Upper Limits Bloomington logo

Upper Limits Bloomington

Bloomington, Illinois, United States

  • Top Rope
  • Lead Climbing
  • Auto Belay
  • Bouldering
  • Cave Climbing
  • Kids Wall
  • Outdoor Wall
4.7from 204 reviewsDay pass $21
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Upper Limits Bloomington is a climbing gym in a converted grain elevator, with 65 ft roped routes inside four silos, a 100 ft outdoor route, a two-level bouldering cave and an outdoor boulder. It has been open since 1995.

About

A climbing gym in grain silos

Upper Limits Bloomington fills a disused grain elevator on West Washington Street, about a mile west of downtown Bloomington. Its owners, who had bought the original Upper Limits gym in Peru, Illinois, in 1994, spent six months gutting the silos and building walls before opening here on 2 September 1995. Four silos now hold 65 ft roped routes, and a 100 ft route climbs the outside of the building, which makes this one of the tallest climbing gyms in the US. Smithsonian named it one of seven most innovative gyms in the world in 2016.

Walls and facilities

  • Top-rope, lead and auto-belay climbing, including the Wave lead wall
  • A two-level bouldering cave with a 45° overhang, a downstairs bouldering area and a slab wall
  • An outdoor boulder you can climb almost all the way round
  • A fitness area, and a pro shop selling climbing shoes and outdoor gear, with custom orders

Classes and community

Every new visitor gets a short orientation. To belay on the top ropes you pass a belay test or take the two-hour Top Rope 101 class (ages 14 and up), and a four-week Intro to Climbing course, Lead 101 and Technique 101 follow on from it. Team ULI coaches young climbers aged 7 to 18, there are holiday and summer camps, and the Summit Shakers group holds a Parkinson's climb night on the last Wednesday of each month. Wednesday evenings also bring themed meet-up nights.

In 2026 the owners, who also run two Upper Limits gyms in the St Louis area, put the Bloomington gym and its building up for sale, hoping it stays a climbing gym. It remains open in the meantime.

Prices

As we last found them. Prices change, so check the wall's website before you go.

Day pass
$21

- Child (10 and under): $17

- Military, EMT and first responders: $16

- Weeknights after 17:00: $16 for seniors 55+ (Monday), couples (Tuesday), students and teachers (Wednesday), women 18+ (Thursday) and under-18s (Friday)

- Family package (day passes, harnesses, shoes and chalk bags for a family of four): $95, or $80 on Friday evenings

- Rental package (harness, shoes and belay device or chalk bag): $12; harness $5, shoes $6, belay device $4, chalk bag $4

- 10-punch pass, valid at all three Upper Limits gyms: $184.95

- Top Rope 101 class: $40 ($34 for members)

- Adults supervising a child without climbing go free

Membership
$72.95a month

- No contract: cancel any time with no cancellation fee

- Initiation fee: $49.95

- Student (30 and under), senior (60+) and military: $62.95

- Family: $72.95 for the first member, $62.95 for the second, $29.95 for each further under-18

- Gold membership for all Upper Limits gyms: $82.95

- Includes 15% off the pro shop and classes, and one first-time guest pass a month

Upcoming events

In the events calendar at Upper Limits Bloomington

As the wall announced them. Plans change, so check with the wall before you go.

  • Social

    Parkinson's Climb Night

    $18.95 including rental gear and a belayer

    Monthly climb night for people living with Parkinson's, run by the Summit Shakers group with UpENDing Parkinson's. Staff and volunteers belay and help everyone climb; booking online.

  • Social

    Costume Climb

    Halloween meet-up night to close October's themed Wednesday socials: come climbing in costume and bring your climbing friends.

  • Social

    Parkinson's Climb Night

    $18.95 including rental gear and a belayer

    Monthly climb night for people living with Parkinson's, run by the Summit Shakers group with UpENDing Parkinson's. Staff and volunteers belay and help everyone climb; booking online.

  • Social

    Parkinson's Climb Night

    $18.95 including rental gear and a belayer

    Monthly climb night for people living with Parkinson's, run by the Summit Shakers group with UpENDing Parkinson's. Staff and volunteers belay and help everyone climb; booking online.

  • Social

    Parkinson's Climb Night

    $18.95 including rental gear and a belayer

    Monthly climb night for people living with Parkinson's, run by the Summit Shakers group with UpENDing Parkinson's. Staff and volunteers belay and help everyone climb; booking online.

Key Features

Types of Climbing

  • Rope (any)
  • Top Rope
  • Lead Climbing
  • Auto Belay
  • Bouldering (any)
  • Cave Climbing
  • Kids Wall
  • Outdoor Wall

Gym Facilities

  • Gym (any)

Access

  • Memberships
  • Single Day Passes
  • Multi-day Passes
  • Student Discounts

Equipment Hire

  • Shoe Hire
  • Chalk Hire
  • Harness Hire

Other Amenities

  • Merchandise Shop

Classes & Programs

  • Classes (any)
  • Beginner Classes
  • Advanced Classes
  • Family Classes
  • Kids Classes
  • Team Building

Venue Type

  • Climbing Gym

What climbers say about Upper Limits Bloomington

4.7 out of 5from 204 reviews on Google

“This is an amazing gym both inside and out. They offer top rope in the silos. Plus they have boldering with an amazing outdoor artificial bolder!”

Google review,

“I took the top rope class with my sister after being away from climbing for 10 plus years. The teacher of the class was very patient and professional with all members of the class.”

Google review,

“…indoor grain bins converted into climbing walls? Yes! Auto-belay, top rope, and lead climbing on 65 foot walls, tons of fun bouldering problems, and the most gnarly overhang you could ask for…”

Google review,

Ratings as each site showed them in October 2026.

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Beta videos

How climbers have done climbs at Upper Limits Bloomington, played from where they were posted. Walls reset their climbs every few weeks, so check when each was posted.

View all 3 videos at Upper Limits Bloomington

  • Climbing inside the silos

    • Top rope
    • Ungraded

    By WeWisconsin Travel on YouTube ·

  • James P Sullivan boulder

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By Morgan Hewitt on YouTube ·

  • Setter's Challenge boulder

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By Morgan Hewitt on YouTube ·

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