About Sunset Park:
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Sunset is one of Tennessee's premier traditional crags. The hard sandstone provides great climbing and protection as well as spectacular exposure and views of the valley below. Routes are plentiful in a wide range of difficulty. As a west-facing cliff, Sunset is an excellent alternative to hotter areas like Tennessee Wall during the summer months.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Climber access to Sunset is tenuous! Because it is a national park, the cliff is shared by hikers and other users who come to remember the Civil War battle fought here. There is no guaranteed right to climb at Sunset, and any poor behavior by climbers has the potential of shutting down this fantastic crag. Here are some basic guidelines for climbing at Sunset: * DO NOT SET UP TOPROPES FROM THE CLIFF TOP, especially in the overlook area. Sunset is a primarily traditional climbing area, so if you want to toprope a route, you must lead it first. * DO NOT BLOCK THE TRAIL. Keep ropes and any other climbing gear off the beaten path so others (especially non-climbers) can freely hike through. * KEEP NOISE LEVELS LOW. The cliff top at Sunset is a residential neighborhood, and keeping the residents happy is vital to retaining access. Refrain from loud shouting, use of obscenities or other disturbances; leave your boombox at home. * DOGS MUST BE KEPT ON LEASH. Better yet, don't bring your dog at all! * PARK ONLY IN AUTHORIZED AREAS. The Craven House parking lot midway up the mountain should be considered the primary place to park and hike in; the trail from this lot will bring you to the Sunset North section. Parking in the very small lot at the top trailhead is extremely limited; use of this lot is strongly discouraged. Do not park on the side of the roads at the top of the mountain under any circumstances! Please help keep Sunset open to climbing by following the guidelines above. |
| Nearest town or city: | Chattanooga |
| Directions: | From downtown Chattanooga, follow signs for Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls. Follow the road up the mountain past the Ruby Falls entrance and watch for signs to the historic Craven House. Turn off here and drive to the hiker parking lot. Hike past memorial monuments to the trailhead and follow this up the mountain for about a 20-minute hike to the crag. This will take you to the end of the Sunset North section; for Sunset South, continue down the trail past the upper trail cutoff. |
| Latitude, Longitude: | 35.00024, -85.21264 |
| Access Issues: | Access at Sunset is very sensitive; see notes above. |
| Camping: | No |
| When to Climb: | Autumn Spring Summer |
| Quantity of Climbs: | Lifetime |
Topo Images
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Forum Discussions (7 posts)
| Subject | Author | Replies | Last Post | |
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Found Guide Book at Sunset | clemsonscooby | 0 | May 31 2009, 3:10 PM |
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Liberty Bell anchor nut loose | jambnet | 0 | Dec 02 2007, 4:05 PM |
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Broken Arrow at Sunset | douglaskinsman | 2 | Jul 15 2007, 9:57 PM |
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climbing partners for Sunset, TN | majorgumbie | 0 | Apr 24 2006, 1:26 PM |
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season for sunset | gneiss | 1 | Oct 28 2005, 2:04 PM |
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Anchors at Sunset? | saxfiend | 3 | Jul 07 2005, 8:20 PM |
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Pigs in Space | greengoblin | 4 | Jul 05 2007, 3:49 PM |
