What is it?
Onsight Rock Gym is one of the sneakiest, most fun spots in Knoxville. In a tall but unassuming building, you walk in to find a large array of assisted rock climbing routes, partner belay routes, a large bouldering section, a small weightlifting gym and even a kids area!
Where is it?
Onsight is in the Windsor Park area near West Haven. Basically, in between West Knoxville and Downtown, north of Route 40. It is directly off Route 62 (Western Ave), near Walmart and Planet Fitness. They have their own parking lot.
When is it open?
Onsight is open Monday through Friday 11a – 10p, Saturday 10a – 8p, and Sunday 10a – 6p. Keep up with them on their website, onsightrockgym.com or on Instagram @onsightrockgym.
What you need to know about visiting:
Onsight is great for beginners (like us) and experienced climbers alike. We walked in with very little know-how and the staff explained everything to us and rented us all the gear we needed. The courses are marked at their starting points, color-coded and rated according to difficulty.
When you come in for the first time, you’ll have to fill out their waiver and watch a short video. You can also fill out the waiver online beforehand. After that, an associate will rent you any gear you need – for us it was everything: harnesses, hand chalk, and shoes.
After that, climb to your hearts content! There are 5 auto-belay devices in the main section for those of us newbies. The staff explained the rating system to us beforehand, and it is very clearly marked on each course, so we could start with the easiest!
Price
We each got a day pass, $16 each. We also got a “full package” rental, which was shoes, harnesses, and chalk, for $8 each. (That saves you $1 over doing it piece-by-piece). They can also rent you ropes and belay devices if you are doing that style climbing with a partner. Of course, if you have all your own gear you are welcome to use it.
Yes, if you do that careful math, that means for the 2 of us this was a $50+ date. However, I should note that this is a full day pass – you can leave and come back the same day if you want to take a break. Believe me, it can get strenuous, especially on your forearms and calves.
The Space
This place feels huge – check out the pictures. We just wandered around trying different routes, and really didn’t have to wait at all, even though Onsight was getting busy. They have at least 5 auto-belays and even more routes for those with belay partners.
The bouldering area was very popular, but even there it wasn’t hard to find a spot to work into. For those who aren’t aware, bouldering is like rock climbing, but they are short, technical sections that you don’t need a harness to climb on. Just make sure you fall correctly onto the mat!
If you’re a member, you wouldn’t need to have a membership here and at a regular gym – they have a weight lifting area on a mezzanine upstairs that looked small but not busy, even mid-day on a Saturday. They also have a separate kids room, if your little climbers want to start early. Memberships are cheaper the longer you buy them for, i.e. a yearly membership will be less expensive per-month than just a one month membership. Check with Onsight or on their website for current prices.
You can rent or buy all kinds of gear or even just Onsight merchandise at the counter.
Other Brews and To-Dos
You’re clearly the kind of person who ventures to hidden gems. Head to The Golden Roast tucked away in Marble City for a great cup of coffee.
A hard day climbing deserves a cold beer. Go to Abridged Beer Company and quench your thirst.
Can’t get enough climbing? The Climbing Center might just be your next stop.
Questions, Comments, or Concerns?
Email us at help@brewsandtodos.com