Ferne Clyffe State Park is located a short drive from Interstate 57 and about 1 mile south of Goreville, Illinois. The park has seen technical climbing since the 1960's. Throughout its climbing history, traditional routes were established park wide, though the 1980’s brought restriction of climbing resources to solely Rebman Hollow. While this greatly limited climbing access, what remained was still superb stone.

In 2023, Ferne Clyffe State Park (IDNR) worked with the Illinois Climbers Association (ICA) to expand climbing opportunities within both the pre-existing Rebman Hollow and along the south side of the Big Rocky Hollow Trail. Expansion of climbing resources includes installation of new climbing routes and updating of existing climbing routes from top-rope only to bolted sport climbs. Special thanks to IDNR biologists Kevin Sierzega and Christina Feng, and FCSP management staff Jay Massey and Dave Hug for acquiring and/or granting permissions to make this project a reality. Also, a huge thanks to IDNR for all of their continued work at this site to improve access, trails, and the climbing experience.

This project has been entirely funded by the ICA, which relies solely on donations. ICA are entirely volunteers. Please donate to ilclimbers.org to support this project. If you are interested in route development opportunities at FCSP, please contact the ICA for details.

The climbing along Big Rocky Hollow Trail and within portions of Rebman hollow is considered new development. Bring a brush to help do your part! If you see a sign hanging on a climbing route that states “please do not climb,” it is there for a reason. This is usually because the route has not been thoroughly cleaned or made safe yet. It will be ready in time so please be patient. Consider all routes listed on MP as good to go for climbing unless specifically noted otherwise. Route installation will continue over the next few years. 

The opportunity that Ferne Clyffe State Park has given the climbing community is truly a gift. The park wishes this to become a top climbing destination in the area, and we strongly believe it will! Please do your part to ensure positive relationships between climbers and the park by following simple etiquette guidelines outlined at the kiosk. These include staying on trails, limiting staging area spread, keeping your pet on a leash, and using available restrooms rather than the woods for your business. Tell park staff how much you love the climbing!

At Ferne Clyffe State Park, amenities are prevalent and proximate. Restroom facilities are scattered throughout the area. Camping and shower houses are available for registered campers upslope from the climbing. Climbing access is no more than a few minutes walk. This area is a must for anyone passing by on the interstate and are curious about the climbing in Illinois.

The Illinois Climbers Association suggest climbers help avoid potential conflict and use the Hillside Shelter parking area when visiting Ferne Clyffe. On nice weekends, the limited parking at Boat Rock Picnic Area fills up with day hikers. In addition, Hillside also has the only drinking water source near the climbing areas. And so, please utilize the parking there.

Ferne Clyffe has 2 separate campgrounds: Deer Ridge (Developed) and Turkey Ridge (Primitive).

Deer Ridge: has 59 campsites with sites 1-23 being first come first serve (call ahead for availability) and sites 24-59 being reservable online at https://camp.exploremoreil.com/location/216 Note: reservation must be made 3 days in advance. Deer Ridge campground is a well-shaded Class A facility offering gravel pads with electricity, picnic tables and cooking grills. Drinking water, showers, flush toilets and a sanitary dump station complete the setting for campers who prefer to include a few comforts of home with their outdoor adventure. Deer Ridge has shower facilities and are available seasonally, usually closing after Thanksgiving and opening up 2 weeks before Memorial Day.

Turkey Ridge: has 20 first come first serve campsites and is for campers who want a serene outdoor experience. It is a Class C walk-in campground that includes camp pads, picnic tables, cooking grills and showers. Drinking water and toilets are located near the parking lots. Note: for shower access drive to the Deer Ridge campground, there is no shower house in the Turkey Ridge campground.

Climbing access parking lots include Hill Side and the Boat Rock area. Hill Side parking is a minutes walk to the right side of The Ferne Clyffe Wall. Boat Rock parking fills up quickly, but is closest to the Rebman walls.

Ferne Clyffe State Park can be reached from I-57 and I-24. The park is well signed from both interstate highways. 

• If traveling on I-57, take Goreville exit #40.  Head east 5 miles to IL Rt. 37.  Turn right (south) on Rt. 37.  Park entrance is 1 mile south of Goreville. 
• If traveling on I-24, take Goreville exit #7.  Head west 2 miles to IL Rt. 37.  Turn left (south) on Rt. 37.  Park entrance is ½ mile.

From the park entrance, drive 0.5 miles to the stop sign and turn left.  From the stop sign, drive 0.8 miles to the fork by the lake and turn right.  From the fork, follow the road for 1.7 miles to the parking area before the turn around loop.  

On the North side of the parking area (opposite the bathrooms), cross the creek at the round stepping stones.  Once across the creek, follow the first trail on the right marked as Rebman Trail.  Stay to the right, the bluff is about 100 ft down the trail where there is sign designated for climbing.  As a point of reference: Facing the bluffs near the sign, head to the right to find Hawk's Beak.

All new routes will be added to MP promptly.

Currently, Fern Clyffe State Park has two guidebooks available for purchase to guide your climbing experience. The first being Eric Ulner's book Vertical Heartland which accurately shows routes and their descriptions. The second guide for Fern is Matt Bliss's book Sandstone Warrior. In Matt's guide he covers all the great bouldering that the park has to offer along with beautifully pictured pages. Both guides can be picked up at Shawnee Trails in Carbondale Illinois.

Climbing at Ferne Clyffe State Park is only allowed during daylight hours.

This project is fully supported by ICA donations. As of Sept. 30, 2023, the ICA used $7500 in funds to develop ~65 routes. Please donate so you can continue to have more routes to climb at ilclimbers.org/giveback . It costs $100 per route.