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Font Red

Arkansas > North-Central A… > Cowell/Deer Area > Cowell

Description

The Fontainebleau of Arkansas--the Fountaine Red!!

Fountaine Red has a high concentration of top notch boulder problems, free camping, and a nice remote setting in the Ozarks. The uber-classic Le Beak may be the best V4 in the world, and that is just the beginning. With Fred's Cave, The Power Wall, The Invasion, and more within short walking distance, it is arguable that the Fountaine Red area is one of the best destination bouldering areas in the United States with something for everyone on perfect Southern Sandstone.

Getting There

Cole Fennel's "Rock Climbing Arkansas" guidebook for a preliminary taste of the area. Get ready for Cole Fennel's "Bouldering Arkansas-Comprehensive" in the winter of 2010 for a full coverage of all the areas that extend out from the one and only FOUNTAINE RED!

Routes from Left to Right

V1 5
 10
● Prom Queen
Boulder
V1 5
 10
● Junior
Boulder
V0 4
 8
● Juvenile
Boulder
V0 4
 8
● Free Parking
Boulder
V0 4
 1
● The Atomic sit-start
Boulder
V2 5+
 13
● C-Span
Boulder
V4 6B
 11
● Munchkin Traverse
Boulder
V6- 7A
 4
● Broken Bottles
Boulder
V1 5
 1
● Trend Right
Boulder
V5 6C PG13
 1
● The Peaceful Warrior
Boulder
V7- 7A+
 2
● Shattered Platters
Boulder
V5-6 6C+
 9
● Hero Span
Boulder
V0 4
 1
● Orange Out
Boulder
V2 5+
 2
● Baby Bulge
Boulder
V1-2 5
 2
● Hard Head
Boulder
V2-3 5+
 2
● Retrograde
Boulder
V7- 7A+
 38
● Hulk
Boulder
V3 6A
 173
● Rings of Uranus
Boulder
V2 5+
 51
● Rings Around the Rosy
Boulder
V4 6B
 13
● Gak Traverse
Boulder
V0 4
 24
● Gak
Boulder
V0+ 4+
 7
● Boys Will Be Boys
Boulder
V1 5
 57
● Left Spooge
Boulder
V7-8 7B
 15
● Center Spooge
Boulder
V5+ 6C+
 1
● Center Spooge Lite
Boulder
V0 4
 6
● Thank Spanky
Boulder
V7 7A+
 9
● Mills Lane
Boulder
V4- 6B
 19
● El Nino
Boulder
V3 6A
 1
● Big Crunch
Boulder
V9-10 7C+ PG13
 1
● Broken Earth
Boulder
V3 6A
 34
● Privileged Planet
Boulder
V5 6C
 118
● Planet Earth
Boulder
V1+ 5
 1
● Le Phat
Boulder
V6 7A
 10
● No Hurt Me Foot
Boulder
V0 4 R
 1
● Edifice
Boulder
V7-8 7B
 5
● Dizzy Spell
Boulder
V0 4
 1
● Face Crack
Boulder
V1 5
 1
● Face Lift
Boulder
V3 6A
 51
● Top Hat (aka Paxton's Dyno)
Boulder
V5 6C
 4
● Le Beak Dyno
Boulder
V4 6B
 199
● Le Beak
Boulder
V3 6A
 8
● Tweak the Beak
Boulder
V5 6C PG13
 2
● Treeage
Boulder
V6 7A PG13
 4
● Heelside
Boulder
V6 7A
 8
● Mikey
Boulder
V3 6A
 12
● Give it to Mikey
Boulder
V2 5+
 0
● Playa Hatin For Life
Boulder
V3 6A
 3
● Mikey Will Eat Anything
Boulder
V8 7B
 0
● Mikey Did It
Boulder
V5 6C
 42
● Eat Your Oatmeal
Boulder
V3+ 6A+
 2
● Be Like Mikey
Boulder
V3 6A
 1
● Mikey Did it Again
Boulder
V4 6B
 1
● Mikey Can Do It
Boulder
V1 5 R
 4
● Let Mikey Do It
Boulder
V0 4
 3
● Houses of the Holy
Boulder
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 1
● Nose Ring
TR
V0 4
 11
● Discloser
Boulder
V0- 4-
 2
● Dinosaurs Asscrack
Boulder
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
● The Zig
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Prom Queen
 10
V1 5 Boulder
● Junior
 10
V1 5 Boulder
● Juvenile
 8
V0 4 Boulder
● Free Parking
 8
V0 4 Boulder
● The Atomic sit-start
 1
V0 4 Boulder
● C-Span
 13
V2 5+ Boulder
● Munchkin Traverse
 11
V4 6B Boulder
● Broken Bottles
 4
V6- 7A Boulder
● Trend Right
 1
V1 5 Boulder
● The Peaceful Warrior
 1
V5 6C PG13 Boulder
● Shattered Platters
 2
V7- 7A+ Boulder
● Hero Span
 9
V5-6 6C+ Boulder
● Orange Out
 1
V0 4 Boulder
● Baby Bulge
 2
V2 5+ Boulder
● Hard Head
 2
V1-2 5 Boulder
● Retrograde
 2
V2-3 5+ Boulder
● Hulk
 38
V7- 7A+ Boulder
● Rings of Uranus
 173
V3 6A Boulder
● Rings Around the Rosy
 51
V2 5+ Boulder
● Gak Traverse
 13
V4 6B Boulder
● Gak
 24
V0 4 Boulder
● Boys Will Be Boys
 7
V0+ 4+ Boulder
● Left Spooge
 57
V1 5 Boulder
● Center Spooge
 15
V7-8 7B Boulder
● Center Spooge Lite
 1
V5+ 6C+ Boulder
● Thank Spanky
 6
V0 4 Boulder
● Mills Lane
 9
V7 7A+ Boulder
● El Nino
 19
V4- 6B Boulder
● Big Crunch
 1
V3 6A Boulder
● Broken Earth
 1
V9-10 7C+ PG13 Boulder
● Privileged Planet
 34
V3 6A Boulder
● Planet Earth
 118
V5 6C Boulder
● Le Phat
 1
V1+ 5 Boulder
● No Hurt Me Foot
 10
V6 7A Boulder
● Edifice
 1
V0 4 R Boulder
● Dizzy Spell
 5
V7-8 7B Boulder
● Face Crack
 1
V0 4 Boulder
● Face Lift
 1
V1 5 Boulder
● Top Hat (aka Paxton's Dyno)
 51
V3 6A Boulder
● Le Beak Dyno
 4
V5 6C Boulder
● Le Beak
 199
V4 6B Boulder
● Tweak the Beak
 8
V3 6A Boulder
● Treeage
 2
V5 6C PG13 Boulder
● Heelside
 4
V6 7A PG13 Boulder
● Mikey
 8
V6 7A Boulder
● Give it to Mikey
 12
V3 6A Boulder
● Playa Hatin For Life
 0
V2 5+ Boulder
● Mikey Will Eat Anything
 3
V3 6A Boulder
● Mikey Did It
 0
V8 7B Boulder
● Eat Your Oatmeal
 42
V5 6C Boulder
● Be Like Mikey
 2
V3+ 6A+ Boulder
● Mikey Did it Again
 1
V3 6A Boulder
● Mikey Can Do It
 1
V4 6B Boulder
● Let Mikey Do It
 4
V1 5 R Boulder
● Houses of the Holy
 3
V0 4 Boulder
● Nose Ring
 1
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a TR
● Discloser
 11
V0 4 Boulder
● Dinosaurs Asscrack
 2
V0- 4- Boulder
● The Zig
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Ethan mid-dyno on Le Beak
[Hide Photo] Ethan mid-dyno on Le Beak
Evan at the crux of Center Spooge at Fountain Red, Arkansas
[Hide Photo] Evan at the crux of Center Spooge at Fountain Red, Arkansas
The bouldering is too close to the camping to not do a bit of nighttime wranglin'
[Hide Photo] The bouldering is too close to the camping to not do a bit of nighttime wranglin'
v2 at font red
[Hide Photo] v2 at font red
One of the many hallways at cowell
[Hide Photo] One of the many hallways at cowell
Rings of Uranus
[Hide Photo] Rings of Uranus

