If you're near the Shawnee National Forest and you'd like to do some rock climbing, this is the place to go, no matter what level of climber you are. We took our family of 5 rock climbing for the day, and Kathy worked patiently with us the entire time. 3 of us had climbed before; 2 were rookies. Kathy is an avid climber herself, and she's also an excellent teacher. All equipment is covered in the cost: shoes, chalk, ropes, etc. Bring your own water, lunch and bug spray. All of the climbing will be done on Eric & Kathy's property. You'll start out on some fairly easy faces, and then work up to more difficult climbs. If you're brand new to the sport, Kathy will teach you the techniques needed to be successful. If you've climbed before, she'll move you along to the more challenging areas. A great bonus to the day was absorbing Kathy's knowledge of the area. Not everything marked on the Southern Illinois Board of Tourism map is worth seeing, and Kathy gives honest and accurate feedback on sites and activities in the area. Probably the best indicator of our wonderful experience is that at the end of our vacation to the Shawnee area, all 3 of our kids, ages 8-14, rated rock climbing with Vertical Heartland as the highlight of the trip. The web site is http://www.verticalheartland.com/VerticalHeartland.html read more

I had a wonderful experience with Kathy today. The advice was easy to understand and the views were beautiful. Kathy was very helpful and made me feel very comfortable. I could not believe I was climbing that high with such ease. Great fun!! Sandra Aiken Madisonville, KY 42431 read more

I loved my first experience rock climbing! I felt safe and had a wonderful time! They have beautiful rock formations and routes for the newbie and the experienced climber. read more