Mountain Project: Climbing Palisades Park

If you're looking for a pleasant spot to bring friends new to climbing, Alabama's Palisades Park is a great choice.

Located not far from Birmingham, Palisades is a state park with a nice little cliffline running just below its parking lot. There's a good range of climbing difficulty, ranging from easy 5.4 up to roofy 5.12. Because everything can be easily toproped, it's a perfect place for a beginner's first outdoor climbing experience. And if you're just getting started on trad, Palisades is an excellent training ground; routes like Buckets (5.5) offer easy leading and plentiful protection. Be aware, though, that the grades tend to be sandbagged; Elephant Crack (5.6) and Box Lunch (5.7) are not for the novice leader. There's no sport climbing at Palisades; no bolting is allowed.

All climbers must register at the park office and buy a $2 climbing permit (this is good for two weeks). From the parking lot, head for the cliff top near a picnic pavillion and scramble down a fourth-class gully/chimney to the base of the cliff.

The Dixie Cragger's Atlas is a good resource for routes at Palisades.

Getting There

From Birmingham, take SR 75 north to Oneonta. Take a left on US 231 (north); about a mile or two outside of Oneonta, watch for signs pointing to Palisades Park and follow county roads to the park entrance.

From Atlanta, take I-20 west to the US 231 exit. Follow 231 north through Oneonta, then follow directions above to the park.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Palisades Park:

Posey's Pass 5.6 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Cashmere 5.7 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 65 feet

Pickin Pockets 5.7 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Elephant Crack 5.7+ Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Box Lunch 5.8- Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Steeples 5.8 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet

R&D 5.8+ Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet

The Flake 5.9- Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Foton's Finish 5.9 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet

Captain Crunch 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Boobs 5.9 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Trivial Pursuit 5.9 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 65 feet

Post Nasal Drip 5.9+ Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Tim's Route 5.9+ Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Mickey's Mantle 5.10a Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Street Fighting Man 5.10a Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Night of the climbing dead 5.10b TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Christmas Crack 5.10b/c Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet

Burly Girls 5.11a TR, 60 feet

The Corner Arete 5.11b Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Comments on Palisades Park

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Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated May 13, 2013

By Brad "Stonyman" Killough
Administrator
From: Alabama
Mar 30, 2008

Pallisades Park is a well kept and beutifull park that is nice to take your family for a picnic and some nice liad back climbing. The only critter you need worry about is the ever present cane break rattler. They really like laying agianst the cliff line on a hot summer day and they're about three feet long and fat, and mean when provoked. We've been going there for years and have only saw a couple. Though, this is still a great, really pretty place and check out the chain saw carvings, really cool!!

By Sara Weimar
From: Del Rio, TX
Apr 1, 2008

How is this area in October and early November? I'm going to be in Montgomery and I'm looking for any good climbing in the area.

By Br'er Rabbit
From: The Deeper South
Apr 2, 2008

It is perfect in October and November...temps are just right, shade in the morning, with the sun peaking over the cliffline just before lunch in most areas.

By Chris Blanchard
From: Hanford, CA
Feb 25, 2012

Its 3 bucks now ..... AND they have some new bolted anchors through out .. noticed on top of Posey's and a few on the Island - didn't do more digging than that.

By Nathan Self
Mar 5, 2012

Anchors are currently being installed throughout the park, with about 25 already complete. This weekend, I was told that they plan to set about 50 total.

By Cres Simpson
From: Birmingham, AL
May 26, 2012

One of the few places that seems to offer tolerable climbing "out of season" (aka deep summer) in AL. The cliffline gives shade from morning through early afternoon and there's plentiful access to water from the top of the cliff.

As a heads up, the park office doesn't open until 9am to sell permits -- though we did manage to find an employee who doesn't normally work the office who was willing to open it up for us before the ranger got there. We were only charged $2, but that may reflect inexperience on behalf of the employee who checked us in.

By Siberia
From: Birmingham, AL
Jun 12, 2012

Anyone know what type of hangers they put up at Palisades? I was there this weekend, but didn't recognize them. Thanks in advance,

By jmat
Oct 2, 2012

Which routes have the new anchors on them? I haven't been to Palisades in years. I've been out of climbing for awhile, but some of the youth in my church want me to take them climbing.

By matthew foote
Dec 10, 2012

I will be in the area and was wondering what is needed to set up a TR here? I saw someone said something about bolted anchors. Are they accessible from the top, or that only for topping out on trad?

By Br'er Rabbit
From: The Deeper South
Dec 11, 2012

Some, if not all anchors are accessible from the top. Still, it's wise to bring a few long pieces of rope or webbing (two 50 footers would be plenty) in case you want to get on a route that has not been updated.

By Khowe765
6 days ago

"Descent gully" was a bit tricky to find. From the massive water tank, walk along ridge moving away from central area of park. Gully is near the big antenna. There is a map in main office.

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Palisades Park

Description

Getting There

The Classics