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Evan Martin
Moscow, ID
[Hide Comment] I had a really difficult time finding directions for this place, so I thought I would see if I could help some people in the future.

The Coordinates for Fountaine Red's parking are. (N 35°52.716') (W 93°07.259') Jan 10, 2011
Jon Wood
[Hide Comment] It is a tad tricky to find the first time. There is only one road that intersects the highway when going through Cowell. I believe it's labeled Cowell Rd 55 or some such, but like I said it's the only road. Just pay attention, it's not really a town. Just a few houses. Head east on the dirt road otherwise known as 1200. It's about five miles. You'll pass a few ATV roads labeled with brown forest service posts. The first is 1204a on the right, then 1204b, 1204c on the left, and then 1204d. Take the left on 1204d and head uphill a short way. You'll see the rock and there you go. The camping is right there. The climbing isn't real big, but it's quality. I took my son camping there a few weeks ago. With the leaves down you can see an abundance of rock in the area. I'm sure with a bit of exploring you can find a bunch more than is in the guide book. Dec 19, 2011
Jon Wood
[Hide Comment] I heard a rumor about bolted monoliths past Fountain Red from a ranger at the Buffalo River. Anyone have any info on these? Mar 6, 2013
Ian Cotter-Brown

[Hide Comment] Awesome area, and camping, though beware there is a lot of broken glass. Could be an issue with kids or dogs. Apr 4, 2021