King's Bluff Climbing

This is a great little sport crag. Many of the older Walt Wilkinson bolts with welded shuts as hangars are severely rusted and need replacement soon....they are ticking time bombs. It seems this would have been a better investment of the SCC's time and money than the "disneyesque" nameplates that were installed. A couple of the bolts/shuts on Three Wishes and Baby I'm... are ridiculously rusted. Nov 25, 2009

There are some bolts in need of replacement. Many of the bolts are good; especially on the more popular moderate routes. The name tags were made by a climber at Fort Campbell. We haven't heard much from him since 2007. Anyway he made and donated the placards to the SCC. They have been a great addition. You don't even need a guidebook!

This crag is extremely kept and beginner-friendly; especially when compared to some of the areas along the plateau.

But don't do any of the few trad lines you find here. The limestone is terrible for gear. It gets polished really fast because so many people climb it. Jan 21, 2010

Thanks for the info Adam Jan 22, 2010

Thanks for the info. I am not bashing this crag. It is a wonderful place to climb. There are more than a few bad bolts here though...even on the moderates (see Engineering a Goat Rope). Just about every bolt with a welded-shut hanger is extremely corroded. I'm not complaining (heck I would work to replace them if I were local)...just warning future visitors.

All that said..this is a fun place to put in some laps! Feb 7, 2010

This message is in response to an incident at the Bluff last weekend in which a climber decked from about 25 feet up, rolled down the river bank, and had to be carried and taken out by boat.

King's Bluff has the highest concentration of low-grade sport in Tennessee. This provides an outstanding opportunity for new leaders to learn the basic skills of leading sport climbs. Because of this, King's Bluff attracts a lot of new climbers who may or may not have the necessary gear or understanding of cleaning sport routes.

I encourage any new climbers coming to climb at the Bluff to seek out proper instruction and/or ask any of the friendly climbers at the Bluff. Sport climbing can be done in a relatively safe manner, where most of the risk of injury can be mitigated by accepted practices and safety standards.

Accidents like the one last weekend put at risk the outstanding opportunity that the SCC and several Clarksville locals have made at King's Bluff. If someone suggests you are doing something unsafe, humble yourself and at least listen to their point of view. People aren't trying to put you down or act arrogant, but by doing something unsafe you are endangering the climbing for the other climbers who regularly visit King's Bluff. The climber injured last weekend repeatedly denied help from climbers in my group several times before he decked.

If you are unsure about something you have previously had explained to you, or simply in need of assistance, ask other climbers. Everyone I have met at King's Bluff has always been friendly and willing to help.

Safe climbing! Apr 21, 2010

Route finding here is VERY easy due to the tags on the bottom of the routes. These were placed to prevent people from etching info into the rock, I suppose. If you want the guide book for the area, you'll have to get Hank Smith & Scott Griggs' book or check outseclimbers.org. Oct 30, 2010

new guidebook for climbers living or visiting Clarksville. New Crag listed and recommended areas near King's Bluff.
Little Crimpers, A climber's Guide to Clarksville Jun 6, 2011

I want to echo the comments of TK above, there are many, many beginners here that I have frequently seen doing things that are reckless if not completely dangerous. Many times I have simply left parts of the cliff for fear of getting involved with whatever accident ensues. I strongly encourage beginners coming to the bluff to enjoy the easier routes, but please, please go through the proper channels to learn important safety technique before climbing outside.

Similarly, if you see someone doing something that is completely reckless or simply uninformed, kindly ask them if they would mind some information that might keep them safer. Most logical people won't say no to that if you don't pose it in a condescending manner.

On another note, it's pretty common for the easier areas of the cliff to get super crowded on the weekends. I personally have been parts of very large groups many times. If you're bringing a group to the cliff just be considerate of others: try to break up into smaller groups if possible and just keep the noise down, people do live above the cliff in many places and even where they don't, it's doubtful people came outside to climb to listen to kids screaming or debates about which kind of pizza you like best. Consideration of others is especially important in areas with high concentrations of easier or moderate climbs. Safety is definitely compromised when climber and belayer cannot hear each other, especially if it's, say, someone's first time cleaning a route.

We all want to have a great time at the Bluff, if you're a beginner or new to the area just be sure about everything you're doing, and if you're not, don't be afraid to ask!

BG Oct 2, 2011

Partner for sat Feb 6th
I want to climb but need a partner! Feb 2, 2016

I'll be back home in Clarksville from mid-may to mid-august and don't know any climbers out in the area. Is anyone looking for a climbing partner over the summer? Apr 12, 2016

I'll be in Nashville for the weekend of Aug 5-7 and wanna climb but I need a partner! I'll be free sat morning the 6th. I'll have alli my stuff, just need a partner! Jun 9, 2016

Im looking for a climbing partner(s) if anyone is available either the 7th or 8th of July (this Thursday or Friday). Unfortunately I have left my draws back in Colorado but have all other necessary gear. If anyone is available to climb I can be reached on here or by e-mail d.alexprice@gmail.com. Jul 5, 2016

How are the walls after a rain? Are they wet or do they stay dry due to the tree canopy? Jul 8, 2016

Is there any good camping nearby? Nov 3, 2016

Question. Its clearly stated in the description so forgive me for the question.

Are there any routes that can be top roped without first lead climbing them? It makes sense that the private property at the top does not allow setup, but I was not sure if that really encompassed all the routes.

Thanks! Nov 19, 2016

Thank you Southeastern Climbers Coalition for all the hard work that has been done in this area. As traveling climbers the little route labels make it super easy for us to find our way in a new area.

We got the gate code from the SCC web site but had a hard time getting it to work. Finally called local gym and asked about it. Found out that the lock does not work like forest service locks where you line the numbers up on the middle. There are very worn lines at the top of the lock, the combo has to lined up with those.

As we were leaving there was someone installing a new gate in a different location. Oct 10, 2017