Butcher's Branch
Butcher's Branch in West Virginia has 20 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades.
- 20 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12c
- Sport · Trad
Is Butcher's Branch open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
As of · Source: NPS · New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Butcher's Branch
Best months: April–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
42° / 23°
Feb
46° / 25°
Mar
55° / 31°
Apr
68° / 40°
May
75° / 49°
Jun
81° / 58°
Jul
84° / 62°
Aug
83° / 61°
Sep
78° / 54°
Oct
68° / 43°
Nov
56° / 33°
Dec
46° / 27°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Anstead Hawks Nest Sp, WV, 5.4 mi away at 1,296 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Butcher's Branch is a climbing area in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots and trails, with Seven Eleven Wall just 0.1 mile away and White Wall at 0.2 mile, so it works well as a base for exploring the surrounding crags. The area has 20 routes, mostly sport climbs with a few trad options. The YDS grades run from 5.6 up to 5.12c, with the median at 5.10d. Among the named routes are "Low Voltage" at 5.10b and "Kaos" at 5.12c, both sport climbs. "Just Another Glitch," a trad route at 5.6, was first climbed by Gary Beil and Ken McClain in 1991. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 75°F and September highs around 78°F, with July peaking near 84°F. Hikers can also reach Butchers Branch Trail at 0.3 mile and Kaymoor Miners Trail at 0.5 mile. Paddlers will find Manns Creek about 7.5 miles away.
Routes (20)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Wv funnyman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)E) Kaymoor Slabs
~1 min drive
14-route climbing crag in West Virginia with sport and trad options.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)F) Flash Point Area
~1 min drive
F) Flash Point Area in West Virginia has 8 routes with 7 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)G) Diamond Point
~1 min drive
G) Diamond Point in West Virginia has 19 climbing routes with 13 difficulty grades.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)I) Honeymooner's Area
~1 min drive
I) Honeymooner's Area in West Virginia has 30 climbing routes across 17 grades.
Photo: tr.robinson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)P) Jacob's Ladder Area
~2 min drive
Jacob's Ladder Area in West Virginia has 9 climbing routes with sport and trad options.
Seven Eleven Wall
~0 min drive
Seven Eleven Wall in West Virginia has 17 routes across 12 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
White Wall
~0 min drive
White Wall in West Virginia has 19 climbing routes across 12 grades, featuring sport and trad styles.
Fire and Ice Buttress
~1 min drive
Fire and Ice Buttress in West Virginia has 6 routes across 5 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Rico Suave Buttress
~1 min drive
Rico Suave Buttress in West Virginia has 19 climbing routes across 12 grades, offering sport and trad options.
First Buttress
~1 min drive
First Buttress in West Virginia has 8 sport climbing routes across 7 grades.
