COVID-19 Climbing Closures: The Red River Gorge in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Muir Valley, and all RRGCC-owned property - which includes Miller Fork Recreational Preserve, Bald Rock Recreational Preserve, and Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve - are closed. Please stay home and stay safe. See links above for more details about each climbing area.

Raven Rock

Grade Trad Mixed Sport Total
5.9 4 3 - 7
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Directions to Raven Rock

USFS
This wall is in property owned by USFS. Be respectful.
Drive 0.7 miles east on KY 77 from the Martin's Fork (Military Wall) parking lot. Cross the steel bridge and park immediately on your right. Walk across the road and back across the steel bridge. You cannot miss Raven Rock to your right. It is the huge monolith. Turn right on the gravel road which leads to some houses. Follow the road which immediately curves right through the community and begins to head up to Raven Rock. To get to the routes, either bushwhack straight up to the cliff from the field or hike the road. For the latter option, stay on the muddy road to the backside of Raven, then walk up the deteriorated paved section. Continue along the switchbacks past an old gate until you near the top. When you reach a sharp right turn and the main face of Raven is on your left about 100 feet away, contour left to the rock.

Wall Sun: Morning



Click the column heads to sort. Hold shift to sort on multiple columns.
Route Spray Name Type Grade Quality User Stars Length Picture

1

 Nevermore Mixed 5.9+
 
 4.00  (21) 200ft

2

 Flying Circus Trad 5.10d
 
 40ft  

3

 Groveling Earthworm Trad 5.10d
 
 120ft  

4

 Ravin' Maniac Mixed 5.9+
 
 60ft  

5

 Macabre Poetry Mixed 5.10b
 
 60ft  

6

 Premature Burial Trad 5.7
 
 2.33  (6) 60ft

7

 Dead of Winter Trad 5.10b
 
 4.50  (2) 100ft

Comments

10 comments {add your own comments}
1
Anonymous said on October 25th, 2008
Do the locals let you park here? Last I heard you couldn't park there. Some locals were harrassing climbers there last month. Got pretty ugly.
2
Ascentionist said on October 27th, 2008
Park at the Iron Bridge and bushwhack down the river to the road. Saves a lot of hassle and is about the same distance with more bushwhack.
3
Anonymous said on June 19th, 2011
In 1999 my wife and I saw a rattlesnake on top of Raven Rock. I tried to take a pic of it but my wife grabbed me (glad) and we ran. Wondering if anyone else ever saw this snake. I believe it was a timber rattler. [email protected]
4
Jeff said on June 20th, 2011
< Best comment in a long time.
5
Anonymous said on October 11th, 2011
The locals don't let you park there anymore... For the most part unless you have a connection with them some how or the previous owner of the rock when it was a Paragliding location they don't want you there. Your best to park on the road and sneak in
6
Anonymous said on October 1st, 2012
Went up today. There are several paths you can take in, 1, raven rock road (which has a sign "no foot traffic allowed,") 2, fishtrap rd, on which I ran into several nice local men who confirmed that I could reach the rock on my current path and even gave me directions. Of course, this included passing through a yard that was clearly labeled "no trespassing," and 3, bushwack. I recommend bushwhacking, it will save you potential harassment and actually some distance too. Follow the river and you can't miss the road.
7
SCIN said on October 8th, 2012
Hey Mike, I did see that snake a few weeks ago. It asked about you and was wondering if you would ever be back to snap that photo. Should I tell him you will?
8
Ascentionist said on January 28th, 2015
FYI, as of 1/2015 you can pay $5 and park in the yard and hike up the lower road to access Raven now. Alternately you can still park at the Iron Bridge, walk the road, and continue down Fishtrap to gain the old road.
9
Anonymous said on October 27th, 2017
This is one of the best hikes in the Red. The man who owns the property is very nice if you are willing to be respectful of his land. He will let you park there and give you info about the area which you can't find online. If he asks for $5 that is by far a small amount to see the beauty of his family owned land. I would not recommend every trespassing in the Red River Gorge. These people own their land and have for years. Please be respectful to him and his requests- he is very kind and respectful back.
10
Anonymous said on October 27th, 2017
The people who own the parking lot do not own Raven Rock. That's public land.