A Guide to the Best Chicago Rock Climbing Gyms
Boulderers cheer each other on at the First Ascent Arlington Heights gym. Photo: First Ascent
Chicago rock climbing opportunities have roughly tripled in the last ten years, with upwards of ten new modern climbing gyms opening in or nearby the city since 2014. If you haven't explored the Chicago climbing gym scene already, use this guide to figure out where to introduce yourself to climbing or stay in shape when you can't make it to your favorite natural outdoor climbing area.
Chicago Climbing Gym Prices, Hours & Perks
| Brooklyn Boulders | FA Avondale | FA Uptown | FA Humboldt Park | FA Block 37 | Movement Lincoln Park | Movement Wrigleyville | Maggie Daley Park | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link | Map Link |
| Rope Climbing | 50' tall | 60' tall | None | None | None | 55' tall | None | 40' tall |
| Day Pass | $29 | $25 | $25 | $25 | $25 | $28 | $28 | $15 |
| Weekday Hours | 7am-10pm | 6am-11pm | 6am-11pm | 6am-11pm | 6am-11pm | 6am-11pm | 6am-11pm | 11am-5pm Sun-Thur |
| Weekend Hours | 9am-8pm | 9am-8pm | 9am-8pm | 9am-8pm | 9am-8pm | 8/8 Sat, 8/6 Sun | 8/8 Sat, 8/6 Sun | 11am-6pm Fri-Sat |
| Monthly/Annual Rates | $139 / no init. | $94/ $49 init. | $94/ $49 init. | $94/ $49 init. | $94/ $49 init. | $98 / $49 init. | $98 / $49 init. | None |
| Financial Assistance | None | $39 or $59/mo | $39 or $59/mo | $39 or $59/mo | $39 or $59/mo | None | None | None |
| Public Transport | Bus, Train, Bike | Bus, train, Bike storage | Bus, Train, Bike Storage | Bus | Bus, Train | Bus, bike storage | Bus, Train | |
| Parking | Paid Parking | Free Parking Lot | Paid & Free street parking | Paid & Free street parking | Paid Parking | Paid Street Parking | Paid Steet Parking | Paid Parking |
CLIMBING GYMS IN CHICAGO
Tall, smooth wooden walls at Brooklyn Boulders create a distinct and unique vibe in Chicago’s West Loop. Photo: Brooklyn Boulders
Brooklyn Boulders (BKB) West Loop
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
BKB established the first large, modern gym within Chicago city limits in late 2014. Custom-built by New York-based Brooklyn Boulders, the gym features traditional molded holds with frictionless varnished plywood walls, an interesting climbing surface I haven't seen before. Some climbers may not like the smooth walls, but they look really sharp and definitely cut down on chalk dust accumulation. This is a really polished and fully-featured gym, offering key amenities like dedicated auto-belay balcony with easier top roping, as well as a separate "mini gym" where birthday parties and belay testing can happen away from mainstream climbing activities. BKB also has a free-weight gym, climbing training room, private event room and an open study lounge.
Does anyone have more fun climbing than kids? First Ascent Avondale gym welcomes youth climbers and families. Photo: First Ascent
First Ascent Avondale
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
Opened in 2015, First Ascent gyms are modern and enticing. FA Avondale boasts 26,000 square feet of climbing terrain, with over 60 top ropes, lead only routes, with most routes reaching 60' tall. A second tier balcony hosts 5,000 square feet of stand-alone bouldering, as well as a free-weight gym and climbing-specific training room.
FA’s mission to focus on its community and make climbing accessible to all is evident from the moment walking through the doors. With a wide array of climbing group meetups, classes for all abilities, and skills development classes offered weekly there is very little not offered at this gym. Many members are proud to say they have been climbing there since day one helping maintain the culture of the gym. Many Chicago climbers also have been able to say FA Avondale was their introduction into the world of climbing!
With more locations than any other gym, FA offers enough options in Chicago to never climb the same route twice. FA provides advanced adult classes too, helping those striving to take their skills outside. A rarity in the city, FA Avondale is one of few gyms with its own parking lot.
