Hemlock Boulder
Hemlock Boulder in Tennessee has 13 bouldering routes across 8 grades.
Photo: MichaelGras, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 13 routes
- V3 – V10
- Bouldering
Is Hemlock Boulder open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Obed Wild and Scenic River.
As of · Source: NPS · Obed Wild and Scenic River. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Hemlock Boulder
Best months: March–April and 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
46° / 26°
11 wet
Feb
50° / 28°
10 wet
Mar
59° / 34°
11 wet
Apr
69° / 42°
11 wet
May
76° / 51°
13 wet
Jun
83° / 59°
13 wet
Jul
86° / 63°
13 wet
Aug
85° / 62°
11 wet
Sep
80° / 54°
10 wet
Oct
70° / 43°
10 wet
Nov
59° / 34°
9 wet
Dec
50° / 29°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lancing 6 Nw, TN, 3.3 mi away at 1,520 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Hemlock Boulder is a bouldering area in Tennessee's Obed Wild and Scenic River, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking spots, with Lilly Bluff and Buddha Wall both within a quarter mile and the Lilly Bridge Trail right next door. The area has 13 bouldering problems, ranging from V3 to V10. Ape Man and Popeye are the easiest at V3, and Dave Hume Problem is the hardest at V10. The median grade is V5. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 70°F with lows near 43°F, and April is similar at about 69°F and 42°F. That station sits roughly 450 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures on the rock run a little cooler. Rock Creek Campground (TN) is about 3.8 miles away, and Rock Creek offers canoeing about 6.4 miles off.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: MichaelGras, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lilly Bluff
~0 min drive
Lilly Bluff in Tennessee has 50 climbing routes spanning 22 grades and mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: MichaelGras, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Point Trail Boulder
~0 min drive
Point Trail Boulder is a bouldering area in Tennessee with 5 routes.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Y- 12
~1 min drive
Versatile Tennessee crag with routes for multiple skill levels.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)North Clear Creek
~1 min drive
North Clear Creek in Tennessee has 61 climbing routes in mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Inner Circle
~1 min drive
Inner Circle, The in Tennessee has 10 sport climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Squeeze Ledge
~1 min drive
Squeeze Ledge in Tennessee has 10 climbing routes across 7 grades.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Stephen King Library
~1 min drive
Stephen King Library in Tennessee has 20 climbing routes across 13 grades.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Blue Sky Buttress
~1 min drive
Blue Sky Buttress in Tennessee has 9 climbing routes across 8 grades.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Outer Circle Ampitheatre
~1 min drive
5 sport routes at Outer Circle Ampitheatre, The in Tennessee.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Middle Obed
~2 min drive
Middle Obed in Tennessee has 41 climbing routes.
