With more annual visitors than Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Hocking Hills State Park might be called Ohio’s crown jewel for good reason. Its accessibility makes it a great weekend getaway destination for casual hikers, families and honeymooners alike. The relatively small size of the park and short trails make it easy to see a lot in very little time. And the autumn foliage is to die for.. So what shouldn’t you miss?
Ash Cave
“Cave” is a bit of a misnomer here, since Ash Cave is technically a rock shelter. At 700 feet long and 90 feet tall it is the largest rock shelter in Ohio. If you’re lucky you might also be graced by its occasionally present waterfall, which has only ever been a trickle the few times I’ve seen it. The trail here is short & paved, making it an essential bang-for-the-buck stop for little effort. No photo can do its size justice— check it out for yourself.
Old Man’s Cave
Old Man’s Cave is by far the most popular hike at Hocking Hills. With two picturesque waterfalls, several bridges across the gorge, stone tunnels and rock stairs, it has the most unique features out of any trails on this list, and draws in a commensurately large crowd of people at nearly all times. This is a great hike for all ages, and the large visitor center at the trailhead has clean bathrooms and a gift shop.
Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve
What do you get when you combine Red River Gorge with a waterfall? You get Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve. This might be the closest thing to being in Kentucky without actually being there. Here you’ll find a short, flat gorge trail that leads to a seasonal waterfall, and a rim trail spanning the length of the gorge along cliffs nearly 200 feet high. Both trails are worth seeing, but the rim trail isn’t advisable for young children since the cliffs are narrow in a few places and lack guard rails. The initial ascent is also a little strenuous.
Rock House
This narrow, tunnel-like cave that formed on the side of a sandstone cliff is only about a mile round trip hike and an essential stop. Its undulating walls and rock windows at both sides of the cave have drawn attention for thousands of years, beginning with the Native Americans who used it as a shelter. The parking lot is on the smaller side, and it can get quite dim outside of afternoon hours, so be advised.
Cedar Falls
Situated within a gorge, Cedar Falls is enclosed by steep stone walls etched with numerous grottoes and overhanging rock. At 50 feet in height, it has the largest volume of any waterfall in Hocking Hills. This 1/2 mile loop hike has plenty of steps to descend and climb back out of the gorge, so I’d classify it as mild to moderately strenuous, but absolutely worth it for the waterfall and neat suspension bridge spanning Queer Creek along the rim trail.
Summary
It’s hard to choose just 5 places to see in Hocking Hills. Luckily, the area is small enough to visit the essentials in a day or two. Fans of waterfalls will enjoy the Old Man’s Cave trail and Cedar Falls, rim trail hikers looking for panoramic views will rejoice at Conkles Hollow, and spelunkers will take their fill at Ash Cave and Rock House. If you have time to spare, you might check out a few hidden gems as well, which will be detailed in another article.