Kentucky · Rock climbing · Wellington

Moonshiner's Wall

Moonshiner's Wall is a Kentucky climbing crag with 5 routes.

Photo: US Forest Service - Southern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

5 routes

5.4 – 5.10b

Trad

Is Moonshiner's Wall open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Daniel Boone National Forest. It doesn't name Moonshiner's Wall, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

National Visitor Use Monitoring, Oct 2026-Sept 2027
Agency closure covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Scott Creek Boat ramp briefly inaccessible, July 30
Agency closure covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Low water levels at Laurel River Lake
Agency alert covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Active logging operations near Redbird Crest Trail Sections 17-19
Agency alert covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Cliffside Trail #519 Closure
Agency alert covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest

As of Oct 25, 5:25 pm EDT · Source: USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Moonshiner's Wall

Best months: August–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
42° / 24°
13 wet
Feb
47° / 27°
13 wet
Mar
57° / 34°
15 wet
Apr
68° / 44°
15 wet
May
75° / 53°
15 wet
Jun
82° / 61°
14 wet
Jul
84° / 65°
14 wet
Aug
84° / 64°
12 wet
Sep
79° / 57°
10 wet
Oct
69° / 44°
12 wet
Nov
57° / 35°
12 wet
Dec
46° / 28°
13 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Beattyville 4n, KY, 15.1 mi away at 1,080 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Moonshiner's Wall is a climbing area in Kentucky's Clifty Wilderness, within the Cumberland Ranger District of Daniel Boone National Forest and along the Red River Wild River. The land is managed by the State Department of Conservation, and the wall sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking spots in this corner of the state. The area has five trad routes, with grades ranging from 5.4 to 5.10b. The easiest is Very Disco at 5.4, and the hardest is Oberon at 5.10b. Ten Years After is a 5.5 route with a first ascent from 1981, and Distillery and Texas Eagle are both 5.9. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Beattyville show May highs around 75°F and October highs near 69°F, while July and August average about 84°F. Hen's Nest Rock and Eastern Sky Bridge Ridge are both about half a mile away, and the Osborne Bend Loop hike starts just 0.3 miles off. For an overnight stay, Menifee County Dispersed Rec. Sites is about 4.7 miles away.