Maryland · Rock climbing · Thurmont · Near Ballenger Creek

TWS Rocks -

14 routes
5.0 – 5.11
Top Rope · Trad
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

TWS Rocks is a climbing area in Maryland, about half a mile from Thurmont Overlook. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with The Pinnacle and Four Aretes both about a tenth of a mile away. That makes it easy to pair with those areas in a single visit to the rock. The routes here range from easy to challenging. OpenBeta lists 14 routes, 12 of them top rope and two trad. Their grades run from 5.0 to 5.11, with the median around 5.5. Mantle Arete, a 5.7 top rope, was first climbed by William Ley. Project, at 5.11, is the hardest of the named routes. Fall is a comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the Catoctin Mtn Park weather station, about 3.4 miles away, show October highs near 65°F with lows around 46°F. That station sits about 667 feet lower than the climbing area, so expect temperatures here to run cooler. The closest camp is Cunningham Falls State Park Campground, about 0.8 miles away, and the Old Misery Trail is a similar distance. For a longer outing, Camp Misty Mount is about 2 miles off, and Toms Creek, a paddling spot in Pennsylvania, lies roughly 9.4 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Cunningham Falls State Park Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 0.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Los Amigos

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi
  • If it rainsAcroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Schifferstadt Architectural Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 13 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Ballenger Creek
  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit TWS Rocks -

    Best months: April and June–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

      39° / 23°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      42° / 25°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      52° / 31°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      65° / 42°

      12 wet

    5. May

      73° / 52°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 65°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 63°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 58°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      65° / 46°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      53° / 36°

      11 wet

    12. Dec

      43° / 28°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Catoctin Mtn Park, MD, 3.4 mi away at 1,610 ft. The station sits about 700 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (14)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Wolf RockPhoto: TrailVoice, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wolf Rock

~3 min drive

Wolf Rock in Maryland has 4 top-rope climbing routes.

The Main WallPhoto: TrailVoice, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Main Wall

~3 min drive

Main Wall, The in Maryland has 14 climbing routes with 7 difficulty grades.

Wolf's Head PillarPhoto: TrailVoice, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wolf's Head Pillar

~3 min drive

Wolf's Head Pillar in Maryland has 6 routes with 6 distinct difficulty grades.

Cliff Trail BouldersPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cliff Trail Boulders

~4 min drive

41 climbing routes at Cliff Trail Boulders in Maryland.

Cunningham FallsPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cunningham Falls

~4 min drive

Cunningham Falls is a Maryland climbing area with 5 routes on bouldering pads.

Chief BlockPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Chief Block

~4 min drive

Chief Block in Maryland has 5 climbing routes with bouldering pads.

CLIMB

The Pinnacle

Next door

Compact Maryland crag with solid rock and accessible mixed-grade climbing.

CLIMB

Four Aretes

Next door

Four Aretes in Maryland has 14 climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

The Roof Arete

Next door

Roof Arete, The is a climbing area in Maryland with 10 routes.

CLIMB

Ed Rocks

Next door

Ed Rocks in Maryland has 22 climbing routes with 11 difficulty grades, offering top-rope and trad options.