Our top picks for a May bouldering trip are the Rocklands, Val di Mello and Cresciano. May sits inside the reliable season at all of them. Each pick is based on decades of weather data run through our rock-drying model — tap a card for the full month-by-month breakdown.
Top bouldering picks for May
Rocklands
Cederberg sandstone that lives on cold, dry air. September and October are the window: the winter cold-front rain has closed but afternoons are still cool enough for good friction.
See the month-by-month weather data →
Val di Mello
Ghiandone granite in a high Lombardy valley. The snowpack clears by April, before the Alpine thunderstorm season, and the season runs on into autumn.
See the month-by-month weather data →
Cresciano
Low-lying Ticino gneiss with almost no off-season — one of the few places in Europe that climbs well through winter and early spring.
See the month-by-month weather data →How the May picks compare
| Destination | Country | Rock | May | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocklands | South Africa | Sandstone | Good | Apr–May, Sep–Oct |
| Val di Mello | Italy | Granite | Good | Apr–Oct |
| Cresciano | Switzerland | Gneiss | Good | Jan–Sep |
Season = the months each destination's own weather-data article rates good or best.
Also in season in May
Questions
Where is the best place to go bouldering in May?
Our top picks are the Rocklands, Val di Mello and Cresciano. May sits inside the reliable season at all of them.
Which bouldering destinations are at their best in May?
None of our bouldering destinations has its best month in May, but the Rocklands, Val di Mello and Cresciano are reliably in season. Our picks are at their best at other times of year: the Rocklands in September and October; Val di Mello in April; and Cresciano in March.
Where else can I go bouldering in May?
Also in season in May: Chironico, Fontainebleau, Squamish and Magic Wood. Each guide has the month-by-month weather data.
Where should I go bouldering in June?
In June, our top picks are Squamish, Magic Wood and Val di Mello. See where to go bouldering in June.