Convenient location, easy approach, nice rock, a mix of trad and sport climbs -- what more could you want from a climbing destination? Well . . . in the case of Leda -- longer routes and more of them. But this little roadside crag is still a worthwhile destination when you have limited time or T-Wall is closed for hunting.

Like other crags in the Chattanooga area, Leda is a sandstone cliff. The rock quality is mostly very good, and a nice variety of routes can be found here. Many of these are sport lines, with a number of easy routes ideal for the climber making his or her first lead. Probably the most popular route at Leda is Jody's Route, also known as Chris' Route, an outstanding 5.10c/d either way, you choose to call it.

There's also enough good trad climbing at Leda to make bringing your rack worthwhile. Nice routes to scope out include Ox Stone Crack (5.8+) and Cracked Actor (5.10).

Leda is on privately-owned land, and a one-time liability waiver is required. A short distance along the trail is a climbers kiosk placed by the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, where you can find the form to fill out and deposit in a holding box.

Editor's note on ratings: My experience of climbing at Leda is that many, if not most, of the easy to moderate routes are harder than the grade in the DCA. In some cases, I've taken the liberty of giving these routes ratings that I think are more in line with what you'll encounter at other local crags such as T-Wall or Foster Falls; in each case, I've also listed the rating given in the book. Anyone who disagrees with this rating method is welcome to contact me, or better yet, give it your own consensus rating.

The history of climbing at Leda is not well documented, and little first-ascent information is recorded in any known guides.

For years, the only guide to the place was some photocopied pages that referred to the routes by letters of the alphabet. The more recently published Dixie Cragger's Atlas shows the routes by their actual names; this is mostly based on a handwritten guide by Matt Sims. If you can find it, Micah Gentry's PDF guide was a reliable source of information on both Leda and Lower Leda, but internet links to it are no longer valid. The Chatt Steel North guidebook includes Leda, but with a number of inaccuracies.

Rocker Press offers a more up to date full Leda guide for purchase as well as a free day guide from their website, here.

As of 2024, there is a $14 access fee per vehicle payable at the Montlake Golf Course Clubhouse. Each visitor must also sign and submit a Liability Waiver at the clubhouse as an annual process.

After the original pull-off parking area was posted as no parking, volunteers created a short access trail that connects to a paved parking area to the northeast of the crag.

From downtown Chattanooga, go north on U.S. 27 toward Dayton. Take the Chickamauga Dam exit; going left from the exit travel along Dayton Boulevard and then take a left on Montlake Road soon after crossing Chickamagua Creek. Keep following this winding road until the parking area can be found at the top of a sharp hairpin across from Terrace Falls Drive.

From the parking area, follow the access trail west passing beneath some power lines (see beta photo). The trail takes approximately 15-20 minutes to travel.