Louisiana

I unfortunately got stationed in Louisiana after being stationed in Kentucky for 4 years. Kentucky and Tennessee's abundance of rock spoiled me, and Louisiana's lack of rock is maddening. Where are everyone's favorite places to climb in Southern Arkansas, Eastern Texas, or Oklahoma? Or are there secret crags in Louisiana that nobody is talking about?

I remember a John Sherman article in Climbing from about 20 years ago where he tried to climb rock in all 50 states. He succeeded in all but Louisiana. He eventually had to resort to climbing a decorative boulder in someone's driveway. I am so sorry. 

I figured as much. There is one boulder I have seen, but it is an historic indigenous site.

Arkansas has tons of climbing and a great guidebook that covers the whole state. 

MIdwest forum? But You stationed at Fort Polk? I lived in Baton Rouge for five years and made a few trips to Arkansas, Its pretty far away but by far the closet quality stuff. To the west you have stuff in Austin, TX and to the east in alabama like sand rock. Speaking about the boulder.. There is a magical mystery boulder hiding in kisatchie national forest. I looked for it twice and failed.. you're F'ed unless you're in like shreveport.

Kayaking and fishing?

I found the mystery Kisatchie boulders today. They are better than nothing, but it looks like an Arkansas trip is in my future. Thanks, folks.

I haven't spent any time in KY and TN but have gotten the chance to visit HCR and Sam's Throne a couple times while visiting family in MO. Well worth the trip from LA IMO. 

'Sup, I live in Lafayette, LA. We regularly go on climbing trips to:
Reiner's Ranch and Enchanted Rock outside of Austin, TX
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and the Sam's Throne region of Arkansas
Foster Falls and surrounding areas near Chattanooga, TN
Sand Rock and Horse Pens 40 in Alabama
And occasionally Quartz Mountain and Wichita Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma
El Potrero Chico in Mexico

There are no secret crags in Louisiana, it is as flat as you think it is. And you're at a minimum of a 6 hour drive anywhere to climb (from Lafayette), so we're all weekend warriors, and I'll take a normal 2 day weekend trip to somewhere 10 hours away.

There are 5 climbing gyms that I know of in the state: Southern Stone in Lafayette (used to be the Rok Haus), Uptown Climbing in Baton Rouge, two New Orleans Boulder Lounges, and one gym in Slidell (I've never been to that one). There's a decent number of people who climb here and are willing to go on climbing trips.

As you might have noticed, it's getting hot in the South, so your outdoor climbing options are starting to dwindle unless you're comfortable with 90+ degrees and 60+% (up to 90, lol) humidity.

My recommendations are Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for chill, but quality sport climbing, and Foster's for taller and harder climbs. For trad, it's either T-Wall in Tennessee or the Sam's Throne region. And if you boulder, then you can't go wrong with two out of three Triple Crown of Bouldering, HP40 and Stone Fort (LRC). And El Potrero Chico in Mexico (home to Time Wave Zero) is only a 10ish hour drive away, and Mardi Gras is the perfect time to go! Lucky you!

I did a little online research and compiled a list of bluffs ranging from 20 to 100 ft around my area. I think that some of them might be nice crags, many of them are along the Red River. I am going to take a trip today (most of them are within 2 hours from my house and bunched together within a few miles of each other) and see if any of them are open to the public

This is the link to the Google Maps list I made. This is not an exhaustive list as there are many more bluffs in Louisiana, I have only compiled the ones within an hour or two of me.
https://goo.gl/maps/AuDdDPDRRD82

Just FYI, Dardanelle and Mt. Magazine are about 1 to 1.5 hrs closer than Horseshoe and Sam's. Dardanelle has some decent sport routes, and Magazine has some fantastic crack climbing. 

Nice! that rock has got to be crumbly though. 

Dardanelle can be, but Magazine has the best and hardest sandstone I have seen. Locals have told me that drilling it is harder than granite. 

Looks like you're about seven hours from Fern, in Arkansas but only five to Austin and Reimers Ranch.  Neither is great so catch an airplane to someplace cool.  :) 

RIP. The distance to rock was like 95% of the reason I left New Orleans. LA is truly a wasteland when it comes to outdoor climbing. Good luck.

I second Duncan's input. The nearest crag is 6.5 hours away, Horsepens 40. Followed by a 7 hour drive either way (east or west) to Sand rock (Cherokee rock village) and/or Milton Reimers ranch outside of Austin. We all just climb in gyms in the summer and a few brave climbing in the 95 degree 200% humidity in the south east rock, one positive as Duncan mentioned is EPC is a 12 hour drive and a group of us make an annual new years trip. If you are in Baton Rouge, come stop at Uptown, we are fairly new and have plenty to offer in the lack of rock state. I can't wait to move lol.

Thanks for the input, folks. I'm going to go to either Mount Magazine in Arkansas or Robbers Cave in Oklahoma this weekend. Tough choice as they are equidistant to me and Magazine seems to be the crowd favorite. I, however will be Top Rope Soloing, so I think Robbers Cave will be more suitable for that.

I've been to both but only climbed at Robbers Cave and for overall appeal Magazine has it hands down.  If you can get a room at the lodge you will be living the dream.  Robber's cave requires two ropes; one to climb and one for the anchors. :)  The trees are like 30' away from the edge and the walls are only 30' tall.  However, the first couple of cabins are CCC so a lot of history there as well.

I certainly hope you enjoy your weekend regardless of which place you end up.

the schmuck wrote: I remember a John Sherman article in Climbing from about 20 years ago where he tried to climb rock in all 50 states. He succeeded in all but Louisiana. He eventually had to resort to climbing a decorative boulder in someone's driveway. I am so sorry. 

In the Sherman Article when asked about Louisiana it says he found “a dinky sandstone wall, but it was still legit climbing”. Any idea where it is located? I want to climb all fifty states as well!