Hocking Hills State Park is so unique, beautiful, large, and filled with different experiences and sights that I think it’s safe to say it could be a national park and not just a state park!
About an hour southeast of Columbus, Ohio and near both the West Virginia and Kentucky borders, Hocking Hills doesn’t look anything like the Ohio I’ve always known—flat as far as the eye can see and filled with cornfields. It more resembles the majestic mountain areas of West Virginia and the soaring cliffs in Kentucky’s Cumberland region.
It’s the absolute perfect place for families to spend quality time together. The area boasts thousands of beautiful secluded cabins for large groups and trails to explore and take advantage of the fresh air, natural sights, and activity that is fun for all ages.
Here are my top 3 recommended sights to see if you only have a weekend in this amazing corner of the Earth:
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Cantwell Cliffs
About two miles all the way around, the Cantwell Cliffs loop was the first trail we tackled and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It’s one of the further trails from the main park areas near Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave, but they’re still only about a 20 minute drive away from each other.
Because of this though, Cantwell Cliffs is one of the lesser populated trails in the area, which makes it nice to do on a weekend, while saving the busier trails for early mornings and weekdays if possible to avoid the heavier crowds they can attract.
If you don’t want to hike two miles, rest assured that the main cliffs sights are right at the start of the trail and are an extremely short walk from the parking area.
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Rock House
This trail is about a one mile loop that takes you past a huge cave in the woods. It’s a breathtaking sight to see and will have you imagining what it would be like taking shelter there hundreds of years ago during a storm.
This is a relatively quick and easy trail, but don’t be fooled by the small opening of the cave because it’s very large and you’re allowed to go in there!
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Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls to Ash Cave
Although all three of these sights (Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave) have parking areas next to them and can be accessed without much walking, I’d highly recommend hiking the whole trail if you can.
We chose to start at Old Man’s Cave in the morning to try to avoid the notorious crowds there as much as possible. Park one car near Ash Cave and drive another to Old Man’s Cave, then hike from one end to the other and drive to get the other car at the end. If you only have one car, you can still hike a bit of the trails from each parking area to get the idea.
I’d say it’s about 9 miles all together, although there are contradicting reports of this listed in many places. What’s great about this trail is it’s easy (wide and flat) and it’s nicely broken up by sights so it’s not too long of hiking without something to see, a restroom, or water fountain. If you have a full day, it’s definitely worth the trip. Be sure to bring enough water, snacks, and good hiking shoes.
Ash Cave was the perfect way to end our trip and a beautiful sight to behold at the end of a long day of hiking. I would say it was my favorite attraction in Hocking Hills but that wouldn’t be true. It’s literally impossible to pick a favorite because everything was so scenic.
I’d recommend visiting in the springtime if possible. May would be the ideal time to go because the waterfalls should be full force and the crowds smaller while kids are in school. The summertime is the dry season so the waterfalls are basically dribbles at that point. However, if that’s the only time you can go, it’s still TOTALLY worth it.
There’s also a 23.5 mile trail loop in Zaleski State Park nearby that is supposed to be a wonderful backpacking spot if you’re looking for something overnight. I’m hoping to get back to that area soon and tackle that one myself one of these days.
There are so many other caves, falls, and trails in Hocking Hills that I feel like I didn’t even scratch the surface. Do you have a favorite that isn’t listed here? I’d love to know about it!
CAITLYN WITHOUT A COMPASS
Some clips from my trip!
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