A great climbing gym for beginners and experts alike (though I'm definitely a beginner!). Helpful and friendly staff who don't coddle you--they make sure you're up to speed on belay technique and everything safety-related. This keeps the gym feeling really safe and professional, which I enjoy. I also love the variety of yoga and fitness classes, plus the free weights in the gym. It's the perfect mix for me of climbing, yoga (which I used to HATE and now generally enjoy, thanks to CRG) and weightlifting. The training area upstairs is also great for climbing-specific training, with a variety of hangboards, a kilterboard, and more. I really like the vibes here, and the music is great 99% of the time. Great atmosphere and a nice sense of community fostered by the staff with lots of events like queer climbing night, women's climbing night, and more. Honestly, my favorite reason for living in this area. Highly recommend visiting! read more

I really wanted to like this gym, but it's been a huge disappointment. Although the gym officially closes at 10 pm, large parts of it are unusable since about 9:15 pm because that's when the staff starts to clean and vacuum (while members are still present). They do this in a very passive-aggressive way, often standing with a loudly humming vacuum under active climbers, waiting for them to get out of the way, essentially pushing people out. This vacuuming is not pleasant even in areas that are not being actively vacuumed as climbing to the sound of a loud vacuum cleaner is just not much fun. Last but not least, the vacuum cleaner's cord is a major tripping hazard, which shows that this gym has no respect for its members. I'm glad that UMass opened the Ascend Wall--a much better alternative to this poorly managed gym. read more

I came to this place with a pretty large group of people. We rented out the shoes and they had us watch a video and sign a paper. We also bought some chalk from them to help with our grip! We had a blast here. I have personally never rock climbed before, but there were so many beginner friendly ones that I could actually do! The staff was friendly and helpful as well. It was a great experience and I would definitely come back when I visit Massachusettes again. read more

Such a great time. There are so many options for bouldering, top rope, and lead climbing. The staff were really cool. You do have to re-take belay certification after about a year. You also need to bring your own belay device (or rent for a small fee) and demonstrate that you know how to attach it (this comment is specifically to warn those who go to gyms where the device is pre-attached to ropes). Granted, this gym smells a lot more like feet than other gyms that I've been to. Overall, I had so much fun at CRG Hadley and will be returning if I am in the area! read more

Great spot and huge gym ! Went here for the first time last weekend. It's 2 decently sized building with ropes and bouldering. They even had a electronic climbing board upstairs that with an app you could make your own routes and change the pitch of it. Lots of options to climb here I never felt like I was on top of anyone or anything. Will definitely be back when in the area. Also got recommended "The Dojo" rock gym nearby. Next time ! Restrooms were nice and clean and staff very friendly. read more

This gym is huge! The addition has made this facility really impressive. This is not my local gym but I wish I lived closer so I could visit it more. It's not only the climbing spaces that are amazing, but also the newer rooms like the yoga room and the weight room. There are a lot of great spaces within this facility; you will definitely find something to love here. read more

Central Rock Gym - Hadley - Climbing Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

See all

I lead a Family Program event here every year for the Berkshire/Western Mass Appalachian Mountain Club. There are members of our mountaineering group who meets here every Wednesday during cold weather If you are interested in meeting other people who like to climb.. The gym is clean and well equipped, with lots of changing climbing walls and bouldering walls, including a new addition area Andy zone upstairs that young kids in particular really like. They also have areas for people to come in and do workouts. For people who have not been here before, you should know that in order to climb, you will need a belayer. In order to belay, you need to do a specific training for that at this gym or pass a review with their staff. Even if you are already certified somewhere else, this is always the case. Like going to a rollerskating rink or other places where you can rent gear, there is a separate fee for gear aside from the entry fee.There is an additional fee if you need to be belayed by one of their staff. As an example, we are charged $18 for a group rate that includes gear only. Yes, it seems a little bit expensive if you want to go for the day and don't have your own gear or someone to belay. The main reason I give this space four stars is that I am disappointed that there are not opportunities for underprivileged children to come here at a reasonable rate. I work with families who have several children, and $18 a person is quite a bit of money for them. read more

Such a wonderful place. Great for first time climbers as well as experts. You will always find a new wall to challenge you. Their leaping lemurs program (for younger kids) was so much fun! read more

Central Rock Gym - Hadley - Leaping Lemurs Saturday morning climb session! - Climbing Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

