Climbing locations in order of their proximity to Chicago

Harbor Wall

Location: Hyde Park, Chicago
Walk: 30 minutes
Description: Good, hard, free bouldering on the lakefront--right in Hyde Park.

Mississippi Palisades State Park

Location: Savanna, Illinois
Drive: 2.5 hours
Description: A nice alternative to the crowds at Devils Lake. Not as many routes but the drive is shorter, and the climbs overlook the Mississippi River!

Devil's Lake State Park

Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Drive: 3-3.5 hours
Description: The standard place to climb in Chicagoland. Great area, and hundreds of routes in a nice setting.

Jackson Falls State Park

Location: Southern Illinois
Drive: 5 hours
Description: Hard sport & trad climbing. Not quite as good as the Red, but a shorter trip.

Draper's Bluff

Location: Southern Illinois
Drive: 5 hours
Description: Some easy sport and lots of mixed and trad routes. Within half an hour drive from Jackson Falls.

Red River Gorge

Location: Slade, Kentucky
Drive: 7 hours
Description: The best climbing in the Midwest, hands down. World-class sport climbing, classic trad climbing, over 1,000 routes.
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