Colton Klemperer and Dylan Lipke climb on the free-standing bouldering structures at Alpenglow Park. 

The free-standing bouldering structures in Bend’s Alpenglow Park feel too good to be true. The park offers 3,510 square feet of climbing area with the added bonus of free access.

As a casual climber, I’ve purchased day passes and punch cards to climbing gyms for years. The price of entry would put pressure on my bouldering session. And as my arms grew tired, I’d be watching the clock to calculate if I’d been there long enough to get my money’s worth.

At Alpenglow Park, there’s no pressure — I climb for as long or as short as I like. I take regular breaks.

And as I’m sitting on the rocks next to the bouldering structures, I sip in the fresh air, appreciating the swaying ponderosa pine trees. When my muscles are tired, I change out of my climbing shoes and guiltlessly walk home.

The three custom-built structures were designed by Entre-Prises, a Bend-based manufacturer of climbing walls and holds. The east structure is 10 feet tall with the central and west areas topping out at 12 feet. Routes are labeled by difficulty, enhanced with surface imitating the natural curvatures of ledges, overhangs, gaps and cracks.

Climbing is at your own risk and Bend Park & Recreation recommends the use of supplemental crash pads to soften potential falls.

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The bouldering area offers a bridge between traditional indoor and outdoor bouldering. The holds are designed to be reset but have remained the same since the structures were installed in 2022.

I’m a long way from the most difficult routes, so I’m a fan of the consistency. Like climbing on a Moon or Kilter board, it’s ideal for building muscle memory and strength by climbing the same route repeatedly.

As I’m soaking up my surroundings in between routes, I’ve found I usually stay longer than I would at a climbing gym.