News Release

Obed Rock Climbers Spend Three Quarters of Million Dollars Annually

NPS

News Release Date: August 16, 2024

Contact: Daniel Banks, 423-569-9778

Rock climbers visiting the Obed Wild & Scenic River, a unit of the National Park Service located between Knoxville and Crossville in the Upper Cumberland Plateau, annually spend about $768,000 at local businesses, according to a new study.

A recent analysis released by the Access Fund, the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, and the East Tennessee Climbers Coalition evaluated tourism and spending in several prominent climbing locations in Tennessee including the Obed. The study reported 12,000 total estimated annual climbing visits to the Obed and the majority (62%) of those climbers stayed overnight while visiting the Obed. The economic impact of the spending sectors included short-term housing rentals (43%), gasoline (21%), dine-in restaurants (19%), fast food, groceries, and snacks (10%), camping (4%), and hotels (3%).

Demographics analysis of the overall study found that two thirds of the respondents self-identified as male, 85% identified as white, 88% had at least a 4-year college degree, and 66% with an average annual income of more than $50,000.

The Obed Wild and Scenic River protects 45 miles of river and steep gorges which contain rock formations that are excellent for climbing. The area contains more than 400 climbing routes and is also a destination for bouldering, climbing on large, exposed boulders.