Rockquest Climbing Center is the place where I first started climbing, and I absolutely love it! It's such a welcoming spot with a great vibe -- perfect for beginners like I was when I walked in for the first time. The staff is super friendly and patient, always ready to give tips or belay you if you need it. The routes are well-set, varied, and they change them regularly so it never gets boring. Whether you're just starting out or you've been climbing for years, there's something here for everyone. read more

Rockquest Climbing Center - Climbing Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I've been to RQ a couple times in the past but have started coming in regularly recently. The staff here are some of the best employees I've seen and always make people feel welcome! They're very knowledgeable about what they do and are more than willing to impart their wisdom onto you! The facilities are well kept and offer nice hygiene items in the bathrooms such as hair ties and nail files. I'm thankful they got a new water fountain because they've had several issues with it the past month. Only issue with facilities that is ongoing is that in the men's bathroom, there is an odor around the sink that smells like a bad P-pipe. As for the actual climbing, I have to say that it is perfect. I'm not much of a boulder guy anymore but those are very well set. In regards to the top ropes, they are well done and challenging whilst maintaining their entertainment value. I've only been to three places for rock climbing, but I think RQ beats the others to a pulp! Phenomenal work RQ staff! read more

Rockquest Climbing Center - Climbing Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Fantastic facility! Went here for the first time thru Bee Well program. Cincy children's has for special needs children. I was pleasantly surprised by the staff who were very accommodating for our kiddos. My son really loved the center tower where he could see everything! Next time, I would have scheduled times so it wasn't sooo overwhelming for those with sensory issues. Other than that, it was perfect and we will be back! Private parking lot and very easy to get to! read more

Rockquest Climbing Center - Rock wall - Climbing Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Matthew was amazing and showed my friend who was new to climbing a very through and comprehensive tutorial on how to climb safely. Thanks again to the staff at this location! read more

Okay, that was FUN!! I hit the climbing wall with CORA: Cincinnati off Road alliance. We booked a climbing session for two hours on a Sunday night. It was open to the public while we were there, but there was plenty of room for a group of 30 to 40 people plus other members of the community. We had about 8 to 9 people in our group who were belaying other people as they were climbing. It was lots of tag-teaming, lots of encouragement, and lots of working our muscles in a new way! I felt like it was a really fun and safe environment to learn a new sport! I paid about $25 and was able to get shoes and a harness to rent for the evening. Our group also had a special room off to the side of the main lobby. We were able to have a place to store all of our things, as well as eat some food and drink after our climbing session. The staff was overly welcoming to everyone in our group. I felt like I was able to ask questions and ask for wisdom. The climbing community just seemed very kind and willing to help others learn some tips and tricks. My favorite part was the bouldering rock in the middle of the climbing gym. If I needed a break from climbing the 44 foot wall, I found myself checking out the bouldering in the middle of the gym. Talk about using some muscles! It was a combination of a logic puzzle and using your body to try to figure out how to get to the top. If you're looking for a change of pace or something to do on a rainy day, check out this climbing gym! It is a lot of fun for beginners and people well- advanced in the sport of climbing! I can't wait to go back! read more

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Great climbing walls. Great lines for beginners all they way through advanced.Fun bouldering wall also. read more

Rockquest Climbing Center - Climbing Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I first fell in love with RockQuest in 1998 (when I was 8 years old), and climbed recreationally off and on throughout my youth years. Now as an adult, I belong to RQ as an annual member and visit the gym 2-3 times a week. I'm giving RQ a 5-star review because I feel that based upon your other climbing gym options in the Cincinnati area, RQ does it best, offers the most, has great customer service, and provides a balance of overall character. They harness the dirtbag climber feel, while also being welcoming of newcomers. They offer bouldering, top-rope, lead climbing, and auto-belays. Most routes are frequently changed (every 3-4 months) to offer the monthly and annual members a refreshed climbing experience. I will note that their staff and customer service has come a long way, and improved greatly since I first decided to become an annual member. When I first joined, it didn't feel the most welcoming, and agree with previous Yelp reviews saying that the staff was rude. I can assure you that this issue/ concern has since been resolved. I think at that time (2016-2018) there were just some 'bad eggs' and the negative attitudes and condescending outlook contributed to the staff as a whole being unhappy. With this said, the current RQ staff is always cheerful, positive, laidback, and friendly. RQ might not be as appealing to the eye as the other neighboring 'modern' climbing gyms, but it's best overall in my opinion. I will say that the modern gyms have a cleaner facility, but they lack character. RQ does well with what they have. The older facility may occasionally leak when it rains (very minor) and some of the restrooms fixtures may need replaced, but it's a great place to climb for beginners and will continue to be my choice as an annual member. read more

