Read This Before You Go To Hocking Hills State Park
(My Experience & A Guide To Ohio’s Most Visited State Park)
The Lower Falls at Old Man’s Cave
Recently, I took a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip to Hocking Hills State Park, located near Logan, Ohio. It is human nature to occasionally need to dip out of our everyday existence and find somewhere to stretch our legs (literally and metaphorically), therefore, a few months ago I got this sensation and headed for the hills. Growing up in rural Ohio, I spent time hunting, fishing, and exploring nature. Going to The Wilderness Center in nearby Wilmot, Ohio with my mother and freezing my tail off in a treestand with my dad are some of my earliest memories of the outdoors. Through high school, I continued to gain an increased affection for being outdoors, and now this affection has grown into somewhat of an obsession. I dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail, rock climbing steep cliff faces in Yosemite, and elk hunting in Wyoming. But, where do you start to reach these goals or even to simply live a more outdoors-infused life as a college student in Ohio? Well, you start by looking for opportunities close to home. Hocking Hills is one of those wonderful opportunities here in Ohio and by exploring it alone I knew I would become a more experienced man of the wilderness.
After leaving the frat house I call my home away from home, and before taking on the wilderness, I needed to stop by my parent’s house to pick up my tent, some grub, and other supplies. The drive from my abode, in the northeast Ohio town of Navarre, down to the Hocking Hills State Park Campground, in southern Ohio, took two and a half hours. I left sometime around 10:00 or 11:00 PM on a Thursday, meaning I would arrive pretty late. Leaving, I had no idea what to expect, but the getaway shaped up to be a wonderful little weekend trip and just what I needed to feel refreshed.
The journey down was as pleasant as a two-and-a-half-hour drive can be, and the fact that I made the trip late at night meant the roads were open and I could ponder life under the stars. A late-night reflective and optimistic feeling set in as it always does when the sun goes down. When you reach the Hocking area the roads turn windy and hilly but provide beautiful views. In fact, Car and Driver has used a loop of this scenic, windy road to test cars since at least 1989. Car and Driver’s columnist John Phillips had this to say of the loop: “The driving route is maybe the best in the world, this side of the Nürburgring, but you have to tackle it in the morning on weekdays to avoid traffic and school buses. Cops are few.” If it is good enough to test an Aston Martin, it is good enough for me. Driving is especially great on warm days with the windows down, something I was able to experience on this trip.
Before leaving I booked a campsite at the state park’s campground. Campsite 163 to be exact. This spot had electricity, a water supply right next to it, bathrooms and showers close by, and the site was big enough to park a truck with a camper...if only I had a camper. I booked it for two nights, running me $69.50 after tax — affordable for a broke college kid – and was able to set up my tent on the grass. Each campsite has room for a tent unless otherwise stated. After a great late spring night's sleep, I awoke to the warmth of the mid-morning sun on my REI tent. Last summer, I bought a tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad backpacking bundle from REI to go on more trips like this. I ate a quick breakfast of some huge oranges that my dad supplied me with before leaving as well as a few bites of his specialty chadone left over from Easter. I was then ready to hit the trails.
Me and my tent! :)
Hocking Hills has seven major hikes that give the state park its worthy fame in Ohio. These hikes are Ash Cave, Old Man's Cave, Rock House, Conkle's Hollow, Cedar Falls, Cantwell Cliffs, and the Whispering Cave Trail. I was only hiking for one day but I was actually able to hit four of these spots. I saw Rock House first, then Cantwell Cliffs and Conkle’s Hollow, ending the hiking day at Old Man’s Cave. I started late in the day so I did not get to see as much as if I would have begun hiking at sunrise. I believe a fit person could enjoy all seven hikes in two days. Rock House was my initial Hocking Hills impression and it was a good one! The short hike provided an easy start to the day and being able to climb in the natural cave or “house” created by the rock was incredibly interesting. A few five-year-olds and I had a heck of a time jumping on boulders.
Next up was Cantwell Cliffs. It provided a two-ish mile hike with views of beautiful waterfalls. This hike takes anywhere from forty-five minutes to one hour and twenty minutes depending on how many pictures you take. Conkle’s Hollow Rim Trail was the longest hike of the day but provided the best views of the landscape. Do not be deterred by the “DANGER!” signs at the beginning of the trail, warning of the possibility of falling over the cliffs. If you are in relatively decent shape, watch where you are walking, and stay away from the edge you will be fine. This trail is named after W.J. Conkle, who left his name and the year "1797" carved into the sandstone on the west wall of the gorge. The trail is 2.1 miles in length with a bit of incline and decline along the way. There is the option for a smaller trail here but go for the gold and do the Rim Trail!
