 Georgia
- Rocktown
 Location
Rocktown is located on top of Pigeon Mountain in the extreme corner
of Northwest Georgia, about 1/2 way between Atlanta, GA, and Chattanooga,
TN. It is nearest to the town of Lafayette, Georgia. Pigeon Mountain
is actually a spur jutting northeast off 80 mile long Lookout Mountain.
Rocktown lies between two popular Lookout Mountain climbing sites,
Sunset Rock in Tennessee,
and Sandrock, in Alabama,
you pass by Lost Wall on your way to
the top of the mountain.
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 Description
Here, on the southernmost vestiges of the Cumberland Plateau,
an area of large boulders has been exposed on the top of the broad
ridge. Rocktown is the area of house sized boulders which shares
the characteristics of Sandrock,
Alabama. It is comprised of several acres of large sandstone
boulders, averaging 30 - 40 feet high. The rock is unusually juggy,
with tons of hand and foot holds, and some very unique formations.
It is here that some of the best bouldering can be found. The very
featured rock, long low roofs, and shear variety provide scores
of challenges. Unlike Sandrock, this area remains in essentially
pristine condition, unpolluted by the trash and graffiti of it's
Alabama cousin. This is most likely due to the easy 1 mile hike
in from the trailhead that discourages riffraff.
Show large view of
pillar
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 Directions
(from points to the south) Take I-75 until north of
Atlanta.
About 1/2 way between Atlanta and Chattanooga watch
for I-75 exit for Resacca, Lafayette, (HWY 136) - Turn L onto HWY
136 & cross over I-75.
Go 6.5 miles to T intersection turn Right to stay
on HWY 136.
Go 14.3 miles (through Villanow & over mountain) to
T intersection & turn Left to stay on HWY 136.
Go 1.3 miles and turn Right to stay on HWY 136. (be
careful this intersection will sneak up on you).
Go 3.9 miles to HWY 27/136 (traffic light) - continue
straight ahead to HWY 27 in the town of Lafayette, Georgia.
Turn Left onto HWY 27/193 and go a short distance.
HWY 193 north will turn Right.
Go 2.7 miles on HWY 193 to Chamberlain Road and turn
Left onto Chamberlain (Fina station on Right)
Go 3.3 miles on Chamberlain Rd to Crockford-Pigeon
Wildlife Area sign on Right - turn Right onto gravel road. Take
this road approximately. 1.8 miles (as the road steepens it gets
rougher, and goes up the Mt. via a series of switchbacks) Lost Wall
Parking is just past the fourth switchback on the left. Continue
past the Lost Wall pullout up the mountain. The road improves again
once it levels off near the top of the mountain.
When the road splits, take the Right fork (Rocky
Road ) 1.3 miles further.
Turn Left onto Rocktown Road (sign) dirt road 1/3
mile to parking area. Trailhead is @ the right corner of the parking
lot, next to the information kiosk. There is a flat trail leading
1 mile to the climbing area.
If coming from the north (i.e. Trenton, GA or Chattanooga,
TN), You can come across lookout mountain on 136. When you intersect
193, take it to the right. You will come to the Fina station at
the right turn onto Chamberlain Rd after 10 minutes or so. This
eliminates driving into and out of Lafayette, GA.
![[ Yahoo! Maps ]](http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/mp/gr/mplogo.gif)
Yahoo map of Chamberlain Road
 Topo
map (TopoZone.com link)
Show large view
of rock formation
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Cliff Access
From the parking area, locate the Kiosk at the trailhead. It's
an easy 1 mile hike into the climbs. When you start seeing the formations,
you have arrived. Wander through the mazes of chasms and caverns,
selecting climbs at your whim. You can scramble to the top of most
any formation to rig top ropes if you so desire.
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Guidebooks
As far as I know, there has been no guidebook published that catalogs
the many routes at Rocktown.
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Routes
Innumerable boulder problems and short climbs are found throughout
the area.
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 Land
Manager:
Georgia Department
of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
2592 Floyd Springs Road,
Armuchee, GA 30105; (706)295-6041.
Crockford-Pigeon
Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Armuchee
Ranger District
806 E. Villanow St.
PO Box 465
Lafayette, GA, 30728
Phone: 706-638-1085
Armuchee & Cohutta Ranger Districts Ranger:
Debbie Whitman
Telephone: 706-695-6737
3941 Hwy. 76
Chatsworth, GA 30705
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
- Headquarters
2070 U.S. 278,
S.E., Social Circle, GA 30279;
(404)918-6416 or (706)557-3035.
General Information: (770) 918-6400
Chattahoochee and Oconee National
Forests
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 Emergency
Information:
911, you are in Walker County
Walker County Emergency
Service: 706-375-7810
Rangers here are trained in vertical rescue and cave techniques.
Georgia Department
of Natural Resources: 706-295-6041
Nearest medical treatment: Lafayette
How to get to Lafayette: From the Trailhead, drive back to Rocky
Lane, turn Right. Follow Rocky Lane across the top of the mountain
until it intersects Rocktown Road. Turn Left to head down the mountain
to exit the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain area. Follow to Chamberlain
Road. Turn left onto Chamberlain, follow it to Main Road - Turn
Right to go to Lafayette. Follow signs (H) to hospital.
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 Gear:
Standard top-rope gear, 50 m rope is plenty long, routes are short.
No nuts, cams, chocks needed to rig top-ropes at Rocktown. With
long slings or a piece of static line, you can rig almost any top-rope.
Leave the lead gear home unless you're looking to lead routes at
the Lost Wall. There are no bolts here,
routes are too short to bother, though you may come across some
fixed anchors at the tops of popular top roped climbs. If you're
bouldering, a good crash pad is advised. There are some excellent
overhung routes.
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Facilities:
None. Camping is allowed in woods surrounding parking area. My
cell phone does not get service here. Nearest town / food / supplies
is Lafayette
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Seasons:
Year round climbing, though summers are very hot.
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 Access
Notes
There is a guide map to the bouldering problems at Rocktown. Go
to Drtopo.com and print off a guidebook.
Show larger view of
Jackie climbing
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Miscellaneous
Pigeon Mountain is located in the Crockford-Pigeon Wildlife Management
area. There is no camping in Rocktown, but you may camp at the trailhead.
Fires are not permitted within the climbing area. There are numerous
other primitive campsites located on the mountain, you'll see some
as you drive in. This area see a surprising amount of visitation
on the weekends by climbers as well as tourists.
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Links
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Rocktown Trip Reports
6/3/00 - Mom
visits Rocktown - Submitted by Wayne Busch - Wayne guides a
women's group which includes his mother.
4/19/00 - Gainesville
Rock Gyms First Weekend Trip - submitted by Wayne Busch - Wayne
guides gym trip to Rocktown.
11/7/99 -
Pigeon Mountain, Georgia November 6-7 - Submitted by Wayne Busch
- Wayne leads a group trip to Rocktown and Lost Wall
9/12/99 - Pigeon
Mountain Georgia: Rocktown and Lost Wall - Submitted by Wayne
Busch - Wayne leads a group trip to Rocktown and Lost Wall
8/15/99 - Sunset
Rock, Tennessee and Rocktown, Georgia - Submitted by Wayne Busch
- Wayne leads a group trip to both locations
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