Located in some of the wildest terrain west of the Appalachian Mountains, the Red River Gorge has more than 3,000 climbing routes and is known as one of the best climbing spots in the USA. Known primarily for its single-pitch sport routes, you’ll also encounter plenty of trad options and sandstone for every grade. Climbing is spread out across a few massive, biodiverse areas including the Daniel Boone National Forest, Muir Valley, Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, and Miller Fork Recreational Preserve. Due to Red River Gorge’s diverse offerings, guides are helpful to find the ideal routes for your skill level. If you want to learn more, find out why the Red River Gorge is also known as the sport climbing mecca of the East from Aaron Gerry — avid climber, adventurer and traveler.

  • Climb some of the best single-pitch routes in the country

  • Over 3,000 routes across nearly 100 cliffs with grades from 5.4 to 5.14

  • Perfect, sweeping well-bolted sport climbs on friendly stone

Choose itinerary

Half-Day of Climbing With a Private Guide
Mar 17 onwards
A Customized Day of Climbing With a Private Guide
Mar 20 onwards
Intro to Trad Climbing Course
Available upon request
Gym to Crag Transition Class
Available upon request

Meet your guides

Matthew Kiroff
5.00
Matthew Kiroff
Founder of Red River Climbing Guides and a Red River Gorge local, Matt has been exploring and helping others explore the hills and hollers of the Daniel Boone National Forest for over 20 years. He has been professionally practicing as a climbing instru...
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Travis Sapp
5.00
Travis Sapp
After discovering climbing in his teens, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and Rock Guide Apprentice Travis Sapp has hit the rocks in Japan, Patagonia, and countless other exotic locations before making Red River Gorge his home. He's an easy-going and knowl...
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Erik Kloeker
5.00
Erik Kloeker
AMGA certified guide and owner of Bluegrass Climbing School Erik Kloeker has been professionally guiding in the United States and abroad for the last 8 years. He knows every single face, cliff, and crack in Red River Gorge, and puts great emphasis on t...
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Red River Climbing Guides
5.00
Red River Climbing Guides
Red River Climbing Guides
Red River Climbing Guides offers guided rock climbing and rappelling in Kentucky’s world-famous Red River Gorge! They are a locally owned and operated guiding service for all ages and skill levels. With over 17 years of rock climbing and guiding experi...
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Bluegrass Climbing School
5.00
Bluegrass Climbing School
Bluegrass Climbing School
Employing only highly-trained AMGA certified instructors, Bluegrass Climbing School takes pride in offering the highest quality instruction and experiences available in Red River Gorge. With over 20 years of guiding experience in the area, they'll make...
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5.00 (7 reviews)
Karl Hauser about Matt Kiroff Red River Climbing Guides on 57hours

The Climbing Guide was actually Ian Oddo (I suppose he works for Matt Kiroff), but we had a great time with him. He\’s a great guide and is very knowledgeable of climbing and is also very personable.

Katie Villanueva about Matt Kiroff Red River Climbing Guides on 57hours

A lot of fun. Super knowledge. A great time. Will do it again with them!

Jennifer Egan about Matt Kiroff Red River Climbing Guides on 57hours

Matt was incredibly patient and a great guide—loved our experience!

Overall fun and exciting
CkrisMatibiri about Red River Climbing Guides on TripAdvisor

We had limited time but our instructor was great.
She took the time to teach and show us all at different levels of experience what to do.
I had a 7 year old with me and trust me, she was happy with the experience.
Very satisfied

Great Family Fun
T S about Red River Outdoors on TripAdvisor

Our family vacation this year was a 6 day adventure trip around Kentucky. One of our choices for an adventure was outdoor rock climbing at the “Red”. My husband, daughter (11 y/o) and myself have rock climbed indoors for a few years but wanted to experience real rock. We only had a half a day to climb and now wish that we set aside more time because it was simply an amazing experience. We hired a guide through RRO and he took us to a great spot. We had to hike uphill for about 10 minutes but this was a great warm up for the climbing. He did a great job balancing the different climbing levels and was great in getting our daughter to finish an entire route even though she was getting scared. Booking the trip with RRO was easy, the location was easy to find, and we even walked away with a zucchini and a squash from the owner himself. Great guide, great company.

