Illinois · Rock climbing · Savanna

H: Indian Head

5 routes
5.3 – 5.9+
Trad
Apr–Oct
best months

Indian Head is a climbing area in Illinois, about 1.8 miles from the town of Savanna. It sits among a cluster of named climbing areas, with Bee Wall, Twin Sisters and Brother Buttress all about 0.1 mile away. The routes here are all traditional, and the grade range runs from 5.3 to 5.9+. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically May and September. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Mt Carroll show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 77°F, with lows near 47°F and 50°F. The five routes at Indian Head include Access Climb at 5.3 and Quiver at 5.9+, which was first climbed by William Collett and Gary Taylor in 1981. The Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails South are about 0.2 mile away, and the park's trails north are about 2.8 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit H: Indian Head

    Best months: April–October. 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

      31° / 11°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 14°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 26°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      61° / 36°

      11 wet

    5. May

      72° / 47°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 57°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 60°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 58°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 50°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 38°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      48° / 27°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 17°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Carroll, IL, 9 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (5)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

E: Twin SistersPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

E: Twin Sisters

Next door

E: Twin Sisters in Illinois has 17 climbing routes across 7 grades, featuring top-rope and trad options.

D: Open BiblePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

D: Open Bible

Next door

D: Open Bible in Illinois has 9 traditional climbing routes across 6 grades.

C: Sun ButtressPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

C: Sun Buttress

Next door

C: Sun Buttress in Illinois has 12 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.

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I: Bee Wall

Next door

I: Bee Wall in Illinois has 15 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades.

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F: Brother Buttress

Next door

11-route climbing crag in Illinois with 8 difficulty grades, offering top-rope and trad climbing.

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J: Amphitheater Wall

Next door

J: Amphitheater Wall in Illinois has 8 trad routes across 6 difficulty grades.

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K: Butter Walls

Next door

K: Butter Walls is a climbing crag in Illinois with 6 routes.

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B: Forgotten Wall

Next door

B: Forgotten Wall in Illinois has 19 trad climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.

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A: Sentinel

Next door

A: Sentinel in Illinois has 32 climbing routes with 16 distinct difficulty grades.

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Mississippi Palisades

~2 min drive

Mississippi Palisades is a climbing area in Illinois with 1 route.