Westside Climbing

This digital Westside climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Westside days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

A recent surge of 43 new routes spanning over three years has transformed The Westside from a predominant trad area with a few sport walls to the most varied sector at HCR. It’s home to Arkansas’ best moderate cracks, techy slabs, overhanging pumpfests, power-endurance tests, and now, finally, some of the best moderate sport routes at the ranch.

All of the classic trad lines are located in the first 60 routes, so if you’re looking for good cam slamming, head to the southern end of the area. The sport walls are interspersed throughout the cliffline, but bolt-clippers should seek... Show more

This digital Westside climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Westside days smoother, safer, and more dialed. A recent surge of 43 new routes spanning over three years has transformed The Westside from a predominant trad area with a few sport walls to the most varied sector at HCR. It’s home to Arkansas’ best moderate cracks, techy slabs, overhanging pumpfests, power-endurance tests, and now, finally, some of the best moderate sport routes at the ranch. All of the classic trad lines are located in the first 60 routes, so if you’re looking for good cam slamming, head to the southern end of the area. The sport walls are interspersed throughout the cliffline, but bolt-clippers should seek out short bouldery lines at Ren and Stimpy, the varied pump-fests at the Prophecy Wall, the 5.12 slabs on the W.M.A. wall, and the long and unique moderates of the Arcade. In comparison to the North Forty, the Arcade routes are a little taller and present more interesting features. Thankfully, they also don’t see much sun and allow for great warm weather cragging. Conditions: The southern end of the Westside gets great morning sun and afternoon shade. Despite good afternoon shade, most people avoid climbing here in the summer, as it seems to be the most humid sector at the ranch. The northern walls, The Arcade, Ren and Stimpy, and Prophecy, however, only briefly see the sun, and are relatively pleasant in the summer. The only true rain protection on the westside is at the Prophecy Wall. In general, the rest of the westside is less than vertical and is usually the last area at HCR to dry out after a drenching. Drive Depending on which part of the Westside you’re seeking, it can be quickest to park at the Trading Co. Parking at the campground, however, makes for a much flatter hike and is the fastest way to reach the northern edge of the Westside, including the Prophecy Wall and Ren and Stimpy. Hike From the Trading Co. (5–10 min): For the southern end of Westside: Follow the Cabin Connector Trail until it links into the Johnson Family Express trail. Go left and then almost immediately right on a currently (2024) unmarked, but well used climber trail. This trail angles southwest uphill and merges with the East Bench road in about 100ft. Go left and then follow this trail up to the cliffline, crossing the Honey Badger MTB trail multiple times. There is currently a sign for the “North Idahos and South Idahos” at the base of the cliff. Up Your Buttress and Pillar of Despair are directly above the sign, while the Walls of Moria are located just to the right. The routes are listed from left to right. The majority of the Westside is easily accessed from the Honey Badger trail. There are a number of ways to reach this trail. Use the map or the kiosk at the Trading Co. to navigate. From the campground (Approach 3, 5–10 min): Take the well-beaten trail that begins just south of the pavilion and heads uphill through the power line clearing. After 250 feet, you gain the West Bench Road (currently unmarked); go left. After roughly one minute, merge with the Honey Badger trail. Just after this intersection, the West Bench Road crosses a seasonal creekbed (the Honey Badger breaks left here) and opens up into a field (Prophecy Wall visible from here). At the opposite (southern) edge of the field, continue straight into the woods—don’t veer downhill to stay on the West Bench.