The New River Wall Rock Climbing

Park in the large paved pullout before Tunnel Two, (same as for Highwire Crag). Most of the year, the river is raging, so don't plan on crossing the creek. Instead, hike up the road toward the tunnel and cross the bridge (right side). Turn right and locate a small trail that leads back toward the cliff (north, downstream). Stay on this trail until you are beyond some treacherous cliffbands, and pay close attention for a faint right fork in the trail. The main trail will continue up the hill to Highlander Crag. Take this faint, right trending trail down toward the river and pass under a rock known as the Merlin Formation. There is one bolted route here called Merlin (5.11d). Pass this route and continue down the river along the river bed. If you miss this faint trail, you will end up taking a very steep, sketchy and loose descent with a cliff beneath you, so be careful. If you find yourself doing this hard descent, you are probably off the trail and should go back to find the right one. Keep walking downstream, sometimes hopping on rocks until you reach the belay beach for Sonic Youth. This approach only takes 5-10 minutes.