Hocking Hills State Park

Stunning views, good hikes. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting all the spots and taking nice pictures of nature around Hocking Hills. We came on Saturday and Sunday (12/27-12/28), and to be honest it was quite busy for us. Can’t imagine how packed it gets in the summer. Would recommend going there as early as you can in the day to avoid crowds. But if the crowds don’t really affect your experience, mid day is when it gets the busiest. We felt like we were waiting in line just to go see the next sight. All entries are free. Some areas don’t have bathrooms, but have Porta Jons. Be prepared to drive on very wavy and low visibility roads. It’s a beautiful place for sure. Waterfalls and Whispering Cave was our favorite. It gets muddy, so wear waterproof and shoes that you don’t care getting dirty with mud and clay.

Words can’t describe how wonderful of a trip we had to Hocking Hills. We lucked out with weather and the crowds were manageable, almost non existent in some spots. Come prepared to walk with lots of water!

Here’s a polished, friendly hiking review based on your message: It’s a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year. We went there on Valentine’s Day, and you can really feel how much people love nature. Even though it was winter, we were surprised to see everything covered in ice — not snow, but solid ice! Hiking can be quite challenging without proper gear, so shoe spikes are a must. I wouldn’t recommend going without them, as the trails get very slippery. Despite that, it was still an amazing experience. Visiting the beautiful waterfalls and enjoying the small hikes around the area made the trip truly special and memorable.

We stopped in at Hocking Hills State Park on a weekday in early October. It had been a while since we last visited the park. We were shocked at how popular the park was as the parking area was packed. We noticed that visitors were from all over the country. Hocking Hills is truly one of Ohio's best state parks has become a world class park. There is so much to see and do. The park lodge and visitor center are wonderful facilities. The hiking trails through rock formations are simply stunning and second to none in the state. We plan to return and camp in the state park campgrounds. Get there early as the parking lot fills quickly.

Neat trails and gorgeous views. I have fond memories going when I was life in boyscouts. Certainly not as aclimated to hiking as I was back then. Love the falls and seeing some of the ice and snow still on the rocks.

I loved going here. The trails are super fun and slight challenge to everyone. Sometimes there are ladders that you have to climb. Very wet in some places but the view the whole times is super nice. I recommend here for anyone who loves hiking and wants to have a good time.

There is a reason this park gets the same amount of visitors as Yellowstone National Park. This is Ohio's premier outdoor area. Yes some of the trails are worn down and could use maintenance. The Old Man's Cavr trail becoming one way was a blessing. For beginner/novice hiker go see Ash Cave not a true cave but a sandstone cliff with a small waterfall that you can walk in the splash pool its a 90ft trickel that has made many post cards. Medium difficulty is Cedar Falls this is the biggest by volume waterfall in the park. The hardest part is the worn steps down to the trail from the parking lot. Once down I. The valley it is an easy trail to get to the falls. Old Man's Cave trail I give it a medium hiking trail but its at a mile several falls in sandstone cliffs very beautiful. Down side remember when I said this area gets the same traffic as Yellowstone National Park. The parking during peak times fills up fast there are about 4 restaurants / gift shops around patience and luck are needed and when its hot and humid a trail or two might be all you get and the few sandwich or pizza places could be over run as well. There are other Hocking Hills trails that get less traveled search them out

This destination is one of my childhood favorite places to visit. I recommend you coming here to visit & hike this beautiful nature preserve. My partner & I hiked for over 4 hours with 9+ miles in footsteps later. Needless to say we couldn't walk after that.

Beautiful hiking and the lodge has all the accommodations....nice pool and a couple great patios...deck...onsite restaurant and bar....you can access the trails directly from The lodge property

My folks and I visited in the summer and had a lovely day together. The scenery is beautiful, the trails are well-maintained, and the park facilities are nice. There were a lot of people when we visited--I'd say somewhere between high and medium traffic on trails. If you're wanting a solo moment with nature, I don't think you'll find it here. But it is pretty and a nice little break from metro life or suburbia.

We loved our winter hike. The nature center was our first stop and the kids loved playing in the fake cave and made trail upstairs. The building was cleaning and the park ranger was very knowledgeable on what trails the kids would be good at. We did Old Man's Cave (shorter section) , Ash Cave, and Conkle's Hollow with 4 and 5 year old.

