*Get the GHSP Bouldering Guidebook today! 160 full color pages of awesomeness, and over 360 select park problems. Incredible photography from Dan Brayack and concise directions and descriptions to GHSP's best blocks:   brayackmedia.com

*The AVP Area is now secured and open to public access! Thanks to the hard work and dedication from the Central Appalachia Climbers Coalition and the Access Fund the AVP Boulders will have permanent and lasting protection and open access for climbing and recreation. Thanks so very much to everyone who donated and helped make this happen! Follow the link Here for information and background on the successful land acquisition of the AVP Area.

*The park now carries crashpads for day rentals! Rent a crashpad for $10 a day.

*If you are new to outdoor climbing or the park in general, please reference the "need to know" segment before your visit.

GHSP Beta:

Grayson Highlands State Park is the crown jewel of bouldering in the state of VA, and arguably the best summer bouldering in the southeast. Grayson Highlands State Park (GHSP) is best known however, for being the best of the best for all things scenic, hiking related, and basically for every facet of outdoor mountainous recreation in the state of Virginia. As a state park, GHSP is home to 4,822 acres of pristine recreational opportunities and mountain solitude. GHSP is attached to the wonderful, 200,000 acre Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. You have plenty of wilderness to experience!

There are over 1000 listed boulder problems ranging from easygoing to advanced (VB-V12/13). The rock type found here is Rhyolite and a unique, varying conglomerate or metasandstone (elsewhere in the park). Rhyolite is a volcanic rock derived from melted continental crust that is a darker color, and if you look close, you'll find it is often polka dotted with bright pink inclusions which are phenocrysts of feldspar. The metamorphic sandstone elsewhere in the park is a sharp geometric stone, so you can be sure to find ultra steep, powerful faces on many of the boulders, blades, and fins protruding from the ground. On them will be crimpy rails, flakes, edges, pinches, and picturesque angular features.

GHSP's boulder fields have the highest altitudes in the southeast with the majority of the bouldering found in the 4,500' - 4,900' range and the Highlands Area reaching past 5,000' (the lookout at Grandmother Mountain in Boone is 4063').

The main boulder fields in GHSP are the Listening Rock Trail Loop (LRT), the Boneyard areas, and the Highlands Bouldering Area. For many visitors, the LRT has the best bouldering in the park. It has hundreds of problems, amazing lines, a very short approach, and the trail meanders through most of the main boulders. The Highlands Area is without a doubt the poster child of the park and is the most beautiful bouldering area in VA (if not the southeast). Vast landscape settings with near endless views, a cool breeze in the warm months, and little wild ponies running around.

The smaller areas easily hold some of the very best GHSP has to offer. The Contact Station Area is only a minute walk after you park at the Park Office just as you drive past the pay booth (if you look left as you drive up to pay you can see the True Grit Boulder). It has "True Grit" which is one of the most sought after V5s in the park, and many other amazing lines that you shouldn't miss. The Picnic Area has the massive Olympus Boulder which is worth the drive down just to see, and the Rock House Boulder. Both are literally seconds away from where you park.

For food, there are only a few places to eat but my personal recommendation is The Grayson Highlands General Store with awesome food and beer options, and further down the road is "The Log House" with burgers and fries. If you're looking for a warm mom & pop country kitchen, or general store type of place than these locations wont disappoint. If you time it right during the summer on Friday and Saturday nights the Log House sometime has live bluegrass music on the back deck. All the store/restaurants offer small selections of groceries so you can pick up some supplies if you're camping.

Grayson has great trails to hike, horseback riding, beautiful waterfalls, and cool mountain streams to fly fish, breathtaking views, wild ponies, great camping, live music festivals, and relaxing nearby local cabins to rent. The Appalachian Trail also runs through the park. There is also a great gift shop and many historical sites and cabins within the park, so if it does rain you out, you'll still have things to do and see.

*Grades are all fluid (as they should be in any area) and depend on YOU giving feedback to gain a consensus. Let me know of any discrepancies and please vote to adjust the grades on the problems accordingly...  Keep in mind that some problems in GHSP have seen only one or two ascents and the person who FAd that line may think it is way harder/easier than you do. Consensus is needed, so feel free to post or vote your opinion to help GHSP have the most accurate grades possible.

The park is on U.S. 58 midway between Independence and Damascus and is reached from I-81 at Exit 45 in Marion; turn south on Route 16 and travel 33 miles to US 58 in the community of Volney. Turn right onto US 58. Travel eight miles to the park's entrance.

From I-77, take Hillsville Exit 14 to U.S. 58. Travel west on U.S. 58, 40 miles to Volney. Turn left to stay on U.S. 58 and go eight miles to the park entrance.

Drive Time : Northern Va., 6.5 hours; Richmond, 5.5 hours; Tidewater, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, 7.5 hours; Roanoke, 2.5 hours; Winston-Salem, 2 hours; Charlotte, 3 hours; Raleigh, 4 hours