There are currently six different high quality guidebooks available for the Red River Gorge, 3 of which cover, comprehensively, separate regions of the Red River Gorge. Namely the Northern Region, the Southern Region, and Miller Fork. Additionally, there are 2 "best of" guidebooks each of which attempt to condense the most classic and popular walls throughout the area into a single book, as well as a comprehensive Sport climbing guidebook.
THE RED 2nd Edition (2022) Brendan Leader. $35.00 ISBN:9780645299915
Covers all Sport Climbing crags in the Red along with trad climbs within those sport climbing areas. This is currently the most up to date book.
Red River Gorge North – Volume 1 (2015 5th Edition) Ray Ellington and Dustin Stephens. $28.00 ISBN:1938393201
Covers the crags north of the Mountain Parkway. Including many of the classic trad lines in the Red.
Red River Gorge South – Volume 2 (2017 5th Edition) Ray Ellington and Blake Bowling. $33.00 ISBN:1938393279
Covers the crags south of the Mountain Parkway excluding Miller Fork, includes many of the classic sport lines in the Red.
Miller Fork Climbing (2015 Edition) Ray Ellington. $39.95 ISBN:9780692471128
Covers Miller Fork though due to being published when the MFRP first opened, this edition is not particularly up to date.
Red River Gorge Select – Guide to the best crags in the North, South, and Miller Fork (2018 Edition) Dario Ventura, Mike Williams $39 ISBN:1938393325
Covers a large selection of the most popular sport and trad crags throughout the gorge.
Best of the Red – Sport Climbing Crags of the Red River Gorge (2017 Edition) Brendan Leader. $20.00 ISBN:9780994278456
Covers a huge selection of the best sport crags in the north, south and Miller Fork Recreational Preserve (MFRP).
Restaurants:
The Red River Gorge is home to a number of climber owned or operated businesses, between them they comprise the most popular climber hangouts.
Not a lot needs said about this one, Miguel's Pizza is the center of the Red River Gorge Climbing Universe. Since as early as 1984, before Red River Gorge was known as the world class climbing destination it is today, Miguel started serving up food to hungry climbers, it has been an oasis for climbers ever since. As the climbing community grew, so too did Miguel's which now offers more than just pizza, including delicious sandwiches, bowls, salads and an excellent breakfast menu.
Located on KY 11, 4 miles past Miguels, the Red River Rockhouse is an eclectic cafe serving up Burritos, Tacos, Burgers, and Salads made with fresh ingredients and staffed by climbers. Their Barbacoa, Carnitas, and Tempeh burritos are the best around.
A bar and restaurant located in Pine Ridge, KY at the Southeastern entrance to the Daniel Boone National Forest, and minutes away from the Muir Valley climbing area. Sky Bridge is best known for their excellent selection of local draft beer and Kentucky Bourbon as well their enormous burgers made with locally sourced beef. Other menu items include quesadillas and gourmet hot dogs. Sky Bridge is known for live music on Friday and Saturday nights and hosting a Team Trivia on Tuesday nights.
Hop's
Hop's is an outdoor beer garden, located 4.5 miles south of Miguel's on KY 11 sharing the parking lot with the Graining Fork Nature Preserve (Roadside Crag) and the Zoo climbing areas. They serve a rotating menu ranging from pub classics to healthier food fare and have the best selection of canned, bottled, and tap beer in the gorge. Beer can be bought to drink on the outdoor patio or to go. The owner of Hop's also manages the Graining Fork Nature Preserve and graciously allows those climbing at the Roadside Crag and Zoo areas to park there, please show your appreciation by patronizing them with your business when climbing at these areas.
Located just off KY 715 tucked back on Jim Smith Rd, RedPoint BBQ might be the best kept secret in RRG. A slightly more upscale spot compared to the rest of the regions offerings with great food and bourbon offerings.
Located on KY 11 just south of the Shell gas station in Slade, the Daniel Boone is the best place to grab a cup of coffee in the Red. They also offer breakfast sandwiches and lunch and have an excellent selection of shakes smoothies in addition to their selection of hot drinks. Customers are welcome to hang out and use the free wifi.
Red River Kitchen & Bakery
287 E College Ave, Stanton KY 40380
Offers plant-based breakfast and lunch favorites, plus our delicious baked goods are made fresh daily.
Other options in Slade, KY include the La Cabana Mexican Restaurant, The Red River Smokehouse, and the Buffet and Restaurant at the Natural Bridge State Resort Park Lodge. Additional options for fast food, coffee shops, and restaurants exist in the nearby towns of Stanton, Campton, and Beattyville, which also happen to be the nearest towns to find groceries and other supplies.
Groceries
Most will find a good selection of groceries at the Kroger in Stanton, while picky eaters can find more variety (Trader Joes, Whole Foods) in Lexington, about an hours drive away. For quick trips the Save-a-lot in Campton and the IGA in Beattyville stock all the basics.
