The 5th Annual Arkansas Climbers Festival returns to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper from Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29, 2026. This three-day celebration of climbing culture brings together beginners, seasoned climbers, and outdoor lovers for a weekend of hands on learning, community building, outdoor skills, and quality time on the rock. With workshops, clinics, a film screening, social meetups, and two nights of camping included with general admission, the festival offers something for every climber who wants to sharpen skills or simply enjoy a weekend in the Ozarks.
General admission includes two nights of camping plus Saturday dinner. A festival T shirt is available for preorder. Skill focused clinics, offered throughout the weekend, require separate registration and are taught by experienced guides and instructors. Morning and afternoon sessions allow attendees to build their own festival itinerary around technique, safety, and adventure.
Climbing Clinics for All Skill Levels
The Arkansas Climbers Festival features an extensive lineup of hands-on clinics that cater to a wide range of climbing interests and skill levels, from introductory to advanced. Bouldering clinics include Bouldering 101 for beginners looking to build foundational skills, Pushing Plateaus in Projecting to help intermediate climbers break through common barriers, Bouldering 201 for outdoor technique refinement, and a Best Spotter session focused on safety and pad placement. Sport climbing options range from Sport Climbing I, an introduction to outdoor lead techniques, to Sport Climbing II, which emphasizes anchor evaluation and cleaning, and Lead Belaying 101 to teach outdoor belay fundamentals, along with the Warrior’s Way Falling Clinic for improving risk awareness and fall confidence. Trad climbing clinics include Intro to Trad Placements, Intro to Trad Climbing, Trad Falls and Catches, and Trad Anchor Building, giving climbers tools to place gear, manage protection, and trust their placements. Beyond discipline-specific skills, the festival also offers Rappelling Fundamentals, Multi-Pitch Climbing, adaptive climbing sessions, youth climbing opportunities, performance and injury prevention training, and Wilderness First Aid to round out a comprehensive weekend of climbing education.
Festival Schedule
Friday, March 27, 2026
- 2:00 PM Vendor Set-Up
- 3:00 PM Festival Check-In Starts
- 7:00 PM Arkansas Geology – Dr. Celina Suarez, PhD Geology
- 8:30 PM Happy Hour & Music – Music by Scotcho, Bob, & Mel
Saturday, March 28, 2026
- 7:00 AM Festival Check-In Starts
- 7:00 AM Coffee with the Board
- 7:00 AM Sunrise Yoga, Hosted by Sveta Moultin
- 7:50 AM Warrior’s Way & Top Managed Anchors Clinics
- 8:00 AM Warrior’s Way & Top Managed Anchors Clinics Leave Vendor Village
- 8:50 AM ALL MORNING CLINICS Attendees
- 9:00 AM Leave Vendor Village for Clinics
- 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM LUNCH BREAK
- 12:50 PM Warrior’s Way Clinic Meet at Vendor Village for Check-In
- 1:00 PM Warrior’s Way Clinic Leave Vendor Village
- 1:50 PM ALL AFTERNOON CLINICS Attendees
- 2:00 PM Leave Vendor Village for Clinics
Saturday Night
- 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM Dinner – HCR Lodge
- 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM Raffle (All tickets must be purchased by 6:30 PM at ARCC Booth)
- 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Petit Jean & Crystal Bluff Presentation
- 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Crystal Bluff Movie, A Documentary by Jonathan Childs
- 8:00 PM Night Climbing at North Forty – Meet at Circus Wall – Hosted by Chris Royer
- 11:00 PM Quiet Hours Begin
Sunday, March 29, 2026
- 8:00 AM Trail ‘Run’ – Level 1 Spicy – Hosted by Olivia Viaterna, Arkansas Rock Climbing Guides
- 8:50 AM ALL MORNING CLINICS Attendees Meet at Vendor Village for Check-In
- 9:00 AM Leave Vendor Village for Clinics
- 10:00 AM Affinity Climbers Meetup – Hosted by Carlyn Wilder – NWA Queer Climbers
More information, registration, and clinic details at https://www.arkansasclimbers.org/festival
About Horseshoe Canyon Ranch
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is one of Arkansas’s best known outdoor recreation destinations. Located in the Ozark Mountains near the Buffalo National River, the ranch offers hundreds of sport climbing routes and bouldering problems on high quality sandstone. Visitors can also enjoy mountain biking, zip lines, horseback riding, hiking, rustic cabin stays, and peaceful camping areas. The ranch blends natural beauty with comfortable amenities, making it a favorite gathering place for adventurers across the region.
About the Arkansas Climbers Coalition
The Arkansas Climbers Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting climbing across Arkansas. The coalition works with land managers, local communities, and volunteers to maintain access to climbing areas, support responsible outdoor recreation, and organize stewardship projects on public and private lands. The annual Arkansas Climbers Festival is central to its mission, giving climbers opportunities to learn, connect, and strengthen the climbing community in The Natural State.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
