The Boulder Garden — Local services in Durham

Original: The Boulder Garden is the high quality bouldering gym that Durham has needed for a very long time. Reading the Indy Week article that first announced this gym was, no joke, one of the most exciting things to happen since I moved to Durham. I was a bit apprehensive after finding out the head setter worked at TRC, but those concerns were alleviated after getting to climb here on opening day.

The setting and grading here is phenomenal. There's no +/-, colors, or other tertiary grading scales, you get a V grade and that's it. Grades in the initial set seem to be ~1 higher than the equivalent at TRC, so a V4 here would probably be a V3 there. The grades go higher here though, so it feels like the difficulty is better scaled. The setting feels creative and intentional, routes flow well and aren't awkward or excessively difficult for their grade. The actual material for the walls at Boulder Garden is another plus - they aren't too rough, so I'm less afraid of getting skinned alive if I fall.

The liquid chalk dispensers are a really cool idea that I've never seen at a gym before. Loose chalk is allowed here but it's definitely more convenient (and cheaper) to get your chalk dispensed from the wall.

One thing I'd like to see is for the setting schedule to be posted somewhere in the gym so we know how much time is left until the gym is rotated.

Overall this gym has exceeded my expectations, huge congrats to Johnny for making The Boulder Garden a reality!

Update 2025-06-05: The quality of the setting here has unfortunately gone down quite a bit since the gym opened. The routes in newer sets don’t seem to flow as well as the old ones (from the Winter Solstice); they seem more forced and awkward. I also feel like the grading doesn’t reflect the actual difficulty as much as it used to, it’s more sandbagged now. Lastly, the spray wall- it feels like half the gym is underutilized because of it. There’s a ton of holds, but only a few official routes, and limited variation due to a lack of volumes and having to rely on the community to create their own routes. I hope these aspects of the gym will improve, since this gym has been such a vital addition to the climbing community in...

A stellar gym & experience of a place. It's been great to see this gym built into what it is now. It doesn't feel like just a gym, but also brings a sense of community & collaboration.

From the cool art hanging, to the plant life surrounding the gym, to the ever growing outside space where events also take place. They threw yet another thriller Solstice party to celebrate beginning of summer (winter solstice was grand opening, this gym has done ALOT in 6months!)

Sweet route setting, the prowl is awesome, they've got a nice top out section, and new to me but also loving the TB2 board. Great for building that grip strength & core stability! They also bring in folks like the AAC to host clinics to prep more for the outdoors which is free to members. Members also get plenty other extras like free rental pads & guidebooks.

The staff is also top notch 👌 They all share a passion in climbing. If your asking for guidance, they'll throw ya a little beta of what worked for them or others on a route, and if not, you still may experience a feeling of social comradery as you're cheered on by them & other members hitting that boulder move you've been challenged on.

The owner is also great, super friendly, open to conversation, and literally goes out of his way to ensure you feel welcomed. They've really done a great job in building a community atmosphere. It was fun to see him hit the stage out back for a DJ set at the Solstice, what a great vibe!

Love the culture, the energy of the place, and the music they pump to keep you pumped while pumped in your climb! And while also doing their part to be eco-friendly & create that leave no trace mentality. Thankful for this gym to come to Durham, & what amazing location right by Central Park. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should, period. (Pics below are from...

I wanted to share my experience as a former member of this gym. During my time there, I was asked to help create and lead a BIPOC group — without compensation — with no real acknowledgment of the time, emotional labor, or planning such an initiative requires. I was also told I would receive a guest pass in exchange for forerunning, but on the day, I was informed that my membership already included one — which felt like the original offer was dismissed or misrepresented.

When I raised safety concerns directly to the owner — including proper ladder usage, route forerunning standards, and industry safety norms — I was told, “I can’t do anything with this information.” Shortly afterward, I was banned from the gym under the claim that I was spreading defamatory statements, even though my feedback was provided in good faith and based on legitimate safety observations.

It was also concerning to see signs of remote routesetting, where routes are planned without physically being present or testing them fully in the space. In-person forerunning and evaluation are crucial for ensuring climbs are not just creative but also safe and accessible.

Lastly, it was odd that the gym didn’t have visible trash cans in the climbing area. For a community-focused space, this felt like a basic facility oversight and contributed to a sense of disorganization.

Overall, I had hoped for a space that genuinely valued safety, inclusivity, and member feedback. My experience unfortunately didn’t reflect that, but I hope the gym moves toward a more transparent and responsive culture...