Pennsylvania · Rock climbing · Portersville

Hidden in Plain Sight

Hidden in Plain SightPhoto: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
6 routes
V2 – V4-5
Bouldering
Aug–Sep
best months

Hidden in Plain Sight is a bouldering area in McConnells Mill State Park in Pennsylvania, managed by State Park and Recreation. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots and trails, with several other climbing areas and the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail (NCT) all within about a tenth of a mile. The area is a bouldering destination, with six routes listed, all rated between V2 and V4 on the V scale. The names of the routes include Hidden in Plain Sight (V2), Don't Go Near the Light (V3), Blinkers (V4-5) and Eyes Wide Shut (V4). The climbing is all bouldering, so there is no rope or anchor work involved. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 69°F and September highs around 74°F, with July the warmest month at about 81°F. The Slippery Rock Gorge Trail (NCT) and the Birthday Boulder and Island Block climbing areas are all about 0.1 mile away. The North Country Trail lies about 2.5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Hidden in Plain Sight

    Best months: August–September. 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

      33° / 17°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 18°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 25°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      59° / 35°

      14 wet

    5. May

      69° / 45°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 54°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 58°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 56°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 50°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 39°

      13 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 31°

      13 wet

    12. Dec

      38° / 23°

      15 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Slippery Rock 1 Ssw, PA, 9.2 mi away at 1,260 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (6)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Island BlockPhoto: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Island Block

Next door

Island Block in Pennsylvania has 16 climbing routes with 13 difficulty grades, featuring bouldering pads, top-rope, and trad.

Rappel RockPhoto: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rappel Rock

Next door

Rappel Rock in Pennsylvania has 6 climbing routes with bouldering and top-rope options.

CLIMB

Birthday Boulder

Next door

Birthday Boulder in Pennsylvania has 8 bouldering routes across 6 grades.

CLIMB

Sunshine Wall

Next door

Sunshine Wall in Pennsylvania has 6 climbing routes across 5 grades, offering top-rope and trad options.

CLIMB

Rim Road Climbing Area

Next door

Rim Road Climbing Area in Pennsylvania has 20 routes with bouldering pads, top-rope, and trad climbing.

CLIMB

McConnells Mill State Park

Next door

McConnells Mill State Park in Pennsylvania has 5 climbing routes with bouldering pads, sport, top-rope, and trad options.

CLIMB

Kennedy's Mill

~5 min drive

Kennedy's Mill is a Pennsylvania climbing crag with 7 routes.

CLIMB

Squid Wall

~49 min drive

Squid Wall in Ohio has 6 bouldering routes across 4 grades.

CLIMB

Bears Den Cabin

~49 min drive

Bears Den Cabin in Ohio has 22 bouldering routes across 12 grades.

CLIMB

Harrison Hills Park

~56 min drive

Harrison Hills Park in Pennsylvania has 1 climbing route.