Georgia · Rock climbing · Chickamauga

The Bads

13 routes
V0 – V9
Bouldering
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

The Bads is a bouldering area in the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area in northwest Georgia, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with The Orb and Golden Harvest Boulder each about 0.1 mile away and Asphalt Boulders about 0.2 mile off. The area is a compact, close-together set of boulders rather than a single route, and its name points to the bouldering rather than a single climb. The climbing here is all bouldering, with 13 routes spread across the area. The grades run from V0 up to V9, with the median around V5-6. Among the named routes are Aliens Abducted My Mother at V0, Brown Eye at V6, and The Big Bad Boulder (B-Cubed) at V9. The area is best suited to climbers who enjoy bouldering on a small scale, with several problems close together. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Valley Head, Alabama, show October highs around 72°F with lows near 48°F, and April highs around 70°F. That station sits about 778 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures on the rocks run cooler.

  • Best time to go · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit The Bads

    Best months: March–June and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 30°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      53° / 32°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      61° / 39°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      70° / 46°

      11 wet

    5. May

      77° / 55°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 63°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 67°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      86° / 66°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      81° / 60°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      72° / 48°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      60° / 38°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 33°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Valley Head, AL, 13.6 mi away at 1,121 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (13)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Asphalt BouldersPhoto: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Asphalt Boulders

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12 bouldering routes at Asphalt Boulders in Georgia.

Chex AreaPhoto: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Chex Area

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Chex Area in Georgia has 5 bouldering routes across 4 grades.

The Comet BoulderPhoto: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Comet Boulder

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Comet Boulder, The in Georgia has 7 bouldering routes with 6 difficulty grades.

Lynn OverlookPhoto: Rick Shu, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lynn Overlook

~39 min drive

Lynn Overlook in Alabama has 6 climbing routes across 3 grades.

The ConcavePhoto: Rick Shu, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Concave

~40 min drive

Concave in Alabama has 19 climbing routes across 12 grades, featuring sport and trad options.

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The Orb

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Orb is a bouldering crag in Georgia with 30 routes.

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Golden Harvest Boulder

Next door

Golden Harvest Boulder in Georgia has 8 bouldering routes with 6 difficulty grades.

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Police Brutality

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11 bouldering routes in Georgia spanning 7 difficulty grades.

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Back Street Boulders

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Back Street Boulders in Georgia has 13 bouldering routes across 10 difficulty grades.

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Hueco Simulator

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Hueco Simulator in Georgia has 17 bouldering routes across 10 grades.