offerings like this vary a lot gym to gym and schedules change, so call ahead to ask what's available and when the next session runs.

Where to find University Of Colorado Boulder Recreation Center

1835 Pleasant St, Boulder, CO80302

Get directions

Climbing gyms near University Of Colorado Boulder Recreation Center

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under a mile away

ABC Kids Climbing

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Indoor climbing gym with kids' classes, plus parties, camps and open-gym sessions for 2.5- to 19-year-olds.

1.2 miles away

The Spot Bouldering Gym

4.7 ★★★★★ 406 reviews

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Hosts birthday parties Kids classes & camps Yoga & fitness great route settingbeginner friendlyfriendly staff

This indoor rock climbing facility offers freestanding boulders & training equipment for all levels.

1.3 miles away

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and climber reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.