Muir Valley Nature Preserve and Climbing Arena

Muir Valley, LLC is a nature preserve and rock climbing area owned and maintained by Rick and Liz Weber. The Valley is approximately 400 acres in size and walled in by over seven miles of majestic cliffs of hard Corbin Sandstone that range in height from 20 feet to over 200 feet. Waterfalls cascading off the cliffs abound, as do caves and stone bottom creeks. Mountain laurel, rhododendron, and many other species of wildflowers and plants grace the valley floor and hillsides. Muir Valley is indeed one of the prettiest little places of natural beauty to be found anywhere.

Although privately owned, Muir Valley may be freely enjoyed by all.hikers, climbers, and folks just sauntering through taking in the spectacular beauty of the valley. No admission fees are charged. As such, the Valley falls under the provisions of Kentucky.s Recreational Use Laws.

Because there is no outside funding or revenue stream, we appreciate your time and efforts in helping us maintain the land and its trails. You may climb, hike, and enjoy the natural beauty as our guests, but at your own risk.

Rules for Visitors to Muir Valley

You must fill out a waiver on muirvalley.org before climbing in this region.

1. You must read and understand the documents .Warnings to Visitors to Muir Valley. and the Kentucky Recreational Use Statute. Your presence in Muir Valley signifies that you agree that you have been adequately warned by Muir Valley Nature Preserve, LLC (MVNP) of hazards that may exist in Muir Valley and that you consider MVNP in full compliance with the provisions of this statute.

2. You must notify MVNP as soon as reasonably possible of any unusual dangerous condition or hazard in the Valley,of which you may become aware.

3. To rock climb in Muir Valley, you must first submit and have accepted the Muir Valley Release Form. You must either fill out and submit this form on line at www.muirvalley.com or do so on a temporary paper form, good for three days, available at the kiosk at the main Muir Valley parking lot.

4. You must be eighteen years of age or older or be accompanied by your parent, your legal guardian, or responsible adult to enter this property. Those minors climbing with a responsible adult, such as a professional rock climbing guide, must have had the Muir Valley Release Form completed and submitted on-line on their behalf by their parent or legal guardian before entering Muir Valley. Climbers under age 18, who can demonstrate a proficiency in rock climbing, will be permitted to climb in Muir Valley on a case-by-case basis and only with special permission of the MVNP.

5. Persons under the age of eighteen years (minors) must be supervised by their parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult and remain in the presence of that parent or guardian 100% of the time that the minor spends in Muir Valley.

6. These activities are permitted in Muir Valley: rock climbing, hiking, trail running, and enjoying nature.

7. These activities are NOT permitted in Muir Valley: sport rappelling, bungee jumping, rope jumping, taking long intentional falls (sometimes referred to as .victory whippers.), mountain biking, shooting firearms, hunting, trapping, camping, campfires, or operating motorized vehicles.

8. Climbing of a type known as free soloing or highballing, which is done without proper and adequate protection in the form of rope belaying, spotting, or using bouldering pads, is unnecessarily dangerous and not permitted in Muir Valley. The only three forms of rock climbing permitted in Muir Valley are sport climbing, wherein the climber utilizes hanger brackets bolted to the rock faces, for protection, trad climbing, wherein the climber provides and temporarily affixes his/her own passive and active gear to the rock faces for protection, and bouldering, wherein the climber, sans rope, climbs routes that remain close to the ground and uses bouldering pads to provide a safer landing. Aid climbing is not permitted in Muir Valley.

9. Do not climb above the anchors or top out on any climb in Muir Valley.

10. Do not toprope through the anchor chains (or rings). This means do not run your rope from the belayer up and through the anchor hardware and back down to the climber. This produces unnecessary wear on the anchor hardware and may increase risk to you or climbers who use this hardware subsequent to your use of it. Instead, attach quickdraws or carabiners and slings to the anchor system and run your toprope through them.

11. Unintentional falling is part of responsible rock climbing. Rock climbers are expected to be experienced and skilled in the technique of taking falls, and belayers are expected to be experienced and skilled in safely arresting the falls of the climbers they are belaying.

12. No rock climbing routes of any kind may be put up in MVNP without the written permission of MVNP. If you wish to put up a climbing route, FIRST contact the owners with your ideas PRIOR to starting the project and they can help you get started. We are keeping a database of route setting projects in the valley. All new routes must have a database ID and be approved buy the owners (or their representatives). This is necessary to prevent overbolting and inappropriate setting of routes. No hardware of any kind may be permanently affixed to any rock in Muir Valley without the written permission of the MVNP.

13. Please pack out all trash, especially non-biodegradable trash and toilet paper. Please do not throw cigarette butts on the ground. And, thank you for carrying out trash left by others!

14. Dogs are not allowed in Muir Valley. This includes the parking lot. Leaving your dog tied to your car or, worse yet, shut in your car puts you dog at unreasonable risk of injury or death by overheating.

15. Harvesting of plants or plant specimens is to be done only with the expressed specific permission of MVNP owners.

16. Please do not damage trees and vegetation. Stay on existing trails. The Valley has been recently lightly logged. In time, the land cut by the more severe logging trails will be restored to its natural state. New footpaths may be established only with prior approval of the Muir Valley Owners.

17. Absolutely no digging for and/or removal of relics will be permitted in caves, rock shelters, or anywhere else in Muir Valley.

18. Please respect our neighbors' property and privacy. Drive slowly on the approach road. Children are often present. Park only on Muir Valley land in areas designated for parking.

19. Illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted anywhere in Muir Valley. Period.