RQ is a great indoor climbing option that I have grown to really like. The are a multitude of walls and routes as well as bouldering, autobelay, and lead climbing. The routes are changed about every 12 weeks and I always look forward to see what has been created by the staff. I do have my own equipment but the rentals look good and if I were a novice I would not be intimidated going for the first time. The staff are helpful for newbies. Definitely a rock gym for all abilities. read more

Had an awesome time here at RockQuest. I think this has to be the best full body workout that I've had in a while. We had Jamie as an instructor and She was so good at what she did and made us really aware of the "how-to's". A+++ experience. From the time you check in, while your climbing, and until you leave, everyone was very pleasant. TRY IT OUT read more

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Great place to climb. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The rental process is easy and efficient and the gear was in good shape. There were a bunch of people there bouldering and climbing but it did not feel crowded and we never had to wait for a wall. There are plenty of auto belay devices if you go alone. read more

Friendly gym with great staff and reasonable rates. Routes are densely packed, offering a lot of variety.

Rockquest is a great climbing gym (being one of the two in the majority of Cincinnati). It is located in Blue Ash and open to people of all ages. This gym is mainly a top-rope climbing gym, having a couple boulder options. I'm a fan of this gym because you don't have to know how to belay to come! That's what intimidated me at first, but then realized that they have a few walls with automatic belay devices (yay!). It's also very appealing that it seems that Rockquest has their own community. I'm sure that people that come regularly are all friendly and encouraging towards one another. I couldn't come often because it's a bit pricey (especially if you don't have any of your own equipment). But it is a great place to gain some skills and friends! read more

Super cool! Great for beginners and experienced climbers. Would be a great place for a birthday party or just going for something fun to do in the day read more

My home gym, and one of the best rock gyms I have been to. Two reasons: they have great route setters, and the folks who run it care. The implications of the second reason: it isn't some awful corporate-owned grigris-already-in-place, we-worship-our-insurers, porkers-leering-from-exercycles gym where the staff work one hour per week and don't know your name. It's the opposite. If you like to boulder, you will be disappointed. And they don't have ice climbing. But if you go for any other kind of climbing, you will like this place. They have routes that kids can actually do; they have a lot of space; and they have lead routes that go from almost vertical to bulges to long rooves. I have been in gyms where the exclusively-indoor climbing route setters will completely ignore features when they set. It's a missed opportunity for those of us who need to learn to use those features when we are outdoors. Rockquest's walls have features, and the route-setters use them. They don't have finger cracks, but I can't think of another feature they are missing. If possible, try to avoid the church groups, birthdays, scout troops and the fatass lady who only comes because she likes to torture her children with criticism. (They climb; she criticizes. What is WRONG with people?) Try it out. But don't bring your scout troop? read more

