West Virginia · Rock climbing · Lansing

Rainbow Ledge Area

Rainbow Ledge Area in West Virginia has 8 routes with sport and trad climbing.

Rainbow Ledge AreaPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Is Rainbow Ledge Area 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 Rainbow Ledge Area

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.

  1. Jan

    42° / 23°

  2. Feb

    46° / 25°

  3. Mar

    55° / 31°

  4. Apr

    68° / 40°

  5. May

    75° / 49°

  6. Jun

    81° / 58°

  7. Jul

    84° / 62°

  8. Aug

    83° / 61°

  9. Sep

    78° / 54°

  10. Oct

    68° / 43°

  11. Nov

    56° / 33°

  12. Dec

    46° / 27°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Anstead Hawks Nest Sp, WV, 2.6 mi away at 1,296 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Rainbow Ledge Area 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, with Central Bubba and Bubba Buttress each about 0.1 mile away and Ames Wall about 0.2 mile off. The area is known for its sport climbing, with a range of routes from 5.9+ up to 5.12c. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 75°F in May to about 78°F in September, with July the warmest at about 84°F. The routes here are mostly sport, with one trad option. Among the sport routes, Look Who's Pulling is a 5.11a, and Arapiles Please is the hardest at 5.12c. The Junkyard Area Trail and Hawks Nest Connector Trail are both within a mile for a walk after climbing.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Central BubbaPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Central Bubba

~0 min drive

Central Bubba in West Virginia has 12 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and traditional styles.

Bubba ButtressPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bubba Buttress

~0 min drive

Bubba Buttress in West Virginia has 17 climbing routes across 11 grades, offering sport and trad styles.

Beer WallPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Beer Wall

~0 min drive

Beer Wall in West Virginia has 18 climbing routes across 13 grades, featuring bouldering pads, sport, and trad.

Zealous AreaPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Zealous Area

~1 min drive

Zealous Area in West Virginia has 8 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.

Moe AreaPhoto: sbennett1298, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Moe Area

~2 min drive

Moe Area in West Virginia has 7 bouldering routes across 6 grades.

Interp BouldersPhoto: sbennett1298, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Interp Boulders

~2 min drive

Interp Boulders in West Virginia offers 5 bouldering routes across 4 difficulty grades.

Tuggin' ShackPhoto: sbennett1298, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tuggin' Shack

~2 min drive

Tuggin' Shack is a West Virginia climbing crag with 10 routes and bouldering pads.

Ronski FeintPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ronski Feint

~2 min drive

Ronski Feint is a West Virginia climbing crag with 5 routes.

Ames Wall

~0 min drive

Ames Wall in West Virginia has 22 climbing routes across 13 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.

[Redacted]

~0 min drive

Redacted in West Virginia has 5 climbing routes across 4 grades.