A great way to improve your climbing quickly
dayertrip about Red River Outdoors on TripAdvisor

This was our 5th guided day or 1/2 day with RRO- their guides are safe, experienced, and will customize your session to your specific needs whether it be beginning rock climbing or high end lead instruction on steep rock. This paticular trip, we need a guide to help put up 5.11’s and advise on lead. With the gudes help, we were able to send some classics and use that experience to put up a few more on our own later in the week.
Guided climbs also allow for an analysis of your skills and access to pointers on strategies for improvement. This trip was no exception and we were very pleased with what we learned.
One additional benefit to RRO guides is access to private areas or less known crags to avoid the crowds.

Great climbing experience
629douglasg about Red River Climbing Guides on TripAdvisor

Our half-day climb in the Muir Valley worked out seamlessly. We were provided with all the gear and instructions we needed. Leor was a patient and helpful guide for our family. Thank you for a great day of challenges and laughs!

Things to know

  • 57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

    We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Red River Gorge, please refer to the Kentucky Public Health website.

    Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

  • What you get on this adventure:

    • An experienced, local rock climbing guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • Four to eight hours of rock climbing per day, depending on the chosen itinerary
    • All technical climbing gear

    Not included:

    • Transportation
    • Meals and snacks
    • Personal equipment
  • If you can climb a ladder, you’re good to go. Being in good shape is always a plus, but far from necessary. Rock climbing is all about using good movement technique rather than muscling up a cliff using brute strength. So don’t let your perceived lack of strength keep you away from rock climbing — you’ve got what it takes.

  • No prior experience is necessary. Whether you’ve never donned a harness or you’re a seasoned climber, a guide will help you meet your individual objectives. Above all, your instructor’s number one priority is your safety. As long as you listen to the given instructions, you’ll succeed in completing your climb.

    Red River Gorge has plenty of options for beginner climbers. Whether you’ve never climbed before or are transitioning from the gym to outdoor climbing, your guide will customize the day to suit your skill level and objectives. With a guide by your side, you’ll learn something new, stay safe on the rocks, and most importantly, have fun!

    For intermediate to advanced climbers, the Red River Gorge has loads of routes to spend the day on. Your guide will discuss your objectives and customize the day to your goals. Let your guide plan the day so you can focus on developing your skills while climbing the classic routes or best hidden gems the area has to offer.

  • All technical climbing equipment will be provided by your guiding service. However, if you have your own gear, feel free to bring it. You’ll need:

      • Helmet
      • Harness with a locking carabiner, belay device, and chalk bag
      • Rock shoes* (included in the price, but we recommend bringing your own if you have them)
      • Ropes
      • Climbing hardware (quickdraws, cam devices, stoppers, etc.)

    Here’s a list of the equipment we suggest you bring:

      • Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40L bag)
      • Water bottle
      • Food you can eat on-the-go
      • Toiletries (sunscreen, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
      • Sunglasses
      • Camera — optional

    Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

     

  • Group sizes and prices:

      • Group sizes are usually between 1–4 people with one guide, but you can also go with a larger group of up to 6 people per guide.
      • Costs per person decrease as the group grows for private tours, so it’s the perfect opportunity to climb with friends and family.
      • Climbing days can be arranged for bigger groups. Contact us prior to booking.

    Min. age requirements:

      • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
      • Climbers as young as 4 may be permitted to climb on a case-by-case basis. A parent or a guardian will need to provide a signed waiver and accompany the minor on the tour. Children should weigh at least 50 lbs (23 kg) to take part in climbing.

    If your group has climbers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

  • Slade, the closest town to Red River Gorge, is about an hour’s drive from Lexington, KY, two hours from Louisville, and two hours from Cincinnati, OH.

    There is no direct connection via public transportation to Red River Gorge. You can, however, take the bus to Lexington, then drive to Red River Gorge. You’ll need to make your way to the Slade Rest Area. This is the best place to collect yourself, meet up with any friends that might be driving separate, and prepare yourself for your adventures.

    The meeting point is usually at the Muir Valley parking pavilion. Climbing in the Red River Gorge is spread over a large geographic area, and the exact climbing spot will be discussed after the booking. Guides make location decisions after considering the skill level of the group and factors such as crag traffic and weather.

Have more questions? Read our FAQ,
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