Bluegrass Climbing School, based in the heart of the Red River Gorge, specializes in offering high quality private instruction and guided climbing for all ability levels by AMGA certified instructors. They are known for their clinics and courses on a variety of topics including trad climbing, anchor building, self rescue, multi-pitch climbing, and gym to outdoor transitions.
Operated by Red River Outdoors, they are the longest operating guide service in the Red River Gorge. Red River Gorge Guides has exclusive access to the privately owned Torrent Falls crag.
Formerly known as Torrent Falls Climbing Adventure and based in Campton, KY, Southeast Mountain Guides offers on and off site guiding and instruction.
The Red is by far one of the easiest climbing areas to find camping and lodging accommodations, several climber campgrounds and plethora of cabins rentals options exist to fit the needs of most.
The most popular climber campground, Miguel's is a good option for those looking for an inexpensive communal camping area, at the center of the climbing community. During the busy season one can expect the campground to be crowded, and peace and quiet scarce. Miguel's currently charges ~$3 per person a night, register at the Miguel's gear shop.
Lago Linda's is a great option for those looking for car camping and a bit of privacy, Lago's is best suited for those who plan to climb primarily in the Southern Region, since it is located 10 minutes from the PMRP and Bald Rock Fork Crags. Expect a longer drive for crags in the Northern Gorge. Currently $6 a person per night, with free showers.
Located conveniently on 2016 on your way to Muir Valley, and centrally located to the rest of the gorge, Bedrock offers private rooms and a community bunk house with a large upscale communal living space and friendly hosts.
Choclat Inn is a hip climber owned motel, in an old renovated strip motel. In addition to lodging, they specialize in boutique sweets and treats available in their cafe.
One can purchase a backcountry camping pass for a few dollars a night which allows overnight camping in the Daniel Boone National Forest and Clifty Wilderness Areas (The Northern Gorge.) Passes are available at the Shell Gas Station in Slade and the Glady Visitor Center, among other places.
Cabins
There are too many cabin options to list, but a short internet search will reveal a plethora of cabin's at all price points for those who prefer to live luxuriously.
RRGCC Properties
As of June 2018, there is no overnight parking allowed on any Coalition properties (PMRP, BRRP, MFRP). Primitive camping is apparently allowed, just as long as you do not park a car there (i.e. dropped off or hike in).
Other Options
Several non-climber oriented campgrounds exist for those seeking a more family oriented experience, or for those seeking RV hookups. These include Koomer Ridge Campground, run by the National Forest Service, Middle Fork RV Campground and Whittleton Campground which are run by the Natural Bridge State Park, Callie's RV Campground in Stanton, among others.
Ethics and Access go hand in hand, don't screw it up for everyone.
Rappel vs. Lower
It is okay to lower off routes in Red River Gorge, most local climbers agree that is both more efficient and safer to lower on most routes, overhung routes which are common in the Red are especially difficult to clean on rappel. Anchors are generally well maintained, though sandy conditions do contribute to quicker wear as compared to other areas, so check for wear and if dangerous hardware is spotted you can report the problem to www.badbolts.com. Donate to The Red River Gorge Fixed Gear Initiative so we can continue to maintain quality anchors throughout the Red. More recently, some routes are being equipped with climbing rated "Mussy Hooks" which can be easily clipped and lowered off of, however please place your own gear if you plan to top rope or have multiple goes.
Fixed Gear
Steel permadraws are prevalent on steeper routes throughout the Southern Gorge (Permadraws are not allowed in the Northern Gorge) Never leave aluminum gear on routes as it wears quickly and becomes sharp enough to cut a rope. Steel although much harder wearing, does get worn eventually, so pay attention to what you're clipping.
Permits/Waivers
Several areas have required waivers or permits which are necessary to climb at a given area, namely the Graining Fork Nature Preserve (Roadside Crag) offers a limited number of permits per day and is monitored to prevent trespassing.
Graining Fork Nature Preserve - Permit Required
Red River Gorge Coalition (PMRP/MFRP/BRRP) - Waiver Required
Muir Valley - Waiver Required, $10 parking fee.
Group Size
Official caps on group size range from area to area, please be considerate and keep your impact low by maintaining small group sizes especially at popular crags and during peak seasons. Groups of 8 or larger are recommended to split up between different crags. Those looking to avoid the crowds can easily do so by climbing at the many obscure crags throughout the North Gorge and other areas.
Leave No Trace
Practice Leave no trace, regarding Human Waste, please use bathrooms or pit toilets at various areas when available. When not available, use a WAG bag or bury waste 6-8 inches deep and carry out TP.
See a bat on a route, give a shout!
Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. If you see bats while climbing, please send a brief report to climbersforbats@colostate.edu or visit their website climbersforbats.colostate.edu
Climbers for Bat Conservation (CBC) is a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. CBC is researching a disease plaguing bat populations across the country -- white-nose syndrome (whitenosesyndrome.org) -- which has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the United States, and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation.
For more information, contact Rob Schorr -- zoologist and director at CBC -- robert.schorr@colostate.edu
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Stanton, Kentucky
Plymouth, NH
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Denver, CO
Just to let others know, I just got back from winter camping at RRG and I ended up staying at the Koomer Ridge campground. It had washrooms, a well with running water, trash disposal, and was $7/night for the site. I recommend this to others camping in the off season. Feb 21, 2010
Denver, CO
You can drive up Chimney top road, auxier ridge, basically wherever, and you will find primitive spots in the pull-offs right by the road. There is a large site between Left Flank and Military; it will probably be taken. Same deal with stuff near Funk Rock. There are hike-in backcountry sites, but those are generally a pain in the ass if you're climbing and if you don't know what you're looking for.
I would shoot for either Miguels or Lago Linda's. I don't remember either of those places being more crowded than usual last year. Of course, they were still packed, but no more than usual... May 3, 2010
Meredith, NH
Denver, CO
Denver, CO
MP Thread 1 mountainproject.com/v/red-r… Dec 16, 2015
Start with this -
redriverclimbing.com/RRCGui… Dec 25, 2015
Germantown, MD & Delta, CO
Cincinnati, OH
Asheville, NC
Morrison CO
We found the Muir Valley very easy to navigate with great signage and even bathrooms! The Bald Rock Area was a little tougher for us to find specific climbs but with other climbers help it all worked out. It's nice to have trees for shade and the mosquitoes really weren't nearly as bad as we expected.
We had sporadic rain the first few days but most of the climbs we did were overhung or had some sort of roof so the routes stayed dry even if the trails were wet. We also learned to scope out an area the day before so we knew where we were going the morning of the climb. We were surprised by how few people got out early and often we'd have the classic climbs completely to ourselves for hours before anyone would arrive around 9-10 a.m.
It's odd to be climbing in such forested areas because you can't see adjacent crags but you could hear people just across the valley. We expected to see these huge cliffs rising from the valley floor but most places weren't that way.
Food: Our friends constantly talked about Miguels so we were worried the hype wouldn't live up to our expectations but the pizza was amazing! Our hotel owner recommended we stop in for french toast but we never made it as we drove by before they were opened. A surprise was the Red River Rock House just up the road. Again our hotel front desk "informant" told us they have the best guacamole in the area so we stopped in to give it a try. The food was fresh and the vibe was really cool.
Lastly, we rented a car from the Cleveland/North Kentucky Airport and it was an easy drive but would recommend a vehicle with 4wd as some of the gravel roads were pretty rough and steep. It was nice knowing we wouldn't have a problem getting out of the valley from the parking lot.
Thanks again to everyone for their hospitality and information from two Colorado "newbies". Aug 27, 2019
Salt Lake City, UT
- This is an amazingly beautiful place in the fall. It can be easy to forget when you're zoned in on a project or navigating crowds, so don't forget to take in the scenery!!!
- In the sweet-spot fall season, especially on Fridays-Mondays (folks seem to extend a lot of 3-day weekend trips), to best navigate crowds, consider choosing crags on those days that have ~30+ total routes and/or 4+ different routes that you'd be psyched to climb. If you build in that flexibility, you'll have a better time for sure. Save the smaller crags for Tuesdays-Thursdays if you're fortunate enough to be on an extended trip. And please, if you go in bigger groups esp. on Fridays-Mondays, consider splitting off into units of 2 climbers to avoid "sieging crags" and/or perhaps even unintentionally making other climbers awkwardly defer to your group when you're working multiple adjacent lines.
- Stylistically, I feel that the climbing breaks down into two overarching styles:
a. The standard RRG "honeycomb maze": everything is chalked but less than half the chalked pockets/edges are good. Makes onsighting frustrating, so expect a lot of redpointing unless you have the endurance to hold on forever. This is the predominant style for the sport climbs. Not the most inspiring to look at, but often the movement can be good. Example crags with lots of this style are Brightside, Solar Collector, and Roadside crags.
b. "Feature" climbs: basically wherever you can surmise any cracks, aretes, etc. and the face doesn't look mostly like honeycomb texture. In my opinion, these are almost always better climbs in terms of being able to visualize definitive holds and sequences, and are thus more onsightable. Example crags with lots of this style are Gold Coast (right) and Military Wall (right).
Depending on your style preference, you can look at crag pictures beforehand, search for "honeycomb"-like wall photos (or not), and have a good idea of what you're getting into ahead of time.
