North America saw 53 newly opened climbing gyms in 2025, and climbing gyms experienced a 4.7% net growth rate, with 356,314 square feet of climbing built across new gyms. And while 73% of climbing gym operators reported worsening economic conditions, 61% of operators expect revenue improvements in 2026. This according to Climbing Business Journal’s 13th annual Gyms and Trends report.
The report spotlights and evaluates significant industry happenings for the year 2025, including how economic factors contributed to
changes in climbing gym revenues and customer traffic and how gyms adapted to fiscal challenges.
As with previous installments, this year’s Gyms and Trends report utilizes a combination of maps, charts, graphs, tables and expert feedback—including exclusive insights from an in-depth survey of 240 climbing facilities—to present a comprehensive analysis of a single year in the climbing gym industry. The report highlights key industry shifts observed in 2025 along with operator expectations for 2026.
The Gyms and Trends 2025 report covers:
- All the new commercial climbing gym openings and closures of 2025 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
- The growth rate of the North American climbing gym industry, with economic underpinnings and implications.
- An examination of consumer spending habits, plus how climbers’ spending behaviors fit within a greater shopping framework in 2025.
- A breakdown of 2025 trends in climbing gym revenues, expenses, traffic, prices, programs, amenities and more.
- Aggregate statistics on climbing gym average check-ins, memberships and payment volumes, exclusively from Rock Gym Pro.
- Analysis of the rise in youth programming at climbing gyms around the industry and the impact on gyms’ revenue streams in 2025.
- A sneak peek of new developments planned for 2026 and beyond.
- A data-driven forecast of what climbing gym operators are expecting in 2026, as well as the industry’s first-ever Optimism Index.
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