The Tennessee Wall is located on River Canyon Road (aka Mullen's Cove Rd) just outside of Chattanooga in the picturesque Tennessee River Gorge. The trailhead and the majority of the crag lies within Prentice-Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management Area, with a significant portion of the crag crossing over onto the Tennessee River Gorge Trust.

This gem was largely developed by legendary climber Rob Robinson. The cliff, with a gold mine of classic cracks and mind blowing roofs, is one of the best crags in the South, and North America in general. Fall, Winter and Spring are excellent times to visit.

The mission of the Tenneessee River Gorge Trust is CONSERVATION and PRESERVATION. It is private land. Though their relationship with climbers is a positive one, permission to climb has NOT been granted. Nor is a closure being enforced (gratefully). Let's keep it that way by being ultra-responsible and low impact. The SCC is proud to be a member of the TRGT on your behalf, but also we encourage to you to join as an individual. Let them know that your donation is in appreciation for allowing climbing activity at the T-Wall.

Do not leave ANYTHING in your car. Otherwise thieves are very likely to break into it. Leave your stuff at one of the pay camping sites listed below.

Do not park on the road as this blocks traffic and angers some of the locals that drive down the road.

Seasonal Closures: Please make sure that your climbing trip is not planned during a scheduled hunt. The fine is $100.00 or more for Trespassing in the area during a scheduled hunt.

Bolting: The Prentice-Cooper Climbing Managment Guildlines specificy that a permit is required to install bolts and other fixed anchors in Prentice-Cooper. Contact info@seclimbers.org for more information. Per the Managment Plan, there are strict guidelines as to how bolts will be added. Any unauthorized bolting is considered vandelism, and jeopardizes future projects and the good relationship climbers have developed with the Forestry Division.
Click here to download a Climbing Bolt Installation Permit in PDF format.

Slings and webbing should not be left in sight of any trail; this would be most problematic within the viewshed of the waterfalls.

A Pit Toilet is located behind a boulder, near the back of the campground, about 100 yards straight out the back side of the parking lot.

Camping is limited to the spots near the parking lot. This is NOT an officially recognized campsite by the Forest Service or TWRA so please be very low impact. Camping on the north side of the road is prohibited. In other words, camping at the crag or on the way up to the crag is prohibited. Camp fires are also prohibited at the crag and elsewhere north of the road. There is free camping at the Wildlife Management Area campground at the Main Entrance to Prentice-Cooper on top of the mountain (view map).