Hangin’ around at First Ascent’s Uptown climbing gym. Photo: First Ascent
First Ascent Uptown
Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
FA’s second Chicago location, Uptown offers 9,000 square feet of bouldering-only terrain, plus dedicated yoga and fitness facilities.
FA Uptown arguably has one of the most dedicated regular crews. This could be due to FA Uptown being more isolated from most other gyms, or because of the welcoming vibes the community has created there. Who's to say? The walls at Uptown are a little shorter than other Chicago bouldering gyms, but the sets still provide solid challenges for all skill levels. Also equipped with a Moon Board, you will find people training and projecting together at all levels. Uptown also provides numerous option to continue your evening, from numerous restaurants to shows at The Riviera, The Aragon, or the historic Green Mill jazz bar.
Located two blocks from the Wilson Red Line stop, First Ascent Uptown is convenient for anyone on the Northeast side of Chicago. Paid street parking is also conveniently available.
Huge transparent garage doors let the light in at First Ascent’s Humboldt Park climbing gym. Photo: First Ascent
First Ascent HUmbolt Park
Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
First Ascent Humboldt Park is a bouldering-only gym, featuring 11,000 square feet of climbing terrain, plus two yoga studios, training walls (Moonboard, campus boards, spray wall), a fitness area, and shared workspace.
FA Humboldt Park is the largest bouldering gym in the First Ascent properties, which is why it’s the main training gym for FA’s youth climbing teams. There will often be comp-style boulders for the youth teams to train on, and for anyone to try. Humboldt Park hosts one or two youth competitions a year and will have those routes open to the public for a couple weeks after the event. With a strong diversity of terrain, climbers have opportunity to try out many different kinds of boulder styles here.
In the summer, enjoy a nice bike ride through Humboldt Park itself, enjoying the beautiful lakes and small streams that are a great escape from the busyness of the city.
A busy evening at First Ascent’s Block 37 climbing gym in downtown Chicago. Photo: First Ascent
First Ascent Block 37
Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
This First Ascent location inside the Loop, Block 37 is a prime spot for the nine-to-five downtown crowd. If you are keen to avoid crowds, you will find the daytime hours here will give you all the climbing you could want with very little company.
Like FA’s other locations, you’ll have access to 10,000+ square feet of climbing on 15ft walls, plus two yoga studios and fitness facilities. One of the busier FA locations, this gym accommodated their higher traffic by expanding their facility in 2021 to provide larger locker rooms and 5,000 square feet more of climbing.
Located directly above the L this is the perfect location to get your pre- or post- work session in. Due to proximity to the downtown hotels and tourist destinations, you will also find a lot of Chicago visitors climb at climb at Block 37, which makes for higher climber volume during evenings and winter months.
Outdoor gym climbing - a contradiction in terms? - at Maggie Daley Park in downtown Chicago. Photo: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA)
Maggie Daley Park
Outdoor Rock Climbing and Bouldering | $15/day* | Map
Opened in summer 2015, MDP introduced a fantastic outdoor climbing option for Chicagoans. Featuring two enormous, 40-foot-tall outcroppings of climbing enclosed by the weaving, all-seasons "skating ribbon," the MDP climbing park helps climbers get outside even while stuck in the city and also brings climbing to a general public audience in a way most gyms cannot. Located within eyesight of the infamous Cloud Gate (The Bean), you will find yourself in a very surreal environment climbing walls beneath some of the tallest buildings in the heart of Chicago.
Maggie Daley Climbing Park offers bouldering, top roping, and lead climbing. Capacity is listed at "25 to 100 climbers" at one time, depending on route density. When busy, day pass holders are limited to time constraints to allow more people to climb. Climbing season dates are not currently listed anywhere for the 2025 season.
* Though day passes are only $15, climbers new to the park must either take a 45-minute belay class ($29) or pass a "climbing test" ($15) to earn the right to climb. This certification lasts an entire season, but must be renewed the following year.
