Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve

2710 Dayton-Springfield Rd., Springfield
Park Hours: Open 8:00 a.m. to dusk
Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve Google Maps Locator
*Climber photo credit: Rod Hatfield

The Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve is 91 acres of natural beauty, encompassing a main hiking trail along an old railroad, access to the Mad River, natural dolomite cliffs reaching heights up to 50 feet for rock climbing, and a beautiful stream-side forest teeming with native wildflowers and ideal birdwatching opportunities.

Park History

The Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve was recognized by the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association for our development efforts, by honoring the Clark County Park District with a first-place award in the Natural Resources & Conservation category in 2017.

For more information about this unique area, and one of the few climbing parks in the state of Ohio, click here.

For amazing video taken during our initial major cleanup and grand opening, provided by Broken Rotor Pictures, click the links below:

Mad River Gorge Climbing Guide

Click the Image to Purchase

Now Available for Purchase! The Mad River Gorge Climbing Guidebook is a reference to be used by climbers who are planning to climb at the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve. The price for the Guide is $23.95 and all proceeds go to support the Ohio Climber’s Coalition (OCC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting Ohio’s climbing.

This book details the sport, traditional, and bouldering routes that are present within the designated climbing areas. Additionally, this book provides details of the hard work many volunteers committed to cleaning up the Mad River Gorge and preparing the climbing area for a sustainable future. This book was made by climbers for climber. 100% of profits from the sale of this book are donated to the Ohio Climbers Coalition (OCC) for use on MRG projects or related OCC work.

To learn more about the OCC please visit their website or find them on social media.