Rockquest Climbing Center - Me leading the juggiest least overhung route at RQ - Climbing Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Preface: A newbie Climbers Review! If you are looking for your next date night to be fun, unique, and exhilarating, then grab your partner (you need two people) and head on out to Rockquest!! Just be prepared to WORK and get all sweaty, sore, have bleeding hands, and possibly not be able to lift your shoulders the next day, but if that doesn't scare you off, then head on out and have the "climb" of your life! Sorry, couldn't resist! When I first walked in and looked UP and saw how high the walls were, I was thinking, "Oh my gosh! What did I get myself in for?" and the hubs all of a sudden had this fear of heights I haven't heard about in 12 years. They walls are THAT high and intimidating. But before you even have to worry about climbing up anything, you first have to learn how to belay and become a certified belayer at their center. The belayer is your safety person. They are the ones who will catch you if you fall while climbing up 40 feet! We both took the belay class which teaches you how to properly put on your equipment, tie all the required knots, and catch your climber should they fall, and also properly lower them down when they are ready to come down. This type of climbing with a harness and belayer is known as rope climbing. Our coach had us certified and belaying in about 30 minutes and so now we were off to do some actual climbing! We decided to start with an easy wall, never mind the only people climbing this wall were kids, we were not ready to tackle any huge wall yet!! I took off climbing and Pat was my belayer. Good thing he has those buff arms in case I fall! : ) And you know what? When you start climbing up that wall, placing your hands in the right grooves, finding the best place to put your foot and focusing on where your next step will be, you forget that you are 20+ feet in the air. In fact you don't even look down, you just start ascending and all of a sudden, BAM!, you are at the top of the wall without even freaking out once! When you want to take a break from the rope climbing and try your hand at something slightly different, you can do some bouldering. Bouldering is climbing without a rope and is never more than about 10 feet off of the ground. You can free climb up, down, or sideways and you don't need a partner. It is awesome for building strength in your fingers, or like us, recognize you don't really have any finger strength! They also offer parties and there were a few kids birthdays going on while we there, but the space is large enough that you can always find a wall to climb. read more

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Rock on at Rockquest! A couple friends and I recently went to Rockquest this past weekend to try a more exciting wait to exercise. We first took the belaying class and were quickly taught by member of staff on how to safely belay for other climbers. The class took around 30 minutes and at the end we were certified so that we would have the rest of the day to climb to our heart's content! Rock quest has a variety of climbing routes at all levels of ability from beginner to advanced, which came as a relief for an inexperienced climber like myself as I still had a wide variety of routes to choose from. Additionally Rockquest also has auto-belaying devices which allow a climber to climb without a human belayer. At first it is a bit odd trusting yourself to a drum at the top of the wall, but you get used to it and they are super useful when you arrive before the rest of your group or want to stay after everyone else. Overall, the staff was helpful and courteous even to beginners like me and they have a wide variety of options (including bouldering) for all levels. Find me there as I work on my climbing technique! read more

I haven't climbed in 25 years, and I was seriously nervous about looking like a complete loser, but the staff was so friggin helpful and showed me the automatic belay walls which weren't around 25 years ago. I still looked like a complete loser, but with a smile on my face, since the automatic belay walls were fun. I climb to get in shape. I don't like gyms. I've been doing it for a little over a month and love it, my hands are stronger, my arms aren't has squishy, same with legs. Glad I joined this one and not a over run one. read more

