ICA-Climbing and camping in Southern illinois-Area Overview

Climbing & Camping in Southern Illinois

An overview of the five main climbing, bouldering &
camping areas with detailed info about each of them

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Giant City State Park - 235 Giant City Rd. Makanda, IL 62958 (618) 457-4836

-Giant City Lodge, cabin rentals, Class A tent & trailer camping, 14 primitive walk-in sites

-Top-rope, some trad, bouldering

The park is just minutes from Carbondale in Makanda, about 20 minutes to the west of Interstate 57. Climbing is allowed

on (and restricted to) the Shelter 1 Bluff and the Devil's Standtable areas. All other cliffs and rock formations in the park

are off limits to climbing and/or bouldering, please respect these closures.

Available routes are around 50 feet high, and are usually done on top-rope. Top anchors need to be constructed by the

climbers from webbing (looooong!) around trees along the top of the bluff. Unfortunately, this practice is responsible for the

denuding on top of the Shelter 1 Bluff, pushing the forest line back farther and farther. Be aware that many climbers have used (and abused) these trees before you, be careful how you set up your gear! Relatively easy access to the top of the

bluff is possible from either end. Also: climbers should be aware of weekend rappelers (with dubious sense and skills),

who may not look out for other people on the rock! To find the Devil's Standtable area, take the road south from Shelter 1

Bluff, park right at the base.

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Jackson Falls - East on Ozark Rd., past the R.R. tracks, turn right onto Glen St. (unpaved) drive south, 2 miles

-Sport, some trad, some top rope, bouldering

-remote & primitive, no running water, pit toilet at parking area, camping allowed, no cell phone reception

Jackson Falls has the largest concentration of routes of any climbing destination in southern Illinois. There aren’t many 'easy'

routes here, average ratings fall in the low 12s, so you’ll find plenty of good 10s, as well as 11s and 13s. There’s good bouldering to be found here and development of new climbing/ bouldering routes continues.

The gravel road leads to a creek, the main parking area is to the right. Other parking and camping possibilities will be apparent. Main access to the canyon is by way of the trail running through this main parking area, right of the gravel road to the rap-in anchors.The trail splits at this point, follow it in either direction and you'll find scramble-access gullies. Taking the trail to the left of the falls leads to the Dog Walk access, going to the right will eventually bring you to the scramble down by Railroad Rock. There are other access points as well, but best bets for those new to the area are the rap-in or the Dog Walk scramble.

Avoid setting up top-anchors off of trees when possible, and please, don't rap off of the trees! Stay on clear and obvious trails. Horses have wreaked havoc in the canyon, tearing up trails that were originally created by climbers (with the blessings of the US Forest Service). This part of the Shawnee Forest is a shared-use area and guided equestrian rides are common on week- ends. Be courteous and mindful of being part of a climbing community that has represented itself very favorably - as partners with the USFS in stewardship of the area.

As with any remote camping situation, be aware that vehicle break-ins are not unheard of. A heightened awareness from the rangers and local police helps, but this is still a remote destination and you're pretty much on your own as far as security goes.

Keep in mind that many other user-groups visit the area; locals, students and some "sole-searchers" who might be heard banging drums all night long while you try to sleep! All night "parties" have also been known to occur.

A word of caution - There may be times during hunting season in the fall when it might not be so wise to be here, but there are no official closures. Also, use the already established fire-rings, and don't litter! Haul your trash out. Let's keep this a great place to climb!

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Giant City

Ferne Clyffe

Cedar Bluff

Draper’s Bluff

Jackson Falls

Draper's Bluff - On Lick Creek Rd., just west of Cedar Bluff

-Located on private property, No Camping allowed, owner provides a parking lot & port-a-potty

-Trad, sport, top-rope, bouldering

Draper's has the tallest quality routes in southern Illinois, up to about 120 feet. There's a plentitude of routes, trad and sport, single-pitch and multi-pitch. The property has been developed to include some easy (5.2 - 5.8) sport and mixed pro routes, while ever-harder trad and sport routes 9up to 13+) continue to be developed. There are classic trad routes from 5.7 to 5.11, and mixed-pro routes from 5.8 to 5.13. Some routes can be top-roped by accessing the top anchors via one of the access gullies, or by climbing a route to a common ledge or to the top. The potential for bouldering has recently been discovered by the local radicals; these boulders had been hidden by overgrowth for decades. You'll find a good assortment of 10s, 11s and 12s. The part of Draper's Bluff that is developed and open for climbing is bounded on the east and west by other land-owners properties. Signs at the parking lot kiosk and on the property will inform you of restrictions and closures. Don't go east (right) of the wire fence; access there is touchy at best, so don't screw it up. An access scramble about midway along the south face will get you to the top. There is another access gully to the west ( several hundred feet) on state property.

