Summersville Lake (main) Rock Climbing

Follow Rte. 19 North from the town of Fayetteville for about 20 miles. After passing the Hughes Memorial Bridge that crosses over Summersville Lake, turn right and enter Summersville Lake State Park.  Drive straight up the gravel hill and follow signs for Climber Parking.  

HIKING DIRECTIONS:  

The Summersville Lake Main Climbing Trail begins adjacent to a restroom facility in development.  The Climbers Trail follows down stone steps leading to a beautiful creek crossing.  Travel down the metal staircase at the downstream end next to the waterfall.  At the bottom of the stairs next to the Wag Bag station, the trail splits, with the right trail leading to Gun Wall, Colisuem, and Pirate's Cove, and the left trail leads towards DC Memorial, Long Wall, Narcissus Cave, Orange Oswald and more.  Total approach time to DC Memorial is approximately 5 mins.  

In the summer months, watch for copperheads along the lake trails, but please do not harm them.

In 2020, the New River Alliance of Climbers and the USACE Army Corp of Engineers replaced the wooden ladder to a new and improved metal staircase. The staircase is easy to use and makes the lake climbing more accessible for those with small children, large and small dogs, and those carrying crash pads for the wonderful lakeside bouldering in the winter months.  

In total, the New River Alliance of Climbers has provided over $100K worth of labor and trail improvement projects to various crags at Summersville Lake.