Coopers Rock State Forest Bouldering

Coopers Rock State Forest is a gem for climbers in the Mid-Atlantic region. It is known for its stiff grades and “gritstone” like rock. Conveniently located just off of I-68 in northern West Virginia, it hosts thousands of established boulder problems, as well as hundred of top-rope climbs, and short trad leads. With its close proximity to Morgantown and the West Virginia University campus, it tends to stay fairly busy with climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and your everyday tourists.

Guidebooks

There are two published guidebooks that are helpful. “Cheat Canyon Bouldering Volume I: Coopers Rock” (2024) is the most up-to-date bouldering guide, with ~2,500 problems.  and “Cheat Canyon Rock” (2023) is the most current rope climbing guide, both written by Andrew Leich.

Geology

The “gritstone” featured at Coopers Rock is known as the Upper Connoquenessing Sandstone of the Pottsville Formation. This resistant quartz rich layer of Pennsylvanian age sandstone is roughly 300 million years old. This rock unit outcrops throughout the Cheat Canyon and in many other places in the state including Blackwater Falls, Dolly Sods, and Spruce Knob. For climbers, this rock is characterized by an abundance of slopers, rounded jugs, sloping pockets, and the occasional edge. Many routes here have very shallow features that can only be used effectively due to the very coarse texture of the rock.

Rainy Days

The rock at Coopers tends to take a long time to dry. After a hard rain, plan on giving the area a whole day to dry out. Generally, if the road is dry when you get into the forest, the rock will be dry as well. The first area to dry is usually the Tilted Tree area. Roadside and Upper Rock City take a bit longer. The Rhodo cave tends to stay completely dry, and can be climbed during a full downpour, unless the rock condenses in the cave on a hot summer day. There is a good list of nearly 200 problems in the recent bouldering guide that stay dry after (or during) the rain. If you do get totally rained out, Coopers has a good network of trails for hiking and mountain biking.

Climbing Rules

There are a few important rules here pertaining to climbing, please follow them in order to keep climbing access secure and help us climbers maintain a positive relationship with the park rangers.

1. The forest closes at dark. If your car is still in the parking lot after dark, a ranger will find it and you may be ticketed.

2. Placing bolts is not allowed in Coopers Rock State Forest. If you are caught placing bolts by a ranger, you'll likely be prosecuted. While climbing here, you'll most likely come across a few bolts. Use them if you'll, but just know that these were not placed in accordance with the forest rules.

3. Please adhere to the no climbing zones, this is crucial. These zones include the main overlook and the area surrounding it indicated by “no climbing” signs. They also include the Haystack Block below the main overlook.

Local Climbing Gym, Gear Shop, and Restaurants

As of 2020 Morgantown has a new full service climbing gym, Gritstone, offering lead, toprope, autobelay, bouldering, yoga classes, and weightlifting. If the weather isn't cooperating for outdoor climbing, it is honestly worth making a trip to Morgantown just to climb at this gym. UNFORTUNATELY Gritstone is currently closed and not an option to climb indoors!

The local outdoor gear shop in Morgantown is Pathfinder, it is located on High Street. They have a large selection of outdoor gear in stock and should have just about any climbing gear you might need. You'll also find many good restaurants in this area, most notably Black Bear. This fantastic burrito restaurant has a great variety of food and craft beers and is a favorite among the local outdoor community.

Camping

Camping can be had within Coopers Rock State Forest at the McCollum Campground or Rhododendron Campground or just outside of the forest and across the interstate at the Chestnut Ridge Campground. Both have camping for tents, hookups for campers, and shower houses.

Hunting

Hunting is quite popular at Coopers Rock. Although much of the climbing is within the no hunting “safe zones”, some is not. If you are outside of these zones during any hunting season, consider wearing bright orange and be respectful of hunters, they have just as much of a right to be there as you do. That being said, if you are within the normal climbing areas listed in the guidebooks and don’t venture too far off of the trails, you should be fine.