JOHN BRYAN
STATE PARK
Six designated climbing sites and one rappelling site (black) are maintained in the park. 25-35 foot limestone cliffs along the Little Miami River gorge. Only toproping allowed (no bouldering or lead climbing) at designated sites along the North Rim Trail. Huge painted eyebolts at the top of all routes denote the different sites, and signs have been installed for each area. From west (parking lot #1) to east (parking lot #3) the sites are Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Black, Orange, and Yellow. Routes range from 5.3-5.12. Each site is limited to 10 people at a time. Southern aspect. Routes get a lot of sun in the winter (due to lack of leaves) and are mostly shaded other times of the year.
NOTE ABOUT GEAR:
All of the routes at John Bryan State Park include large eye bolts that are placed about 3-10 feet from the cliff edge. In order to set it up on top rope, it is highly suggested that you use webbing or a static line and locking carabiners to create your anchors. DO NOT USE TREES OR VEGETATION FOR ANCHORS! Also, DO NOT directly feed rope through eye bolts (this is not only bad for the rope, but also creates unnecessary wear on the bolts). If you are unsure about how to safely setup your top rope, check out online resources like the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) or find private instruction at a local climbing gym.
ROUTES
There currently is no guidebook for this area, but you can view routes on Mountain Project. You can also download a map of the area here.
crag steward
The OCC Crag Steward at John Bryan State Park is Joe Hancock. Joe's email address is jmhancock511@gmail.com. Please feel free to contact Joe with any questions, comments or concerns about the area.
GETTING THERE
Located near Yellow Springs and Clifton off I-70. Near Springfield go south on 72 and follow signs to John Bryan State Park. Once in the park, use the trailhead in the Wingo Picnic area to access the climbs along the North Rim Trail.
parking
After entering the park and passing the rangers office/ camping area on the right, you'll take the road down and then turn left before going down the hill. After turning, you'll see three main parking options that lead to the north rim trail (where all the top roping areas are located).
Parking Lot #1 (the first parking area you'll see on the right that has a playground next to it) is the closest to the Red climbing area.
Parking Lot #2 (Wingo Picnic Area Parking Lot): This is the most central parking lot and the most convenient for accessing most of the climbing areas. From this parking lot, if you turn left on the main trail, you will see the green area first, and if you turn right, you will access the blue area first.
Parking Lot #3 (the third parking lot option): This parking lot is the furthest east and is closest to the yellow area.
CAMPING
You can camp right at the state park, but you will want to make a reservation beforehand. The campground gets pretty crowded during the warmer months. You can find more information about the campground here. John Bryan State Park has 52 non-electric, 9 electric, and 2 group pay campsites at the park. These sites are located about a mile from parking lot #1. Camping can be reserved online here: https://reserveohio.com/OhioCampWeb/#!park/357 Camping is open year round.
