Illinois · Rock climbing · Buncombe · Near Goreville

The Rubik's Cube

6 routes
5.10 – 5.12b
Trad · Mixed · Sport
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Rubik's Cube, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name Rubik's Cube, The, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Shawnee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Rubik's Cube is a private climbing area in the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District of Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, about a mile from Draper's Bluff. It sits alongside the Draper's Bluff land unit and the surrounding Draper's Bluff area. The area offers six routes, four of them trad and one each of mixed and sport climbing. Grades run from 5.10a to 5.12b, with the median around 5.11. High Over Camp is a 5.10a trad route, and Fancy Lads is a 5.11d mixed route. Kittens, a 5.12b sport route, is the hardest. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for a visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Anna show October highs around 73°F with lows near 48°F, and April highs around 71°F with lows near 46°F. Draper's Bluff and The Woodland Ledge both sit about 0.1 mile away. Lick Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 0.9 mile off, and Cedar Bluff Trail is about a mile away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Turkey Ridge Tent Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 3.4 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Natural Bridge

    Attraction

    On your way back · 3 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Goreville
  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit The Rubik's Cube

    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.

    1. Jan

      45° / 25°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      50° / 29°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      61° / 37°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      71° / 46°

      11 wet

    5. May

      79° / 56°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      87° / 65°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      90° / 69°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      89° / 67°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 59°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      73° / 48°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      59° / 37°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      48° / 30°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Anna 2 Nne, IL, 10.8 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (6)

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