A view from Conkle’s Hollow Rim Trail
As the sun set, I ended up at the spot Hocking Hills State Park is known for — Old Man’s Cave. This trailhead is right next to the campground which makes it a nice point to wrap up the day. There is a six-mile loop that allows one to see all of these sites: the Upper Falls, The Devil’s Bathtub, Under the A-frame bridge, Old Man’s Cave, The Sphinx, Lower Falls, Over a boardwalk in Rose Valley, Whispering Falls, Cedar Falls, Queer Creek, and Rose Lake. I did not have time to do this entire hike, as it would take most of a day, so I just hiked up past Old Man’s Cave to the Lower Falls (where I captured one of the best photos I have ever taken). Here is some interesting history about Old Man’s Cave, including how it got its intriguing name, from HockingHills.com:
“Old Man's Cave derives its name from the hermit Richard Rowe who lived in the large recess cave of the gorge. His family moved to the Ohio River Valley around 1796 from the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee to establish a trading post. He and his two dogs traveled through Ohio along the Scioto River in search of game. On one side trip up Salt Creek, he found the Hocking Region. Rowe lived out his life in the area and is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave. Earlier residents of the cave were two brothers, Nathaniel and Pat Rayon, who came to the area in 1795. They built a permanent cabin 30 feet north of the cave entrance. Both brothers are buried in or near the cave. Their cabin was later dismantled and relocated on the nearby Iles farm to be used as a tobacco drying house.”
When all of my hiking was concluded I went back to my campsite where I had a drink and took down my tent. By coincidence, my sister was also spending the weekend in the area to have some adventures with a few friends. They had rented out one of the many cabins close by and invited me to spend a fun night. I went over and had a few drinks and laughs by the fire. The next morning (Saturday) I left for home.
*Below I have detailed the what's, when's, where's, and how's of a trip exploring Hocking Hills State Park.
LOCATION:
Hocking Hills State Park is located in southeastern Ohio in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County. Hocking Hills State Park is part of Wayne National Forest. The land which comprises Hocking Hills State Park is part of the Allegheny Plateau, a large plateau spanning from central New York to the north, through Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, into West Virginia to the south. Bordering counties are Perry, Athens, Vinton, Ross, Pickaway, and Fairfield.
HISTORY:
Over 300 million years ago the land that comprises Hocking Hills State Park was the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Sand and gravel deposited here during this time is the reason for all the black hand sandstone that makes up the rock formations. “The blackhand derives its name from a large, soot-inscribed figure of a human hand placed by Indians on a cliff face of this same sandstone in the gorge of the Licking River east of Newark” (from hockinghills.com). These formations were formed by plate movements and water erosion occurring as and after the ocean receded. Eastern or Canadian Hemlocks and the Canadian Yew are found natively in Ohio in the Hocking Hills region. The Civilian Conservation Corps is, in large part, responsible for this beautiful park we have today, having done much work on it in the 1930s. One thing I found exceptionally interesting about Hocking Hills is the people who made the area their home in years past. Chaletshh.com had this to say of the early people who inhabited the region:
“It is unknown exactly when the first humans inhabited the region, but some evidence suggests that it was as long as 7000 years ago. The Adena tribe, which lived in Ohio around 2000 to 3000 years ago, left its mark on the area, and they were followed between the 1300s and the 1700s by the Fort Ancient Indians, the Wyandot Indians, and other Native American tribes. In fact, the term Blackhand, used to describe the sandstone, comes from a figure of a human hand early Native Americans inscribed in soot on a cliff face, perhaps as a navigational aid.
Pioneers moved into southeast Ohio in the late 18th century, finding abundant natural resources including many game animals. In the early 19th century, the early settlements expanded and the first powder and grist mills were constructed. Two charcoal iron furnaces were built, and iron extracted from the sandstone was used for farm tools and weapons. Later, coal was discovered, adding to the region’s rich natural resources.”
(To read more on the interesting history of the area check out this awesome piece that Ohio Memory wrote on the subject, this piece by TheHockingHills.org, or this one by HockingHills.com.)
HIKING:
Hocking Hills State Park is a wonderful place for hiking. If you are getting ready for a season of elk hunting out west or trying to be a better whitetail hunter at home, hiking is the perfect way to get conditioned. Where better to do this than at the beautiful Hocking Hills State Park? Below is a bit more information on each of the seven major hiking trails at Hocking Hills State Park.
Cedar Falls: This is a ½-mile-long hike. It is relatively strenuous for those who are not physically fit. It features a one-way trail system with rocks, a seasonal waterfall, and bridges. The hike takes roughly 40 minutes to complete.
Ash Cave: This is also a ½-mile-long hike. The steps can be strenuous for those who are not physically fit. It features a one-way trail system with a cave and a seasonal waterfall. Part of the trail is wheelchair accessible. The hike takes roughly 40 minutes to complete.
