Rock Climbing in Red River Gorge

The best place to go rock climbing in Kentucky is at Red River Gorge, which is located in eastern Kentucky in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Powell County. Red River Gorge provides some of the best sport climbing in America, and is easily accessible within a day from most major cities in the eastern states. 

The climbing style at Red River Gorge is steep and pumpy on heavily featured sandstone rock, infused with large amounts of iron. The rock is very hard and offers great friction, but is also plastered with a variety of large holds, from jugs, crimps, huecos, pockets, slopers, crazy flutings, to chickenheads, and horns.  Though the area is well known for its sport climbing, roughly half the routes here are trad routes requiring the placing of protection such as cams and nuts.

There are nearly 100 crags to choose from at Red River Gorge, each with its own unique character. In total there are over 3,000 routes across a wide range of grades, with many routes in the 5.7 to 5.14 grade range (F5 to F8c+).

Climbing Guidebooks for the Red River Gorge.  The Red River Gorge climbing area is vast with multiple valleys and subsidiary valleys.  Geographically the area is split by the Mountain Parkway road running between Lexington and Campton.  The Red River Gorge South Guidebook covers the area to the south of the road.  The Red River Gorge Select Guidebook describes the very best sport routes and trad routes at Red River Gorge, across a wide range of grades from 5.4 to 5.14. 

Buy sport climbing and rock climbing guidebooks for Red River Gorge from our shop.

The best time of year to climb at Red River Gorge is October and November when it is usually fairly dry with cooler conditions. The spring has great temperatures but tends to be a little wetter, whilst the summer is usually too hot. If the sun is out during the winter, then the climbing is very pleasurable.