Fantastic gym! -The facility is great. It's a huge space with lots of bouldering and rope climbing as well as a weight room, yoga room, and several practice areas. They expanded less than a year ago, nearly doubling the size of the facility. -The folks who work here are awesome. Everyone is kind and welcoming, and they're always willing to help you with questions, whether it be about shoes, equipment, or hints on a difficult boulder problem. The fellow climbers are also friendly, so you'll feel comfortable here whether you're a total novice or a lifelong climber. -They have lots of nice programs, classes, and events. They had a cool series of competitions (free for members!) over the summer that I really enjoyed taking part in. In addition, there are regular family nights, social events, and a nice slate of classes to help you improve climbing skills. More than all else, CRG does a great job of fostering a friendly and welcoming community space. This is a great place to have fun, stay fit, and meet people. I highly recommend it. read more

Great community. The staff are very helpful and if you have any questions there happy to help. Who ever sets the routes does a great job. It's also near some good outdoor destinations so if it's raining I would go there 100% if your just visiting. If you live around it's in my opinion one of the best indoor gyms and one of the only (around). read more

My home away from home. Not only are the facilities fantastic -- huge amount of varied routes! -- the staff are truly wonderful: Friendly, fun, climbing experts! I'm less than 3 years into my climbing life and I couldn't be happier with my home away from home, CRG Hadley! read more

Central Rock Gym - Hadley - The best place to climb! - Climbing Near Me - Hadley, Massachusetts

They are not set up for day visitors. Belay devices & carabiners not provided with rental equipment, which limits the walls that visitors can climb. Additionally, the staff is unpleasant and unhelpful. Overall, visiting Central Rock Hadley was an unpleasant experience. read more

After 4 years of membership I can say they generally are not friendly or accommodating. Its a good gym but the customer service is the worst I've ever experienced in and gym in my life. read more

CRG rocks (pun intended)! I love the fitness and yoga classes and the very accommodating staff. They are very knowledgeable and are always very friendly. Highly recommend. read more

Started climbing here 2 or 3 years ago; couldn't even do V2. Now I project 7. It's a great place to hone your skills. There's great climbers here too that will push you to become a better climber. Slow and quiet on most days, totally packed on some evenings. Staff kills it. They have a lot of dedicated climbers, and their training teams are exceptional; especially their youth team. If you're looking for an active hobby for your kid, this place will train them in a Miyagi fashion, and they'll probably end up defeating several local bad guys before saving the town. read more

Very nice climbing gym. We are from California, so we have high standards. This one is not as large or as well-designed as some we've been to in CA, but it still a very nice gym. It is specifically for climbing and does not seem to have much else there. Many rock gyms have other amenities -- some, like the Touchstone gyms, have weights, weight machines, saunas, spin classes, etc., etc. Central Rock Gym seems to have started yoga and Pilates classes, however. It has a nice bouldering section and actually has an arch for leading. Roped route setting is ok - but not as good as in many gyms we have seen. They rely on making holds smaller and reachier to increase grade difficulty -- not much in the way of requiring creative problem solving or more advanced techniques to increase difficulty, unfortunately. This would require a lot of creativity on the part of the route setters, of course. The bouldering route setting seems somewhat better than the roped climbs. Max height was about 40-45 feet or so. 16,500 sq. ft of climbing. Walls are textured (as you would hope they would be -- unlike some gyms with just naked, flat plywood). Very clean facility and nice staff. Recommended. read more

The Glastonbury facility is closest to me, but as a member you have the option of going to any of the locations, the rest of which are in Massachusetts. It's a pretty sweet deal. It's also a nice change, different setters with different styles to give you a variety in your climb. There is top rope climbing, lead climbing, bouldering, weights, and some cardio equipment here as well. read more

My first indoor climbing experience was at Boston Rock Gym in Woburn, Ma. I enjoyed climbing there, but I had nothing to compare it to at the time. Once I started college, I began attending Central Rock Gym, which turned out to be quite similar to Boston Rock Gym. As I enter CRG, I feel as if I had entered a room from Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Colorful hand holds of all shapes and sizes fill the walls like paper candy. Some look like giant growths, while others are mere pebbles. At some points during the day, beams of sunlight illuminate the chalky air, creating a snowy appearance. CRG is cheap (only about $15 including rentals for non-members), and only $45 per month for a membership. They allow customers to rent both shoes and chalk, unlike BRG which only allowed for the rental of shoes. With a membership, rentals are free. It seemed too good to be true. It soon turned out that it was too good to be true. They recently started requiring members to pay $5 for rentals. Considering that BRG is $85 per month for a membership (rip-off!), the $5 burden really isn't that bad. The climbing experience at CRG is phenomenal. After climbing for a day, one's hand is normally peeling and shredded as if it were rubbed vigorously with sand paper. Even though such physical damage occurs, CRG manages to drag its customers back for another climb. There is a great variety of routes; some for beginners and intermediates, then some for experts and professionals. Just looking at the insanity of the paper-thin grips causes my spine to tingle. Completing such challenging routes seems like an impossible task. Aside from the rocks, CRG has an amiable atmosphere. CRG always manages to hold a friendly climbing community. There are climbers of all levels who are always willing to give advice. The music is unique; sometimes being dubstep or soft country rock. Each smooth, low frequency beat helps clear the mind of anything but climbing. If you have extra money, and don't know what to do with it, then I would suggest spending it a CRG. The colorful grips just ask to be grabbed. read more

