Witches Back
- 19 routes
- V0 – V8
- Bouldering
- Jun–Oct
- best months
Witches Back is a bouldering area in Ohio, about a mile from the town of Athens. It sits right next to Witches Front, another climbing area, and the Witches Hill Path hike, both within a tenth of a mile. The climbing here is all bouldering, with 19 routes spread across the V0 to V8 range on the V scale, so it works well for climbers who want to focus on short, crag-style problems. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Athens show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 76°F, with September also seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Several other spots are close by. The Hocking River offers fishing about a mile away, and the Ora Anderson Trail and Athens Trail are both within about 1.6 miles. For more bouldering, COAD Boulders is roughly 1.7 miles off.
Best time to go · Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Witches Back
Best months: 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.
Jan
38° / 22°
13 wet
Feb
42° / 23°
11 wet
Mar
52° / 30°
12 wet
Apr
65° / 40°
13 wet
May
72° / 50°
13 wet
Jun
80° / 59°
12 wet
Jul
82° / 63°
11 wet
Aug
81° / 61°
10 wet
Sep
76° / 54°
9 wet
Oct
65° / 42°
10 wet
Nov
53° / 32°
11 wet
Dec
43° / 27°
13 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Athens Ou, OH, 0.6 mi away at 684 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Routes (19)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
CLIMB
COAD Boulders
~3 min drive
COAD Boulders in Ohio has 36 bouldering routes on 12 difficulty grades.
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Commitment Boulder
~3 min drive
Commitment Boulder in Ohio has 9 bouldering routes across 4 difficulty grades.
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Rectangle Rock
~46 min drive
Rectangle Rock in Ohio has 15 climbing routes across 9 grades, offering bouldering and top-rope.
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Sunshine Valley
~46 min drive
7 climbing routes in Ohio ranging across 5 difficulty grades.
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Hocking Hills State Forest
~46 min drive
Hocking Hills State Forest in Ohio has 17 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades, offering bouldering and top-rope options.
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Workout Wall
~46 min drive
Workout Wall is a bouldering crag in Ohio with 10 routes across 7 grades.
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Cascada Boulders
~46 min drive
Cascada Boulders in Ohio has 9 bouldering routes across 6 difficulty grades.
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Big Spring Hollow/Conkle's Hollow
~47 min drive
Big Spring Hollow/Conkle's Hollow in Ohio has 5 climbing routes with sport, top-rope, and trad options.
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Geneva Hills
~60 min drive
Geneva Hills in Ohio has 6 bouldering routes with 4 difficulty grades.
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Junkyard Wall
~1h 8m drive
Junkyard Wall in Ohio has 10 bouldering routes across 6 difficulty grades.
