Asheboro Boulders

Land Manager: NCDNCR; and managed by the NC Zoo in partnership with CCC

 

CCC Area Rep: Michael Atlas matlas@carolinaclimbers.org 

 

Access, Reservations, and Directions

You must reserve your day by filling out this access permit.

 

Since the early 2000’s, CCC and the Access Fund have negotiated temporary climbing access to the wonderful Asheboro Boulders at Ridges Mountain. This access was temporary, via an annual lease agreement with the land owners, and long term access was always in question. The CCC’s relationships with land owners, and climbers being good stewards of the land, helped maintain this climbing access over four property-owner transitions. Potential sale of the property to less friendly owners or climbing closures were always looming. 

 

As of December 2023, the Asheboro Boulders are now owned and permanently conserved by the State of North Carolina under management by the NC Zoo. Former landowners, the Conservation Fund, the Carolina Climbers Coalition, Access Fund, NCDNCR, and NC Zoo have all partnered together to ensure that climbing access to the Asheboro Boulders at Ridges Mountain is preserved through this transition, and protected into the future. Our collective agreements have secured long-term climbing access to the Asheboro Boulders! 

 

With this long term access comes some minor changes in how to access the area.  As of Jan 2024, to access the Asheboro Boulders at Ridges Mountain for bouldering, you must make a daily reservation via the link above. Directions and a gate code will be sent to you once your reservation is complete. We are fortunate to have the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resource protect this property in perpetuity and we are fortunate to have NC Zoo as our climbing access partners at Asheboro. As always, climbing is at your own risk. Climb safe and enjoy those pristine Asheboro Boulders! 

 

 

Access questions call: 

 

Bob Langston 336-879-7711

Jessica Santeramo 336-879-7717

 

What to expect

Fantastic granite boulders located just outside of Asheboro. If you love the fact that you are able to climb at Asheboro Boulders, please become a CCC member. You must make a reservation to climb at Asheboro. Expect great bouldering on slabs, cracks and features. There's not a lot of steep rock at Asheboro and success is achieved through balance and good foot work. Top outs can sometimes be the hardest part of a problem, be sure to pad adequately and have good spotters for the taller problems. There are no top rope anchors at Asheboro and installing fixed hardware is not permitted. 

The Asheboro boulders are a prime winter bouldering area: the grippy texture of the rock requires cold temperatures for the best friction. First-time visitors are often confused by the number of boulders and the sometimes cryptic nature of the lines, but once you have visited a couple of times you will get your bearings and develop an eye for spotting the problems. Get your smearing shoes on!

 

Access notes

  • All parties must have a reservation in order to enter the property. See notes on reservation info above. Please CLOSE THE GATE AND LOCK IT each time you leave.

  • Do not remove rock from its natural position except where failure to remove the rock poses a risk to public safety and such removal has been approved by the Zoo Director or their designee.

  • Do not intentionally remove vegetation to clean a climbing route. 

  • No pets are allowed

  • Do not cut switchbacks on the trail

  • Pack it in, pack it out. Please help us keep the boulderfield clean and carry out any additional trash you may find. Clean up chalk on boulders or ground

     

Camping

Camping is not permitted at the boulders or in the parking area, this is a day-use area only.

 

Guidebook

An Asheboro guidebook does not exist. Happy adventuring!