Climbing Near Knoxville, Tennessee

Cherokee Bluff is currently closed to climbing. This page will be updated if anything changes. This area has a handful of sport routes located a short distance from downtown Knoxville. Half of the routes are accessed from a trail midway up the bluff and the other half are accessed by rappelling down from the trail. The cliff is right next to (and in) Ft. Loudon Lake. Sunny and exposed. And usually not many climbers. A great place for a little afternoon climbing if you're tired of the gym. Take Alcoa Highway (129 South) out of downtown Knoxville. Turn right onto Montlake Dr. after 2-4 miles. Take the first right onto Craighead, bear left at the fork to a dead end. There will be a short trail to your right. Take to get to the bluff.

Ijams Crag is a sport climbing area in the heart of South Knoxville's Urban Wilderness and is 10 minutes from downtown. 34 routes that range in height from 30' to 60' & in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13. Cliff is generally E/NE facing, with some sun early and shade later in the day. This is an old marble/limestone quarry that has been cleared of invasive vegetation and most loose rock that has left an interesting style of, close to home, climbing. Great for an afternoon work-out on challenging, but short, routes or for those new to the sport who want to figure out climbing before heading out to bigger and better places. Ijams Crag Website Google Maps Link for Ijams ParkingI-40 near downtown Knoxville. Take exit 388A - James White Parkway to Sevier/Hillwood Ave exit & turn left on Hillwood Ave. Continue through 4-way stop & at bottom of hill turn right on Island Home Blvd. Stay left at next split, to stay on Island Home. After passing large Island Home Baptist Church on left, take next immediate right on Gilbert Ln. Pass under R.R. bridge & take next left on Belvedere Ave & next immediate right on Aberdeen Ln. Stay right at split to stay on Aberdeen Ln. Drive through first gate and park in gravel area. From the parking lot walk straight ahead, past the gate, on Imerys Trail. At the first intersection, turn right on Burnett Ridge Trail. This trail will wind uphill for a couple of minutes until you reach an Ijams Crag Sign. Turn right at this sign and the entrance to Ijams Crag.

Sunny, but some tree cover. Single pitch sport climbing. This area is an outcropping to the far left of the cliffline with several single pitch routes.  Climber's far left area of cliff.