BEST INDOOR GYM / training center I've ever been to, and I've been to dozens of gyms around the country, including 2 in Denver, Colorado and 3 in Boulder, Colorado. Forget about Rockquest being the best climbing gym in Cincinnati, it is among the best climbing gyms in the country. Before Rockquest, I climbed 2x at 2 different gyms but didn't think climbing was for me because at some point the route became way too tough for a beginner and I thought it wasn't my thing. But Rockquest has routes that are easy enough for beginners to work their way up. That is how I became obsessed and in the course of a year went from a newbie trying to find partners for toprope, to leading indoors, leading sport outdoors at the Red, traveling to other states and countries to climb, starting trad leading.... went mountaineering, now temporarily moving to Colorado. What does Rockquest have? Lots of square feet of climbing walls, very tall walls, and a ceiling. There are all levels from stuff like a ladder to 5.13, with tons of 5.9-5.11 (where the majority of people climb). Bouldering goes from V0 to V8 or beyond. There are lots of top-roping walls, and lots of leading walls. There is a place to practice your cleaning of a sport route. They now have auto-belays at certain toprope walls in case you are new, visiting, or your partner bailed. There is an "anvil" boulder, that you can top out in, and actually go back down the stairs instead of jumping down and breaking an ankle. It also provides storage, and is great to get a bird's eye view from. The bouldering area is a padded floor. The TR area has floor anchors. The lead wall got 2 movable rock bags to help balance the weight of a heavier climber/lighter belayer. What makes it so good? The walls are many and varied - slab, slightly overhanging, full overhanging... some other variety.... flakes, stemming problems, dihedrals.... They even have an overhang for a toprope which is clipped in a way so that if you fall, you don't have to swing back to the wall. They have a bulge (almost a roof) and a roof for leading, which many gyms do not have, so you can be completely upside down. The walls are aesthetically pleasing yet, there are not too many "naturals" and weird formations in the way so the routesetter can implement his/her vision however they want, instead of being inhibited by "pretty" rock. They change the routes often - rotate changing a section every week or so so that each route changes about every 3 months or more often, and the boulder changes more frequently. The holds are cleaned often (I have seen them powerwash it), and they regularly get new ones. RQ is also well run with a friendly staff and policies that make sense. They allow you to belay with an ATC OR a Gri-Gri. That way you can become familiar with both. The places that don't allow gri-gris make no sense, they are a little more complex to operate especially when lead belaying, so it's great to get practice inside, when the staff can do quick survellance to see if the belayer is belaying properly. Once the staff provided a belaying suggestion to my belayer which I was very thankful for. They have a good selection of gear (climbing shoes, harnesses, belay devices, protection guide books, chalk, tape, snacks) and as a member, you can get a discount. The hours are very good - open 7 days a week till 10pm on weekdays, 9pm on weekends. Also, despite Denver area gyms not being as good as RQ they are more expensive. read more

I should preface that I began climbing at a bouldering only gym (Climb Nulu in Louisville KY, if you are curious). That gym was brand new, with color-coded holds, thick squishy mats and seriously challenging mental problems. I was hooked, and loved the mental challenge of figuring out how to complete a route, and building up my strength so I could eventually climb it. Since the gym was brand new, everyone was a "new member". There was great camaraderie between experience climbers and people brand new to the sport. When I moved away, I admit I was more sad to leave the gym than anything else! So, when I moved to Cincinnati and visited Rockquest last winter, I initially was disappointed and intimidated. The bouldering area at Rockquest is small, and extremely challenging for novice climbers with lots of overhangs and barely any vertical faces. I also wasn't a fan of the fact that they use tape to mark routes, as it makes it more difficult to see next steps as you climb. Since I had never had the opportunity to climb with ropes before, I was essentially stuck to the tiny bouldering area, until I learned to belay. I was anxious about taking a belay class, especially after a bad experience on a recent trip to Thailand. (My recommendation, don't try to learn life or death skills from someone whose first language isn't English; frustration and fear are bound to run amuck.) However, after taking a belay class and connecting with climbers in the gym, this place has become my new climbing home. My instructor for the belay class was very calm and patient. Even though properly belaying is important, it is literally life or death, I never felt intimidated or reprimanded for making mistakes, he just gently corrected me and had me try again. Its also nice to know that staff do walk around the gym, keeping an eye out for incorrect belay technique to keep everyone safe. I'm hoping to take the lead climbing class in a few months as my strength improves. The routes range from simple ladders perfect for brand new visitors, to crimpy technical climbs relying on "natural" features in the wall, to killer overhangs only advanced climbers can top. There is a great balance between top rope and lead areas, with four auto-belays mixed in for days when you don't have a partner. UPDATE: When I went to the gym on April 8th there were now 5 auto belays up, the new one being placed on a slightly overhung wall. YAY! I also appreciate the diverse features found in the gym, chimneys, ceilings, and a few nifty corners areas that are my personal favorite. I do wish that they auto belays moved around more so solo climbers could work on these specific features. In short, if you are a boulderer, this gym will be a bit of a disappointment. But, if you are willing to expand your horizons, the friendly staff and thoughtful routes will provide new and exciting challenges for you to tackle! read more