Great great great climbing gym. The staff is very friendly and helpful, setters are creative (to say the least) and the routes are frequently updated. Such a pleasant atmosphere. Definitely recommend. read more

My wife, daughter and I had our first visit today and climbed with Kevin. He was great at making us feel comfortable with the environment and offering us guidance around the gym. He especially did well with helping my five year old daughter not feel intimidated by the height and gave her the confidence to climb further. We had a very positive experience with the staff and enjoyed meeting other climbers. My wife and I look forward to returning soon. read more

This is my favorite place to be. Great staff, great facilities and it is always improving.

I started climbing regularly a few months ago at the CRG gym in Worcester. I got a membership to CRG at that point, with the intention of this becoming my new favorite hobby. I started going to the gym in Hadley and now rarely go anywhere else. As much as I do like all of the gyms, I have had nothing but positive interactions with the staff, particularly in Hadley. They're always very welcoming when I arrive and always ask how it went when I leave. In one instance, I developed an injury and one of the staff members even gave me information I could look up to treat it. CRG has done a fabulous job and have definitely earned a faithful customer and climber! read more

CRG in Hadley is great. I drive a considerable distance to climb here and it's worth it. There are a great variety of roots/styles and difficulty. The gym is huge and the staff is friendly In particular Brian, Steve (king of the route setters) and Levi are super friendly and helpful. I cannot tell you the amount of times one of those people took time out to give me some much needed beta or just some encouragement. It's almost priceless to have the route setter walk you through a problem that he set. The routes are changed regularly and they vary greatly. Lot's of imagination is used by the setters. You can always count on something new and interesting when new routes are up. The negatives are the hours, the gym doesn't open early enough for my taste. There are currently 2 days with early hours and that is HUGE. One other negative is that the place can get pretty crowded. Often times they have kid camps going on and there are children going crazy all over the place. However the gym is currently expanding and soon it will be double the size. I highly recommend this gym. read more

I didn't feel that Gaius's review properly pimped the bouldering -- which is good, on par with the best I've seen outside west coast/dedicated bouldering gyms (at least at the v1-4 level, which is where I'm at). There are about 7 different courses for each difficulty level, and they are well designed and updated frequently. The regulars are friendly. read more

we have been to several climbing gyms and this is by far our favorite! the routes are great always changeing, not too many holds, well marked and are as chalenging as you want them to be and always fun! staff is great too always patient with begginers and help to create a positive fune environment!!! we will be back read more

My kids had a great day exercising with friends at Central Rock Gym. The spent an hour bouldering and then an hour rock climbing. The staff was friendly and helped the kids stretch their comfort zone. This is a great way to spend an afternoon on vacation. The experience prompted us to talk about how to get the kids there more frequently. read more

This is definitely the place to be!! They are constantly changing the routes, and they are user voted for rating. They have an area upstairs for beginners and little climbers. They have awesome fitness classes, i highly recommend Brian's Classes, you will feel the burn for days, and he is always trying new things. All of the staff are friendly, and the people who come here are very friendly as well. They have bbq's, member only events, and a ton of other great perks. If you are looking for a place to climb, this is definitely the place to go. You will want to come back every time you are in the area. read more

Today a CRG employee said to me, "why do we work for money? Why don't we work for things?" This type of intellectual discussion put CRG Hadley ahead of every other indoor rock climbing gym ever created. You should expect no less than perfection and politeness from these world class employees. read more

I have climbed here with my wife for 3 years now and have brought 2 groups of 100 students from my school here. The staff is professional, friendly and always willing to support me and my students. No pretentiousness here. Welcoming climbing community and a large range of levels of climbs and boldering. Great business! Thanks CRG staff for making our Valley that much better! read more

They gym was very clean and the staff was wicked helpful! I would recommend this gym to everyone great afternoon of fun.

This is a phenomenal place...the facility, rentals, climbing, and staff are amazing. My organization wanted to host a fundraising event for the Nepal earthquake and the staff went WAY beyond what was expected to help us do that. Not only did we raise a bunch of money but I think we also sold people on the gym just by getting them in there and letting them see how great the whole place is. read more

I've been climbing here for a couple of years now. I started in northampton years ago but they have a small wall. This place is much better. The staff is friendly as are the regulars. They also offer great discount options on certain days and times. All in all this place is great fun. read more