Access Fund and Illinois Climbers Association (ICA) teamed up to buy the House Boulders, a new bouldering area and conservation corridor in southern Illinois.

Located in the heartland of the country, the House Boulders climbing area sits on the western edge of the Shawnee National Forest in the Mississippi Bluffs region, named for its stunning views over the Mississippi River valley. This acquisition conserves 20 acres of land—which has the potential for approximately 70 boulder problems at all levels—for recreation and wildlife habitat.

The property sits adjacent to the Holy Boulders, a climbing area that Access Fund purchased in 2012 and then transferred to ICA for long-term ownership and management. It also shares the same high-quality, fine-grained grey sandstone. However, House Boulders stands alone in its unique setting—a tightly stacked boulder field on a steep, west-facing hillside nestled among hardwoods.