This place is great for training climbing muscles, power, strength, and having fun. RQ is different than a bouldering gym in that you have more options for technique training specifically because there are more types and kinds of routes here, roped or not, and the ability to lead climb if you want. Kids seem to go crazy here, which it's mostly cool and funny to watch, but I've had some extremely close calls with younger ones getting dangerously underneath me while I'm ten feet up and inverted hanging on with fingertips : ( just be careful! It's a bit pricey, but they sell and rent everything for that beginner friend you brought along, but it can get overwhelmingly crowded during parties and unlucky weekends. Other times it's a ghost town/climbing paradise. . totally hitup the incredibly long roof lead routes! read more

I've climbed at Rockquest about 6 times now. Every time the staff has been exceptionally rude and condescending. In one instance, I was clipping in to my line and began climbing. A staff member came up behind me and yelled "you're going to die, you know!" Because my clip was clipped to one loop, and not two. Then about 15 minutes later, a different staff member came over and said "why are you clipped in like this? You do it like this." And proceeded to yank my belt around. I'll head to a different gym. read more

Rockquest is by far the best place in Cincinnati to rock climb, a few reasons: I have been here a few times with some buddies and I love it. The staff are friendly and nice and really care about safety. Also they do a lot with kids groups and schools and every time I have been there the kids love it, sure they are scared at first, but hey it's safe to rock climb. As many others have noted, this is one of the great places in Cincinnati to bring a date and after wards head over to the Root Beer Stand. read more

Great place to climb. The staff are laid back and friendly and very knowledgeable about climbing technique and walk around the climbing area to make sure everyone is correctly belaying and being safe. Christoffer M. is correct in his comparison of Rockquest to Climb Time. I liked that Rockquest has a bathroom with actual lockers that can be locked up as well as showers to wash your post climb sweaty bod. If you are a newbie, read online about tips and technique and try to incorporate these into your climbing. Climbing has become a great change of pace workout for me. The more I do it, the better I become and walls that were once impossible are now becoming much easier to climb. I highly recommend you get some friends together and give climbing a try. If you do end up going solo, you can always boulder, or ask someone there to belay for you. People are very friendly and most enjoy helping out a new climber, as they were there once. I wish this place was closer to home and cost a little less but the ability to climb year round is something that is not found in every city. *There's plenty of parking *They accept credit cards. *I would wait a bit before buying all the climbing equipment: shoes, harness, chalk bag, belay ATC, etc. Once you commit to it, ask everyone where they buy their stuff. *Use your legs! They are much stronger and longer than your arms and will help get you up the wall. *Trust the rope and your belayer. Everyone falls and there's nothing wrong with it. Get back up on the wall and try again. *Always double check your gear, knots, and activity above and below your climbing area. *Have fun and don't quit if you are really struggling. Keep at it and you'll be so proud of yourself when you reach the top of the wall. *This can be a very unique date idea or all ages family activity, just be ready with a change of clothes and whatnot. read more

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THis is the best place to rock climb in the Cincinnati Area. They recently built a great new bouldering wall. Look for occasional coupons in things like the entertainment book. Great place to bring a date! read more

Was visiting family and took all of the kids here for a fun outing. Staff was super nice, super patient (thx Lydia), and helpful. Was able to get a quick lesson on atc's (as I'm used to Grigi) but didn't really need it as the auto belays are pretty awesome. My kids were super excited because they were allowed to top out. Holds could use a little cleaning, but otherwise this place is pretty fun and everyone had a blast. We will definitely be back next visit! read more

I highly suggest going here for anyone who wants to have a great time rock climbing!! It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or if you're more advanced. If it's your first time, they go over the rules and make sure you know how to properly navigate around the equipment. They provide shoes and harnesses and even have ones that you can buy out on display! The staff is very friendly and the environment is really nice. read more

Rockquest has a very nice climbing facility. I'm a rather new climber, so I won't elaborate on specifics of the climbing. But there are quite a few walls. We were unfortunately limited to the 6 auto belay walls because we didn't really know going in that you had to specify if you wanted to use a belay device. The staff were not very helpful in educating us on anything. Maybe if we had payed 10 dollars extra for the class they would have been more helpful. read more

Rockquest is like my home away from home. The place is great. People are really friendly and helpful. There are tons of classes and climbing routes, plus various membership options. I'm absolutely hooked. I cannot say if it's the climbing or the people that I like more. read more

