The biggest and best place to rope up in western Kentucky; this bluff offers a little of everything. Steep, overhanging, thin sport routes, pocketed multi-pitch face climbs, body jam off-widths, and finger-crushing handcracks that eat up gear. Get it all here. New routes were put up in the 80's, but the climbers also found old rusty nails and bolts, wooden and plastic chocks and other wild pro from decades before. This is federal land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers (Nolin Dam). Currently, there are no problems to access for climbing. Let's keep it that way.
PLEASE NOTE: 6/9/08 - The top of the cliff including the walk in on the cliffside (opposite the Park) is PRIVATELY OWNED and is posted as such. Climbers CANNOT park in the upper park, cross the road and walk in on the cliff-side of the rock.
Park in the upper lot and hike around the spillway to the other side of the river. Find the trail that begins across from the creek tributary and head on back. Go left along the cliff to discover virgin rock, or keep right to get to the classics.
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Park in the upper lot and hike around the spillway to the other side of the river. Find the trail that begins across from the creek tributary and head on back. Go left along the cliff to discover virgin rock, or keep right to get to the classics.
Classics: Classic Crack (5.9) FA: Unknown, Nitty Gritty Dam Jam (5.10b) FFA: Dickey & Burch, Finger Jam Crack (5.10b) FA: Unknown, Kentucky Arts & Crafts (5.11b) FA: Dickey
Directions: From Brownsville, head north on 259 for about five miles. Look for the signs to Nolin Dam and turn right onto Hwy 728. Go about two miles and turn right into parking lot. Park at upper lot for Dismal. lower lot for downstream rock. Cross river below spillway and make your way to the base of the cliffs.
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Turkey Foot Cliffs 
From the lower parking lot, look for the trail down by the boat ramp and head downriver for about 500 yards. The cliffs will be up and on the left. After the bend in the river, look for a trail on the right heading straight up to the cliffs. Both Dismal and Turkey Foot offer great uptapped potential for routes at all grades and types. Turkey Foot (so named for the petroglyphs found in a rockhouse halfway up the wall) currently has seven routes, trad and sport, from 5.8 to 5.11c. Use the 5.0 approach ramp to access a ledge and three great routes.
This crag is completely on private land, not Corps property, so act accordingly. Leave it cleaner than when you arrived. As for the petroglyphs, check them out, but remember it is a federal crime to disturb any artifacts or cause damage to an archeological site.
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If you stay on the trail and pass the cliffs, you will find a natural arch, blackened by many a campfire (DON'T ADD TO IT). Head over the small rise to the base of the cliffs there and explore the cave. Don't exceed your abilities though. Stay Found.
Classics: Exodus (5.11c) FA: Dickey, Schneider, Young, Hidden Crack (5.10c) FA: Dickey, Schneider, Young, Hand Crack (5.9) FA: Dickey, Schneider, Young
Directions: From Brownsville, head north on 259 for about five miles. Look for the signs to Nolin Dam and turn right onto Hwy 728. Go about two miles and turn right into parking lot. Park at lower lot for Turkey Foot. Cross river below spillway and make your way to the base of the cliffs.
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