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University of Illinois Campus Recreation
4.7 ★★★★★ 422 Google reviews · Climbing gym in Champaign, Illinois
Extensive college gym with climbing walls, indoor and outdoor pools and classes.
Plan your visit
- Gear rental nearly every climbing gym rents shoes (~$5–8 typical) and chalk; harness rental is often bundled with a ropes pass
- Waiver always required at climbing gyms — sign it online before you go to skip the front-desk line
- First timer? bouldering needs zero experience — rent shoes and walk in; staff will point you at the easiest problems
- Kids programs classes, camps, or youth teams mentioned — check the current schedule
- Memberships available — worth asking about if you'd climb more than a few times a month
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (217) 333-3806
- Website campusrec.illinois.edu
Hours
| Monday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–9 PM |
What's inside
“Hands-down the best gym in Champaign-Urbana if you are into lifting, and it offers more basketball courts and cardio machine variants than other places as well.”
What climbers say again and again
“Nice/clean college recreation center that's packed with many different facilities.”
“A 4 flour gym with 2 swimming pool, 1 sauna, 1 3 flour high rock climbing wall.”
From the reviews
Nice/clean college recreation center that's packed with many different facilities. It's usually full of people but if you go at the right time then it's manageable. The gym seems pretty small considering the amount of kids that attend the college so be prepared to wait if that's where you go.
The facilities are great. Well-spaced, clean and including a big diversity of working machines. The pools are great during the summer and running track above allows you to skip the threadmills if you don't like them. Overall, a great place to exercise.
While it's usually crowded, the facilities here are amazing. Seemingly infinite number of machines, basketball courts, and weights. So long as you avoid peak hours (after dinner), you'll love the experience.
Great place to workout! For UIUC students you must show your ID card to enter, so don't forget your ID at home! There are two swmming pools (one indoor and one outdoor) so you can swim all the year. There is also fitness class everyday (check the calendar online).
Kids classes & camps at University of Illinois Campus Recreation
Reviews and the gym's own info mention kids programs at University of Illinois Campus Recreation — climbing classes, school-break camps, or a youth team where kids learn technique from coaches instead of just scrambling around. Program schedules and age groups change each season, so check the current lineup before you plan around one.
Adaptive climbing
University of Illinois Campus Recreation is mentioned for adaptive climbing or paraclimbing — sessions, equipment, or coaching that make the walls climbable for people with disabilities. Offerings like this vary a lot gym to gym and schedules change, so call ahead to ask what's available and when the next session runs.
Climbing gyms near University of Illinois Campus Recreation
Activities and Recreation Center
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Horizon Climbing
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