What is there to say other than amazing? This is the spot for everyone to check out during summer, winter, spring, and fall. You'll never go wrong if you want a hike, just some fresh air, to capture photos, capture video, drone shots, anything you can think of. You'll fall in love.

This is our 2nd trip into area, 1st time in State park. There is so much hiking just a few min from the campground. There is plenty to do in the area for 3 day trip.

Hocking Hills State Park has been on my bucket list for quite some time! I honestly wasn't sure if I would ever make it here, but a call from my wife's best friend with news of cancer immediately set us on a 12 hour road trip to be by her side. Being the explorer that I am, I saw no harm in breaking up the drive with a few scenic stops along the way. THE EXPERIENCE The park is a 400 acre geological wonder filled with excellent natural features such as multiple waterfalls, America's largest recessed cave (Ash Cave), and boasts a natural cave with a 25 foot high ceiling and a 200 foot long main corridor that is 20 to 30 feet wide known as Rock House. Some parts of the park sit nearly 1100 feet above sea level while other areas within the gorge drop to around 725 feet. It's the gorge that makes Hocking Hills so spectacular. The Buckeye Trail allows you to travel a very extensive portion of the gorge as well as some of the higher elevations. Oh, and if you were wondering, a Buckeye, aka Aesculus Glabra, is a species of tree in the soapberry family native to North America. The trees bear a fruit that contain a large nut. The nut gives the tree its name because it is dark brown color with a light spot, resembling the shape and color of a deer's eye. During our visit we managed to see the Visitors Center, Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. Each was spectacular in its own right, but Ash Cave and Upper Falls were our favorites. Ash Cave made me feel like I was inside a giant terrarium while Upper Falls was visually stimulating. I love the arched stone bridge above the falls. It made the waterfall photogenically more interesting than the larger Cedar Falls further south in the park. The Visitor Center is full of beautiful displays and useful information about the park and there are many parking areas near all the main features I mentioned above. What is EXTREMELY COOL is Ohio doesn't charge a fee to visit their State Parks, something I wish ALL State Parks would adopt! FINAL THOUGHTS I only wish I had taken a little extra time to visit Rock House and hike to the lower falls, but we just didn't have the room in our travel schedule. So if your planning to visit Hocking Hills State Park, budget at least 4 hours so that you can get a good glimpse of all the main features this spectacular place has to offer. 2023 / 13

Such a hidden gem in OH! About 3.5 hours from Pittsburgh. We saw pictures of Ash Cave and had to see it for ourselves. It is a completely paved trail & dog friendly. Only about .5 miles long until you hit the Cave. There is an alternate exit that would be considered easy/moderate and unpaved. Otherwise, you would exit the way you entered. On the alternate exit, there are metal steps that the grates are kind of pointed to help with grip. It was great for us but our pup had hard time going up these. Not sure if he's dramatic (likely) or if it was too pointy for his paw pads. He made it up the couple of flights with those steps but didn't enjoy it, I'll say. Otherwise it was super dog friendly! He was able to walk in the water too. This is a truly beautiful spot! So cool & a must-stop if you're in the area. PS there's a restroom right at the beginning of the trail

Beautiful. Trails are laid out for easy navigating. There are some sweet things to see along the way. There are a lot of people there, but they are busy doing their own things and don't get in your space. Scenic bridges, waterfalls and trails. Several trails to try for the adventurous lot. Different degrees of difficulty. Parking is not a problem. The entire area is littered with free. Makes for a great hike.

Gorgeous park, and very busy - for good reason. Free entry is a big park and there was a lot of parking at the visitor's center and plenty of trails surrounding (including a lot we didn't even get to) -- but when we left the parking lot was overflowing and cars were parked for a quarter mile at least down the road. So head in early if you want to park in a safer spot. So many cool parts of this trail - Gorge Overlook is a lot less scenic but was a welcome break after trading through the Buckeye Trail. Really cool landmarks are Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls (even without a lot of rain, it was still a cool sight) and many others. Pack water!

Absolutely gorgeous state park. Amenities are great. Good parking. Lots of trails and hikes to choose from.