- The Ellington/Bowling guidebooks, while generally great, don't have all the aspects right in the written crag descriptions. So if you're seeking sun/shade on very hot or very cool days, reference the visual overall crag maps for aspects. For ex, Brightside is listed as an all-day-sun crag, but at least as of early November, it's mostly full-shade until the mid-afternoon. Also, note that there are almost no true "full sun" crags - the forest blocks a lot of light even at true south-facing crags - so one or two routes might be in full sun for a bit but then back in the shade, etc. If it's legitimately cold, like 40s, look for descriptions of walls that "bake" in the sun.
- On the note of weather, climbing in the "filtered-light" crags feels great on days where climbingweather.com reads in the high-50s to high-60s Fahrenheit. If it's colder than that, consider seeking full-sun crags. If it's hotter, seek shade. Also, although the aforementioned guidebook lists places you can "climb in/directly after rain", in reality, don't be surprised if they are wet in/after any more rain that just intermittent drizzling. For ex, we tried to go to the Solarium after a med/heavy rain day thinking it'd be sheltered/dry, but it was soaked/unclimbable.
- Bring your longest/best stick clip here. Many 1st bolts are WAY off the ground, and the starts of climbs are often bouldery.
- For van campers, there are good overnight options off Tunnel Ridge Road. In general, the North sector of RRG is where most of the forest land/BLM options are. Buy permits for these options at the gas stations off the Slade highway exit. Nov 4, 2019
Earth
————
Hey tribe! We just opened the Climber cabin above the Rockhouse. It’s really affordable has a huge boulder in his yard, a hot tub and we give almost all of the revenue to local climber charities and nonprofits.
We would love to have you be our Guest and please spread the word! Follow us on insta @climbercabin to see more and for giveaways! Climbercabin.Com Feb 15, 2020
Kentucky
SLC, UT
Golden, CO
I'm spending the month of April at the Red - last year, I bought local eggs from a very kind woman named Sheila, who works at the Shell gas station in Slade. I learned that she loves her girls (hens), and collects/stores 40-50 eggs PER DAY from them. But sometimes she doesn't have enough business buying those eggs, and she gives away the eggs or even has to break them. :(
She loves her hens. Ask her about them when you pick your eggs up! She loves providing nice eggs to people. It was only by total fluke that I ever learned she had eggs for sale, and I'd be so sad to have never met her.
Last April (2021) and this April (2022) me, my wife, and a group of friends rented a cabin for the month, and purchased many dozens of eggs from Sheila.
I pay her at least $4/doz, though she would sell them for less, and generally tries to do just that!
I'd love to see her end up with a thriving egg-selling business, and making good, reliable money from it. And I know many others in the RRG climbing community would love to find a great source of healthy eggs, and I'd rather give my money to Sheila than Kroger. :)
The best way to get the eggs would be to:
1. Text sheila at +16065608049
2. tell her how many dozens you're hoping to get (between 2 and 20 dozen)
3. coordinate what day you'll swing by the Shell gas station in Slade to pick them up during her shift
4. Pick up the eggs and pay for them! She can only take cash; there's an ATM at the shell
Oh, and ask if she'd like you to bring back your egg cartons! Saves everyone money, and is in-line with reducereuserecycle. Apr 19, 2022
Atlanta, GA
Climbing is such a beautiful sport that is community driven. It’s the community that helps make its safer as everyone chimes in about gear wear out, rock changes, new rules in locations, trail days, access funds and just helping others from getting lost. As this sport continues to get more and more popular, let’s not forget the community of it and enjoy these wonderful climbs with everyone. Welcome in other climbers around you. Share stories, betas and skills on making climbs safer. Share the walls. As all the crags are getting more and more crowded, if you’re with a group of people, try to not hog a classic route for hours. Encourage others that cross by interested, to join in with your group by mixing the groups together, taking turns on the climb. Not only is this just a nice thing to do, but it’ll get the two groups to communicate and mingle. You never know what you will learn from other climbers and you just might create new friends. You already have one awesome thing in common.
Climbing for generations was a skill passed down from experienced mentors to new eager climbers. Normally one mentor taking in one new climber at a time. As this process still exist and is still very vital to climbing, it just can’t keep up with the influx of thousands of new climbers interested in the sport. With so many new climbers missing out on the generations of knowledge, on how and why some things are done, the sport can become reckless. This is more the reason for the community of climbing to remain strong. More the reason to share climbs with other groups. To swap stories and skills that have been learned and passed down. More the reason for climbers to listen to other’s suggestions on how to do things differently. You may even disagree with someones way of doing things, but always thank them for sharing and consider all the pros and cons of their new advice. If you disagree, be open and share why you think otherwise. Because you may become the teacher in that moment to something they haven’t thought of or just over looked. It’s essential that both parties stay open minded. As we are all sharing to keep the sport safe, fun and welcoming.
More importantly, Send It! 7 days ago