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The Zoo (CLOSED) Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 1,035 ft | 315 m |
| GPS: |
37.73404, -83.66187 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 147,136 total · 655/month | |
| Shared By: | Jason Halladay on Oct 4, 2006 · Updates | |
| Admins: | Shirtless Mike, DrRockso RRG, Luke Cornejo, Billy Simek |
Access Issue: The Zoo property has been closed indefinitely by the landowner
Details
Description
The Zoo is probably best known for a pair of short, classic 5.12a routes at the The Old Zoo (CLOSED) right next to each other with each route climbing markedly different from the other. Hippocrite involves big moves on mostly all big good holds. Scar Tissue serves up steeper, more sustained climbing on smaller but still great holds. The Old Zoo also contains a very nice and popular wall full of 5.11s, as well as some slab routes in the 5.9/5.10 range.
While The Zoo used to only consist of what is now known as The Old Zoo, further development in 2012 and 2013 opened up two new areas of the cliffline: The New Zoo (CLOSED) and the Bird Cage Sector (CLOSED).
Development has continued sporadically with lines like Zookeeper added in 2016 and Eye of the Liger in 2021.
The Old Zoo is generally south-facing but due to the adjacent cliff and the angle of the sun, the left side of the cliff quickly goes into the shade in the morning. The right side of the cliff (Zookeeper and the slab lines) stays in the sun into the afternoon. There is also a good bit of tree shade. The New Zoo and Bird Cage Sector face northeast and are generally shady. Many of the routes at The Zoo stay dry in the rain.
Getting There
From Miguel's Pizza head south on KY 11 to a large, gravel parking area, 37.7334, -83.6591, on the west side of KY 11. This parking area is owned by Hop's (the restaurant / beer store) and is the shared parking area for The Zoo and Graining Fork Nature Preserve (a.k.a. Roadside Crag).
From the parking area, hike west/southwest towards the river. Usually, unless the water level is high, you can walk across rocks in the river without getting your feet wet. There used to be a log crossing over this river but that no longer exists. After crossing the river, follow the well-established climber's trail to the left for a couple hundred feet, then turn right uphill to continue on the trail that is just right of a side drainage/ravine and continue steeply uphill for another five minutes.
When you reach a small arch at the top of the trail, pass through it (or around it to the left) and walk along the base of the wall a short bit and you're there. This area, to the left of the small arch, is the most well-known and established area, The Old Zoo (CLOSED).
If you go to the right when you reach the small arch, you get to The New Zoo (CLOSED). The New Zoo (CLOSED) is a collection of newer routes. The New Zoo (CLOSED) area begins with the route Sidewinder (5.12b).
If you continue along the wall beyond the The New Zoo (CLOSED), down the hill and down around the cave area, you get to a newer area called the Bird Cage Sector (CLOSED). The Bird Cage Sector (CLOSED) begins with the route Sons of Perdition (5.12a).
Classic Climbing Routes at The Zoo (CLOSED)
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