Hurricane Creek Park

Description 

Though it's not a major climbing destination, Hurricane Creek is a great place to take new climbers for their first experience on real rock. Most of the routes are readily accessible from the top of the cliff to set up a toprope and there's a good selection of easy lines. Combine this with a pretty setting alongside a stream and a family-friendly atmosphere, and you've got a nice climbing spot just a half-hour from Birmingham.

There's another side to the coin, however. Hurricane Creek is a fairly new area that's largely unexplored, and there's a lot of potential for new route development. Even better, park management is encouraging this. So bring your pruning shears and whisk broom, you could bag a nice FA.

[Editor's note: since this area is not yet documented and the routes don't have "official" names, I'm indulging in a little whimsy by giving them names myself. When/if real route names become available, they'll be updated. -- JL]

Getting There 

Hurricane Creek Park is just outside the town of Cullman, AL. Take I-65 out of Birmingham to exit 310 (Hwy. 157); proceed east on 157 a short way to a left on Hwy. 31. Continue north on 31 for about 2-3 miles to the turnoff for Hurricane Creek. There's a $3 admission fee for the park.

From the parking lot, proceed along the clifftop to a descent trail that leads through a cleft in the rock to a picnic area along the creek. The established climbing routes start near the bottom of the descent trail; there's also untouched cliff for the adventurous on the other side of the creek.