Kentucky · Rock climbing · Wellington

Tower Rock

Tower Rock in Kentucky has 12 climbing routes with mixed and traditional protection.

12 routes
5.1 – 5.11
Trad · Mixed

Is Tower Rock open right now?

Closure in the area

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

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

Best time to visit Tower Rock

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.

  1. Jan

    42° / 24°

    13 wet

  2. Feb

    47° / 27°

    13 wet

  3. Mar

    57° / 34°

    15 wet

  4. Apr

    68° / 44°

    15 wet

  5. May

    75° / 53°

    15 wet

  6. Jun

    82° / 61°

    14 wet

  7. Jul

    84° / 65°

    14 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 64°

    12 wet

  9. Sep

    79° / 57°

    10 wet

  10. Oct

    69° / 44°

    12 wet

  11. Nov

    57° / 35°

    12 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 28°

    13 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Beattyville 4n, KY, 14.9 mi away at 1,080 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Tower Rock is a climbing area in the Clifty Wilderness, part of the Cumberland Ranger District of Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is a mix of traditional and mixed routes, with 12 routes in total. Grades run from 5.1 to 5.11, and the median is 5.7. Squeezebox is the only mixed route, a 5.1, while Insanity Ceiling is the hardest at 5.11. The rest are traditional, including Groundhog at 5.3 and Salad Days at 5.6. For a base, Tower Rock Trail #229 starts just 0.1 mile away, and Osbourne Bend Loop Trail #240 is 0.2 mile off. Lower Small Wall and Hen's Nest Rock are both within a mile.

Routes (12)

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Hen's Nest RockPhoto: US Forest Service - Southern Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

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