Old Man’s Cave: The Old Man’s Cave location has many different options. Longer hikes take hikers to Whispering Falls, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave. The most common hikes are 1 to 1.5 miles in length and show you around only the Old Man’s Cave area without taking you to other locations. This is a 1-1.5 hour-long hike. There is a smaller wheelchair-accessible trail.
*Old Man’s Cave is the most popular hike at Hocking Hills State Park and therefore often the busiest and most crowded. Refer to the ODNR for more information on these trails because they can be confusing.
A cool view from the Old Man’s Cave hike!
Whispering Cave: This is a 5-mile-long hike. The trail is a one-way loop so hikers must go all 5 miles. There is a swinging bridge and a waterfall. This hike can be strenuous. The starting point is at Old Man’s Cave. The hike involves cliff edges, inclines, and uneven terrain.
Conkle’s Hollow: Here there are two trails to choose from. These are the Upper Trail and the Lower Trail. The Lower Trail is ¾-miles-long and is wheelchair accessible. The Upper Trail is more difficult with uneven terrain and dangerous cliff edges to be cautious of, but it offers beautiful views. This hike can be relatively strenuous for those not physically fit. The Upper Trail took me about 1.5-2 hours to hike.
Cantwell Cliffs: This is the most rugged terrain of any of the park’s trails. There are over 2 miles of trail with two loops, each being one mile. This hike takes around 1.5-2 hours. It is a one-way in, one-way out loop trail.
Rock House: This trail is a roughly 1-mile loop featuring huge rock formations. It is a great hike to bring kids who love climbing and exploring rocks and caves. This hike can be completed pretty quickly if you are in good shape.
Additional hiking guide: https://thehockinghills.org/hiking.htm
Trail Map: https://www.explorehockinghills.com/media/gdpl5ode/hockinghillstrailmap.pdf
CAMPING/LODGING:
Camping is available, where I camped, at the Hocking Hills State Park Campground which has regular campsites featuring these amenities:
Full hook-up, electric sites with 20-, 30-, or 50-amp service, and non-electric sites.
Each site has a paved pad, fire ring, and picnic table.
Pets are permitted on all campsites.
The campground features heated showers, flush toilets, laundry, a dump station, a fill station, a campground store with camping supplies; firewood and souvenirs, playgrounds, a volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit.
A primitive hike-in campground offers a simpler camping experience. The details of the primitive campground are as follows:
No road access to these campsites.
Campers must hike their gear up to ½ mile to their campsite.
Water spigot available in the parking area and pit latrines are located throughout the campground.
Pets are permitted on all sites.
Each site has a fire ring and picnic table.
Tent-only group camping, cabins, and preferred cabins with fireplaces are also offered on the campground. Many other campgrounds, lodges, hotels, and Airbnbs not run by the state park are also located in the region. These can be found with a quick Google search. If you need help finding anything you can always shoot me an email with questions at ecregs@gmail.com. The above information was taken directly from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, you can find this and more information on the Hocking Hills State Park Campground portion of their website. You can book a state park campsite here.
OTHER ADVENTURES:
*This is sort of the end of my expertise in the Hocking Hills department but I have done a bit of research to provide you with a few other things that look cool to do while in the area!
Rock climbing and rappelling: https://www.hockinghillsadventuretrek.com/
The only cowboy cookout horseback ride in Ohio: https://www.thespottedhorseranch.com/
Guided kayaking trips on local waters to explore the life of the area: https://touchtheearthadventures.com/
FOOD:
As far as food, you are on your own because I brought all of my food with me. If you are sleeping under the stars you might as well cook your food over the fire. But…it could never hurt to stop by a local bar or restaurant…you never know who you might meet.
RESOURCES:
Listed below are a few useful maps for Hocking Hills State Park Campground.
Call this number for more Hocking Hills State Park information: (740) 385-6842.
*IMPORTANT NOTES:
If you are going to Hocking Hills any time other than winter, it is a good idea to call as soon as possible to make sure that you can still book a campsite/cabin/etc. because it gets very busy.
The trailheads for all of the seven major hikes at Hocking Hills State Park are accessible by vehicle and have dedicated parking.
Thanks so much for reading. I hope this blog helped you get a little bit of the scoop on Hocking Hills. Again, if you have any questions or just want to talk about camping, adventure, or anything else you can always shoot me an email at ecregs@gmail.com or dm me on Instagram here.
SOURCES:
https://www.hockinghills.com/conkles_hollow.html
https://ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org/archives/2789
https://thehockinghills.org/a_little_bit_of_history.htm
https://www.chaletshh.com/hocking-hills/exploring-the-history-of-hocking-hills-state-park/
