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Chimney Rock Bouldering

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Chimney Rock

Pyramid Boulder 3

Quicksand Boulder 1

Rocky Road Boulder 3

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Elevation:	1,370 ft	418 m
GPS:	39.62892, -77.43294 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	12,186 total · 116/month
Shared By:	Chris Peterson on Oct 10, 2016 · Updates
Admins:	Frances Fierst, C S Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Chimney Rock itself is closed to roped climbing and bouldering. Details

More details here: midatlanticclimbers.org/new…

Description

**January 2022 Access update for bouldering at Catoctin**

The Park requests that the following boulders be effectively closed to climbing:

Hog Rock trail area: Warfare/Knifewall and Chief Block/Gateway Fin
Thurmont Vista area: Sudden/Smelted
Chimney Rock (only the Chimney Rock area itself – the Pyramid Boulder is outside the area of concern)

Mid Atlantic Climbers asks that the local climbing community respects this request in order to protect overall access to bouldering in the Park. See here for more info.

Coordinates: 39°38′52″N 77°27′59″W

Chimney Rock is a prominant outcropping of rock within Catoctin Mountain State Park. Facing West, the formation features deep crevices and fissures, cracks, faces, and large boulders under the Western Face. The eponymous rock is perched on top of a large, cracked monolith.

Chimney Rock is part of the Weverton Formation, which contains quartzite, metaconglomerate, phyllite, and metagraywacke. Chimney Rock's quartzite, the hardest of the Weverton mixture, has eroded more slowly than surrounding rock, resulting in the prominent formation.

Look for the sign - you won't be able to miss it.

Getting There

The closest parking is at the Catoctin Mountain Park Headquarters on Foxville Road, but this is a small lot and may be crowded on weekends. Park at the Visitor Center parking lot if HQ lot is full.

The hike to Chimney Rock from the Park HQ is about a mile with only one steep section. The approach also passes several good quality bouldering opportunities just off the trail on either side.