Tall, clean, colorful walls at Movement’s Lincoln Park location, just north of downtown Chicago. Photo: Movement Climbing Gym
Movement Lincoln Park
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
Movement Climbing & Fitness opened their much anticipated Chicago locations in 2021, but they’ve been operating gyms throughout the country, on both coasts, for years. This makes Movement the biggest gym chain to make its mark on Chicago so far.
Movement seems keen on catering to adult climbers, which makes it a great option for those seeking a less hectic place to climb. Movement has a sauna, the only climbing gym in Chicago to provide this extra luxury!
With a second story of roped climbing, one may find the shorter 45’ walls a little more approachable for beginning climbers, kids, or on high gravity days. Unlike most Chicago Rope gyms, Movement Lincoln Park has zero auto belays though, making it difficult for those looking for a solo top-rope session.
If you do have a climbing partner or are able to make belay friends easily, you will find that Lincoln Park location has roughly 100 ropes to climb on and features walls that top out at 56 feet. They offer a myriad of classes in climbing, yoga, and fitness as well.
Movement Wrigleyville
Bouldering Gym | $25/day | Map
Movement Wrigleyville joined the growing list of bouldering facilities in Chicago in 2021, with over 11,000 square feet of climbing on multiple stories of the building. In addition to climbing, they offer dedicated yoga and fitness areas and a variety of class and training options.
Located adjacent to Wrigley Park you can get a quick climbing session in, followed by a classic Chicago experience of catching a Cubs baseball game. The only downside to this is on game days parking becomes significantly harder to find, which is why public transit makes this gym much more accessible.
With plenty of food options and bars within a few blocks, this is a great location to head to with a crew of friends to experience Chicago climbing and Chicago city life.
CLIMBING GYMS IN THE CHIGAGOLAND SUBURBS
After-hours at the Vertical Endeavors climbing gym in Glendale Heights, a Chicago suburb. Photo: Vertical Endeavors
Vertical Endeavors Glendale Heights
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $22/day | Map
40 minutes from downtown, find 45,000 square feet of climbing with 30' walls at Vertical Endeavors' sprawling Glendale Heights location. VE long offered the best climbing in Chicagoland at its Warrenville location, but unfortunately LifeTime Fitness refused to renew its lease at the end of 2014, leaving only Glendale Heights under VE management.
Even though the walls are about half the height of most other rope gyms in Chicago you will find very thoughtful routes to get you feeling that pump. With a good variety of overhanging, slab and vertical walls you will be able to climb whatever style you would like.
Big, beautiful walls feature roped climbing at the First Ascent climbing gym in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb. Photo: First Ascent
First Ascent Arlington Heights
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $25/Day | Map
First Ascent continues their conquest of Midwest indoor climbing with a new location in Arlington Heights, just 40 minutes from downtown Chicago. This location is FA’s biggest yet, featuring over 25,000 square feet of climbing terrain, with roped walls up to 50 ft tall and dedicated bouldering areas and weight training. What used to be a waterpark is now a well spaced rope and bouldering walls with lots of variation and space to relax in between climbs.
With multiple auto belays as well and close proximity to the Chicago O’Hare airport, you may find this gym a nice location for those flying into Chicago for work and wanting to keep that grip strength up. Being fully removed from the city itself, you will find daytime hours to have very few climbers; the busiest time is 5-8pm when youth and families tend to dominate the gym.
North Wall in Crystal Lake (75 minutes from Chicago) wins prizes for highest hold-density and most intimate feel. Photo: North Wall Climbing Gym
North Wall
Full-Service Climbing and Bouldering Gym | $17/Day | Map
Northwest of the city in Crystal Lake, IL, the North Wall offers 20 ropes and over 2,000 square feet of climbing. This gym feels like a true connection to the earliest climbing gyms. High route density on not as much wall space as you would think and yet produce some incredibly strong climbers.
This is a perfect spot for those looking for a local, community gym. You will not have all the amenities of a larger, corporate gym, but you will still have all the space and routes you can reasonably climb, however hard you want to work. Reservations are helpful during the busier hours of the day.
