Climbing Policy & Advocacy

Yosemite. Zion. Acadia. Indian Creek. Some of our most iconic climbing areas are located on public land.

As climbing continues to grow in popularity, land managers are becoming more cognizant of climbing’s impacts. Increasingly, land managers use their legal authority to regulate our climbing areas—often without the experience or knowledge to do so appropriately.

The best way to influence how our public climbing areas are managed is to have a seat at the table. That’s where Access Fund comes in. We represent the collective voice and interests of climbers—working to protect access to, and integrity of, our climbing areas by working with officials in Washington, DC and land managers at parks and forests across the country.

Credit Photo Courtesy of:
D. Scott Clark | Clear Creek Canyon, CO

But there is power in numbers, and we need your support. Add your voice today.


Become a Member

Every year, Access Fund spends hundreds of hours working with legislators, members of the administration, state agencies, tribal governments, and officials from the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management to make sure that climbers’ interests are represented in public land planning. We work directly with these officials to educate and advocate for:

  • Management strategies that balance climbing access with resource conservation
  • Responsible placement and replacement of fixed anchors
  • Sustainable care and management of climbing areas
  • Recognition of the social and economic benefits of climbing

But the policies that are set in Washington, DC are just half of the equation. Access Fund also partners with local climbing advocates to work directly with individual park and forest offices to make sure that national and state level policies are being implemented fairly and effectively at our local climbing areas.

Access Fund is also a founding member of Outdoor Alliance, which unites the voice of the human-powered outdoor recreation community—climbers, backcountry skiers, mountain bikers, and paddlers—to increase our influence in Washington, DC and promote the ethic of sustainable recreation on our public lands. By joining together on the common issues that impact us, we amplify our voice and greatly improve our ability to impact public policy.

Learn more about our advocacy initiatives by reviewing our Climbing Advocacy Statements.

For more information, contact [email protected].