John Bryan State Park Climbing

Six designated climbing sites and one rappelling site (black) are maintained in the park. 25-35 foot limestone cliffs along the Little Miami River gorge. Only toproping allowed (no bouldering or lead climbing) at designated sites along the North Rim Trail. Huge painted eyebolts at the top of all routes denote the different sites, and signs have been installed for each area. From west (parking lot #1) to east (parking lot #3) the sites are Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Black, Orange, and Yellow. Routes range from 5.3-5.12. Each site is limited to 10 people at a time. Southern aspect. Routes get a lot of sun in the winter (due to lack of leaves) and are mostly shaded other times of the year.

Local climbing guide has put together a great blog with lots of helpful information for climbing at John Bryan if you are looking for more specific details about the area: Essential Guide to Climbing at John Bryan State Park .

NOTE ABOUT GEAR:

All of the routes at John Bryan State Park include large eye bolts that are placed about 3-10 feet from the cliff edge. In order to set it up on top rope, it is highly suggested that you use webbing or a static line and locking carabiners to create your anchors. DO NOT USE TREES OR VEGETATION FOR ANCHORS! Also, DO NOT directly feed rope through eye bolts (this is not only bad for the rope, but also creates unnecessary wear on the bolts). If you are unsure about how to safely setup your top rope, check out online resources like the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) or find private instruction at a local climbing gym.