Awesome! You have to give it a try! I was gonna so hyped. My bro took b4 he left for work wise..please give it a try

Very nice gym. Small but adequate for bouldering (2-3 days worth), and TONS of routes. If you're in town, be sure to bring your harness. The boulder problems were very techy with small holds/small feet etc and were thoughtful. Landings were great. The top is either topout with jugs or a nice pipe. Good variety of holds from 90s classics to awesome new style holds. Mono chromatic setting was nice also. read more

Rockquest has gotten a bad wrap in the past for its soft setting, however it has gotten sooo much better. The setting staff is qualified and knowledgeable and you can tell the gym owners really care about the entire experience of everyone that comes in. Only negative is when birthday parties come in and kids run around underneath people bouldering which is really dangerous and could cause severe injury if they were to get fallen on top of. read more

We really like the gym but I find the youth coordinator to be difficult and have to make myself give them money when she is so non customer service oriented. read more

Rockquest has been my home gym for 7.5 years. I learned how to climb there and their lead class prepared me to climb outside. I train there regularly which has made climbing at the Red and around the country amazing. Their staff members are knowledgeable, safety conscious, and exceptionally friendly. I prefer the lead wall, but the boulder anvil and top ropes are equally as fun - they even have a campus board and hangboards in the back. Thank you Rockquest for being such an integral part of my life. I love the Rockquest family! read more

Wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL place! Fun, safe, and clean! I climbed Mt. Everest a couple of years ago and Rockquest gives me some of the same joy I felt during my Mt. Everest climb. read more

This was the first time I've been climbing, so I can't compare to other establishments, but the my guide was polite, respectful, confident, positive, encouraging, friendly, professional, and safety conscious. The site was clean and not excessively noisy. The walls and the gear and equipment seemed to be well maintained. read more

I am retired, a beginner, and only climb occasionaly, but I am always treated well, and the staff has been professional without being stuffy. They are big enough that I never had to wait for a good route and other climbers are very helpful. They are open Mondays now, also. This YELP page summary might have old information. read more

I regularly visit this establishment, it is the best place in cincinnati to rock climb. They have a wide variety of walls wether you want to boulder, top rope, or lead climb this is the place for you. There is one downside, there staff is lazy and never want to help me when I have a question. There was incident a couple of weeks ago were a kid was running through the lobby and a employee by the name of John without saying anything prior to the kids yells as loud as possible " HEY... STOP RUNNING" without even as so much a first warning. And he is not the only employee that is rude and lazy. I definitely think they should consider a new staff. read more

I have always had positive experiences at Rockquest. However the last time I went to climb there it was not pleasant. I elected to take a belay test after some practicing and was denied the opportunity to take the test. I was then told this was protocol that you can not come in, then learn, then take the belay test for insurance purposes. I understood. But in the manner in which this was explained was of poor customer service. The staff member was rude and unwilling to offer any tips about form of climbing or cost of gear. I understand that that employee doesn't create protocol, they just follow it. However it is disappointing in that you would think someone who is passionate about climbing was unwilling to converse about it or share some know how to a newcomer to the sport. Not impressed with customer service. read more

All in all, a very mediocre climbing gym. It seemed like half of the top rope climbs weren't even marked. The routes that were graded were all over the map, as in there were 5.11+ climbs that were less strenuous than 5.10-. RockQuest is also tiny. Some reviewers have commented that the walls are huge and expansive, but I was sadly disappointed by the size of the gym and the route variation There might be only 5 or 6 climbs per ability level, and if you are bringing a weaker climber or a first time climber, there were only 1 or 2 marked routes in the 5.6-5.7 range. There is more if you want to sport climb, but even then it's a small gym that's way overpriced. On top of all of this, it's dark, dirty, and looks like the staff doesn't clean it. The only time I would ever go is if I was in town for a short amount of time and wanted to get a few climbs in to stay in form. If this is the best indoor gym in Cincinnati, then I feel sorry for anyone looking for an affordable, quality climbing center in the area. read more