Float on over to Boat Rock
In the metropolitan Atlanta area, climbing on anything but plastic is hard to come by. Boat Rock Climbing area is an Atlanta climber's opportunity to climb on real rock (yes like an actual rock that naturally came from mother nature) outside.
Located only 20 minutes from downtown it is an ideal after work crag or a fun weekend afternoon activity.
Boat Rock is full of large granite boulders. The grades can range anywhere from V0 to Vhard. Believe it or not many of the lines in Boat Rock are still unclimbed.
History - Atlanta's Climbing Nightmare
Boat Rock has a grim past. Most of the rocks that once made up the area, including the namesake Boat Rock, have been demolished to make room for housing developments.
This is a climber's worse nightmare. You can still find remains of the carnage from these dark times. Luckily, we had some amazing people unite to put together an epic save!
Thankfully, before all the boulders were destroyed, The SCC along with The Access Fund, saved the remaining boulders. Today there are still over 200 documented problems left in the well taken care of the climbing area. Amenities include a pit toilet, signs throughout the boulder field, and benches in the classic areas, which is more than your average crag.
The hard work of these organizations have saves the best climbing area in the greater Atlanta region. Make sure to visit and appreciate this land and all the amazing rock that it holds.
How to get there?
Boat Rock Bouldering Area is located just west of downtown Atlanta. Access is free, parking included, which is rare for ATL. The parking lot will fit about 20 cars, please respect any posted signs.
Note: You will now need to get a gate code on the SCC website to access the parking area. This is purely a security issue. Boat Rock is now safer with this gate in place. Please visit this site to get the code.
The Atlanta airport is the busiest airport in the United States. That is good for us climbers, it means cheap airfare! If you are looking for a destination climbing trip Atlanta is a good starting point. It is only about 2 hours to HP40, Stone Fort, and Rocktown, and about 6 hours to the Red River Gorge and countless other crags. Starting with Boat Rock could make one epic vacation!
The location can be found on the map below. Google Maps or the like will get you there no problem.
The Season
Generally, Boat Rock is considered to be a winter bouldering location, but climber can be found there all year round. The best time to go is late fall and early winter and the worst time is in the height of summer. The warmer temperatures make climbing more difficult and also brings out lots of unpleasant creatures (bugs, ticks, snakes).
Granite will dry out fast after the rain, but it can start to seep through the cracks if the rain was heavy. There are plenty of slabs climbs at Boat Rock so you won't have to wait too long for them to dry out.
Weather
Ideal temperatures are days with highs around 50 F. Humidity is best around 30-40%. Make sure you check the weather before your trip!
If its the middle of the summer and it has rained in the past week it is almost unbearable.
Where to Stay?
Unfortunately, there is no camping at Boat Rock. If you really want to make the trip cheap you will have to do some Stealth Car Camping. Most of the campgrounds near Boat Rock have less than desirable reviews so we can't suggest something now. If anything changes we will update this post.
The good thing is that hotels are easy to come by in Atlanta. Being one of the largest cities in The South has its advantages. If you are the type that can wait until the last minute to book try out with App Hotel Tonight, they have some real steals on the same day of bookings.
Float the Boat
Every year the SCC hosts a competition at Boat Rock called Float the Boat. The competition is typically held in February while the conditions are still crisp. Make sure if you are an Atlanta local you compete in the next event. If you are from out of town it will be worth the trip. All proceeds go to acquiring and preserving climbing locations all over the Southeast.
What to climb?
Granite slabs and powerful, friction dependent aretes are what Boat Rock Bouldering is all about. Finding all these climbs is another story. The problem is there is no proper guidebook for the area. Below you will see the best stuff on mountain project. Leave a comment below if you would like us to put a more comprehensive guide together.
If you see something you liked or didn't like, leave us a comment below. We love your feedback and want to make this mini-guide the best it can be.
Make sure to check out our other guides for climbing in the area: Crag Guides.
Thanks and Keep Crushing!
Owner and Operator of Every Last Rock. He is dedicated to spreading the Stoke about all things climbing. Often found Bouldering around the US and obsessively training.
