Horse Campground
Campground
Campground · 6.7 mi from the trail
Illinois · Rock climbing · Carbondale · Near Goreville
Main Amphitheater
- 7 routes
- 5.10 – 5.13a
- Sport · Trad · Mixed
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- best months
Is Main Amphitheater open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name Main Amphitheater, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).
Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area temporarily closed due to road work
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Boil Water Order at Pharaoh Campground at Garden of the Gods
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
McClure Road Closed
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Lane reduction on bridge near IL Iron Furnace
Agency alert covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Failing Culvert on Oakwood Bottoms Road FSR # 786
Agency alert covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Shawnee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Main Amphitheater is a climbing area in the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District of Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Moon Rock and The Dugout each about 0.1 mile away and Cove Hollow about 0.3 mile off. The area is best suited to climbers who want a mix of sport and trad routes, with a few mixed options, and the grade range runs from 5.10a up to 5.13a. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Anna show October highs around 73°F with lows near 48°F, and April is similar at about 71°F by day and 46°F at night. July is the hottest month, with highs around 90°F. The routes here include both sport and trad options. Slimy Arches is a 5.10a trad climb, and Heingerous is a 5.12a mixed route. Sport climbers can try Legacy at 5.12c or Dune at 5.13a.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after If it rains
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in Goreville- Moon RockRock climbing0.1 mi
- The DugoutRock climbing0.1 mi
- Cove HollowRock climbing0.3 mi
- Wolf Den Hollow LoopHiking0.7 mi
- Cedar Lake TrailHiking1.3 mi
- Cedar LakeHiking2 mi
Shawnee SolitaireRock climbingPhoto: Mrostrichman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2.2 mi- Clear CreekCanoeing9.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Shawnee SolitaireRock climbing · ~4 min drivePhoto: Mrostrichman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Pomona Bottoms / potentialRock climbing · ~4 min drivePhoto: Mrostrichman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
A: Gill RoofRock climbing · ~11 min drivePhoto: Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- C: Amphitheater BouldersRock climbing · ~11 min drivePhoto: Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Devils Standtable AreaRock climbing · ~11 min drivePhoto: Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Cove HollowRock climbing · Next door
- Railroad BoulderRock climbing · ~9 min drive
- A: Quetil Trail BluffRock climbing · ~9 min drive
- Alto PassRock climbing · ~9 min drive
- F: BoulderingRock climbing · ~9 min drive
Best time to visit Main Amphitheater
Best months: March–May 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.
Jan
45° / 25°
9 wet
Feb
50° / 29°
8 wet
Mar
61° / 37°
10 wet
Apr
71° / 46°
11 wet
May
79° / 56°
12 wet
Jun
87° / 65°
9 wet
Jul
90° / 69°
8 wet
Aug
89° / 67°
7 wet
Sep
83° / 59°
7 wet
Oct
73° / 48°
9 wet
Nov
59° / 37°
10 wet
Dec
48° / 30°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Anna 2 Nne, IL, 11.5 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
