Bentonville CLIMB may be the place to check out if you’re looking for a fun activity that will keep your crew of all ages engaged and worn out. CLIMB offers a rock climbing experience for all skill levels in a welcoming, family-friendly environment.
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CLIMB is an easy-to-access facility off of highway 102 in Bentonville, Arkansas with plenty of parking available. It’s also located directly next to one of Bentonville’s great parks and food truck gatherings. You can take a break and come back refreshed. Day passes are good for the entire day.
Location: 801 SW 14th Street, Bentonville, AR
The Experience
When you walk through the facility doors for the first time, you’ll be greeted by friendly staff who will assist you in filling out a waiver. The waiver is required by all climbers and is kept for future visits, too, so while it does require some work, you only have to fill it out once.
There are some age requirements when bringing minor children to the facility. All climbers under the age of 13 require the direct supervision of an adult. Still, children between 13-15 can climb independently as long as they’re in the building. I consider this a bonus if you’re leading a diverse age group pack.
After you’ve signed the paperwork, staff select a harness that is appropriate for your age and size and help you don the equipment. They’ll show you how to hook up with a quick tutorial as they walk you through each climbing area to help you decide what will be most suited for your ability.
In all my trips to this gym, I have yet to meet a staff member who wasn’t friendly, excited to share their love of climbing, and engaging with gym-goers. The facility and staff are both welcoming and eager to have you there. Make sure you wear close-toed shoes!
What it has to Offer
There’s a bottom level and an upstairs section of the gym. At first glance, you might be tempted to sort the two sections out as advanced for the bottom floor and the kid section at the top. However, I can tell you that I’ve seen just as many adults having fun upstairs as kids are.
The top floor is full of kid-themed climbing walls. Some of these jug handles are arranged in puzzles to solve while climbing, and others offer different challenges with ropes. Don’t let the dinosaur wall fool you; it's harder to dig than you think!
Perhaps the pinnacle on the upstairs level is a skyscraper arrangement where kids can walk up a series of elevated cubes until they’re towering above you. Once all the way up, they leap off the structure while safely attached to an auto-belay.
While the bottom floor does appear to be a more advanced layout, you’re not restricted from attempting the heights of the 45-foot-tall walls. After two hours on the top floor, my son left the facility only after choosing a wall on the bottom and scaling straight to the top.
You can come free-play here or take lessons if you’re serious about learning the craft. They offer classes, workouts that help increase climbing ability, and team memberships if you really fall in love with it all.
Planning Your Visit
CLIMB is a popular place to visit. If you go on a weekend during the middle of the day, you’ll likely run into a birthday party. What this means is that the lines can get long. If you have an impatient waiter as I do, it could put a damper on the fun.
The facility opens at noon on weekdays, 9 am on Saturdays, and 11 am on Sundays. Knowing how much my son enjoys this place and how it has a tendency to get packed, we try to go right when it opens or in the evenings to avoid party groups.
Pro tip: The day passes are good the entire day. I feel like this works out to your advantage if you plan accordingly. Beat the crowds, take a break while enjoying a different NWA activity, and come back for one final round in the evening.
I’ve found that even my high-sensory seeker only lasts about two hours here, which is perfect anyhow. If you arrive at 9 am on a Saturday, you can break for lunch while skipping the party crowds and come back in the evening with that second wind.
Final Thoughts on Bentonville CLIMB
My family loves Bentonville CLIMB. As the mother of a hyperactive boy who laughs in the face of danger, this place is it for us! I’ll add that my son is on the autism spectrum and, at 12 years old, is still non-communicative.
I absolutely love that even when there are months between our visits, the staff still know who he is when he walks through the door. The more rambunctious, loud, and into it he gets, the more they appreciate the shared love of climbing they have with him.
One final note: A youth day pass is $20 per climber. I’ve seen many eager parents who just shelled out $20-$80 be met with hesitant kids. It’s much scarier when you’re all the way up so high, and your parents are down there. Encouraging those little climbers in small victories will have them leaping off the skyscraper in no time. Be patient and watch their confidence grow!