New adventure, wellness, and event destination quickly becomes a gathering place for Oconee County and Athens families |
When APEX Climbing & Spa opened its doors this spring at Wire Park, owners Phillip (UGA '06) and Eileen Blume hoped they were creating more than a climbing gym. Six weeks later, the response from the community suggests they were. In just six weeks, more than 800 visitors have experienced APEX, membership has grown to over 150 active members, and family birthday celebrations are already reserving dates into January 2027.
Families, students, outdoor enthusiasts, and first-time climbers have poured into the facility, transforming APEX into one of the area's newest gathering places. Within the main building, birthday parties fill the calendar, corporate groups are hosting team events, families spend entire afternoons together, and the specialty coffee bar has quickly developed a following of its own.
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Out of sight, within the facility's adjoining day spa, professionals and retirees relax quietly. "We think that what people in Athens were really looking for wasn't just another place to go shopping," said Phillip Blume. "They were looking for a place to belong. A place where families can be active together, where kids can grow up confident, where adults can reconnect with adventure, and where neighbors can genuinely know each other."
Located at Wire Park in Watkinsville and right on the edge of Athens, Georgia, APEX combines indoor climbing, a luxury-inspired spa and recovery area, a 24-hour fitness center, specialty coffee bar, family gathering spaces, youth programs, and community events under one roof. The concept was inspired by the Blumes' years of travel and research, including visits to climbing gyms, outdoor communities, and wellness destinations across the United States and abroad. The facility's popularity has surprised even its founders. While climbing remains the centerpiece, visitors have embraced the combination of climbing, spa amenities, fitness, specialty coffee, youth programs, and community events in a way few facilities in the Southeast currently offer. Yet perhaps the most surprising response has been emotional rather than recreational.
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Parents frequently share stories of children discovering confidence through climbing. Former climbers express excitement about reconnecting with a community they thought they had left behind. New residents arriving from western states have found a familiar culture of adventure and outdoor living they never expected to find in Georgia. "The comments we've heard over and over are things like, 'We've been waiting for something like this,' or 'This is exactly what our family needed — our favorite new place,'" said Blume. "That has been incredibly meaningful to us."
The vision for APEX is deeply connected to Blume's childhood and the legacy of longtime Athens-area mentor and outdoor educator Mike Rivers, whose work has influenced generations of young people throughout Northeast Georgia. Rivers helped pioneer youth outdoor programs and served as the founding director of Athens' former Youth Detention Center, where he championed rehabilitation initiatives that helped replace harsher incarceration practices of the time. His outdoor adventure programs also helped generations of young people discover confidence, resilience, and purpose.
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As a young person, Phillip Blume was among those mentored by Rivers. "Mike showed us that adventure can change lives," said Blume. "He taught generations of kids to love the outdoors, believe in themselves, and tackle challenges that seemed impossible. We see APEX as one small way of carrying that legacy forward." That mission is already expanding beyond the gym walls. This summer, APEX will launch Camp APEX, combining climbing, outdoor exploration, games, and confidence-building experiences for local children. This fall, APEX will host the region's first American Scholastic Climbing League (ASCL) teams, bringing organized school-based climbing competition opportunities to students throughout Oconee County, Athens, and surrounding communities. Schools throughout the region are expected to participate as the league launches its inaugural Georgia season.
The Blumes believe these programs represent the future of APEX. "Climbing is wonderful," said Blume. "But what really matters is helping people become stronger, more grounded, more courageous, and more connected. That's what we're trying to build here." For many local families, the facility has already become exactly that. As summer begins and new programs launch, APEX's founders hope the facility will continue serving as a place where adventure, restoration, friendship, and community come together — not just for Watkinsville and Athens, but for all of Oconee County and throughout Georgia.
 1725 Electric Avenue, Suite 305 Watkinsville, GA 30677 (762) 205-4336 |
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