Please keep in mind that the majority of climbing routes at Draper's are on privately owned land, and that the development and maintenance of the property is done at the sole expense of the land owner; so respect the signs, stay on established trails and please make a donation at the kiosk. The owner has put in alot of work to make so much climbing available and easily accessible. Undergrowth used to be over 6 ft. tall, the ticks were legendary, and access was by way of a mile-long trek through the weeds. Now you can park right in front of the bluff and follow the trail to the base. There's also a port-a-potty at the parking area. Your donations will help with the upkeep and maintenance of this great climbing resource.

In general, no camping is allowed at the bluff (or on top of the bluff, either). If someone is camping, it is ONLY by special permission of the owners. Please don't take it upon yourself to camp here - respect the property owners' wishes.

The bluff is open for climbing year-round, and the southern exposure that makes it sweltering in the summer also makes it posssible to climb on sunny winter days. Of course, the best climbing is in the early spring and late fall. Hunting is not much of an issue here since it's on private property, but there will be hunters in the general area in the fall, so use caution. Also, there's no running water here, so bring your own supply, and please, haul your trash out with you.

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Cedar Bluff - On Cedar Grove Road, at south end of Ferne Clyffe State Park

-No Camping allowed, no facilities (water, toilet, etc.); park at lower far right of the church lot

-Trad, sport, top-rope, bouldering

An excellent weekend's worth of climbing, with a good mix of trad and sport, and easily accessible bolt-n-chain

top anchors, at a mix of levels, is available at Cedar Bluff. The bluffline is a short hike from the parking area.

It's only a few minutes to Draper's Bluff and Ferne Clyffe State Park, and about 20 minutes to Jackson Falls.

While Cedar Bluff is part of the Ferne Clyffe State Park property, no camping is allowed, and there are no

amenities of any kind. There are sport routes here, put in before the state bought the property, but no new

bolting is allowed.

This is not a 'weanie cliff'; there are a good number of hard climbs, including a nasty off-width trad (of course),

a good number of 12s, and at least one unrepeated 13 among them. It is, however, probably the best place to

go for new climbers, with easy access to top anchors for most routes, and some very good routes for learning

to place trad protection. There is also some good bouldering, though not a lot of it.

The good folks who've shown up for the Adopt-a-Crag events have done a great job of helping to mitigate

damage done by so many climbers visiting Cedar Bluff. The Superintendent of Ferne Clyffe State Park pointed

out some trouble areas of erosion damage and exposed tree roots -exposure which could kill the trees.

Hard-working climbers have terraced and re-treaded the trail with gravel, and blocked up problematic short-cut

trails that were being formed. Please respect the requests of the park Superintendent, and the work of the

Adopt-a-Crag volunteers who've worked hard to keep Cedar Bluff accessible to climbing: use only the obvious

established trails, and leave the terrace stones in place.

Dad's Pizza and other restaurants, and a grocery store, as well as a gas station are in nearby Goreville. There is

also a gas station/convenience store/restaurant at the intersection of I-57 and Goreville Road, just west of the

interstate. Buncombe General Store is a bit east, at the intersection of Lick Creek Road and Route 37.

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Ferne Clyffe State Park - Route 37 (P.O. Box 10) Goreville, IL 62939 (618) 995-2411

-Class A Facilites with cement RV pads, BBQ grills, showers, Class C (primitive) sites for backpackers and equestrians

-Top-rope, sport, trad, bouldering

Ferne Clyffe State Park is part of an easily accessed and close-to-each-other triumverate of climbing destinationin southern Illinois, along with Draper's Bluff and Cedar Bluff. It is also only about 20 minutes from Jackson Falls.

Routes go about 50-60 feet in height, and range in difficulty from 5.2 t0 5.12a. Trad cracks are obvious. Anchors for top-ropes can be made from slings around trees at the top of the bluff. Access to the top can be gained at iether end (right or left as you face it), where the bluffline tapers down to the ground. Be aware that there is private property up on top, so keep the rowdy stuff for down on ground level.

Climbing and bouldering is restricted to only one bluff and the boulders directly adjacent. Other bluffs are closed to climbing in order to protect endangered flora and/or ecosystems. Please respect these restrictions so as to not risk closure for all climbing. New bolting in park managed property (Ferne Clyffe and Cedar Bluff) is prohibited;

There should be NO bolts in Ferne Clyffe at all.

As with other State Parks, there is camping for a fee, either in tent-only areas or in the RV section. There are also hike-in-only spots. Outhouses and some running water can be found around the camping and picnic areas, and there is a nice shower facility up in the RV area. Running water and showers are available through the Fall season. The drunken rowdy locals and college kids (no, I don't mean you) can be worse here, sometimes, than at Jackson Falls (thought that might be changing for the worse...). SOme climbers camp here and then drive to other nearby southern Illinois climbing areas, in some part because of Dad's Pizza and other conveniences right up the road in Goreville. There are restaurants and a grocery store, as well as a gas station in town.

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