I've heard about Hocking Hills State Park for a couple years now as a wonderful place to visit in mid/south Ohio. But as a Michigander, it has taken me this long to finally visit Hocking Hills because I don't tend to frequent Ohio if I can help it (hahaha omg I'M KIDDING!). I finally did visit this summer and not only did I visit, I camped there! The camping reservation system is quite a bit confusing, but upon entering the campgrounds, I understood why because this campground is PACKED. From other people we heard that they have made the campgrounds smaller and smaller (and therefore closer and closer together) through the years to make way for more capacity and it really shows. These campgrounds are cramped, but my campsite was thankfully a bit off the main road and had a cluster of trees to one side and an empty campground across the road from us, so we weren't surrounded on every side. We also had access to the trail system within easy walking distance of our campground, which was lovely and I'm here to say that WOW Hocking Hills truly blew me away. All the hype I had heard from friends and strangers alike were correct, this place is stunning! The first day, we arrived at the campground, set up, and then immediately hopped back into the car to go to Ash Cave, which is a small drive away. We did the small Ash Cave hike (I want to say it's perhaps not even a mile long), but it was SO worth it because this cave and waterfall are STUNNING! (Disclaimer: Our entire weekend was sort of rainy, so the hikes got a little treacherous when additionally slippery given that there are already so many waterfalls throughout this entire park!) Ash Cave was a perfect way to kick off our weekend at Hocking Hills and it's definitely a must-see while you're here! The following day we walked to the Buckeye (ugh....JK! :P) Trail and did the hike from the upper falls to the lower falls and then back to our campground! This was our only not-rainy day and it was EXTREMELY HOT (even in September!). Thankfully there was a ton of tree coverage throughout the entire trail and we took frequent breaks to appreciate all that could be seen on the hiking trail. This is one of the coolest hikes for sure because the path is so well maintained, but also a mostly natural path, so you really get a fun sense of adventure when you're here. As someone who does hike a lot and has seen all kinds of hiking trail conditions in her day all across the country, I can easily tell you that this is one of the most impressive and wonderful trails I have had the pleasure of hiking thus far! The entire loop from our campground to the upper falls, lower falls, and then back to our campground was about 4 miles, which isn't too bad, but was also relatively killer on such a hot day. We were tapped after that and decided to spend the late afternoon before making dinner at our campsite exploring the nearby town of Logan - it's a small town that's geared very much so towards advertising all that the Hocking Hills region has to offer, so there wasn't much. We went to their local ice cream shop that also had a petting zoo and enjoyed a cool cup of ice cream while watching the animals get fed before heading back to the campground. On our final full day there, we again hopped in the car and went to Cedar Falls this time, this is technically a spot you could hike to if you felt up for it from the campground, but we were all still feeling the effects from our previous day's hike, so we decided to drive to the parking lot, which would mean a short hike in to see Cedar Falls. We decided to hike this southern part of the Buckeye Trail first and loop back around at the end to check out the waterfall before heading back to our car. This part of the trail extends past the Lower Falls of our previous day's hike and is, if I remember correctly, 4 miles past the Lower Falls. We decided just to hike as far as we felt before turning around back to Cedar Falls. We were hoping to get as far as Whispering Cave, but got to the intersection between Whispering Cave and the Lower Falls and decided to turn around there since Whispering Cave was still about a mile out. The entire hike was again SO lovely though, and a bit more challenging/rugged than the previous day's hike, but it was just so much fun. You're climbing up against giant slabs of rock or between boulders, up and down, through natural steps made out of tree roots, over logs, all of it. It was so adventurous and a great time. There were some boardwalks throughout under waterfalls and was just another WONDERFUL hike that we all really enjoyed. All in all, I love Hocking Hills. There is still so much of the park that we have yet to explore and I definitely plan to come back here at some point SOON so that we can do it all again and do MORE! Come here for a great, adventurous time because it's absolutely wonderful! So many options available here for all kinds of skills levels, types of activities, and more! Love it!!!

Great park and wonderful scenery, just way too many people. Very dog friendly! Probably wont visit again, but a good sight to see!

Incredibly beautiful trail. Loved every second of exploring this area. Even those dog friendly I wouldn't recommend bringing a dog that has shorter legs because there are areas where the steps are kind of difficult to climb and if they are awkward or long you would not be able to carry them throughout the whole path very comfortably. I would recommend wearing shoes with good tread because parts of the path are slippery. If you're in the area definitely worth visiting this.

Hocking Hills State Park is one of the prettiest I have been to! I travelled from out of State to visit the park and it was well worth it. Our first stop was Old Man's Cave where they also had a huge visitors center. You can get a map at the visitors center and plan your route. There are several unique areas to explore that you can either hike to, or drive to each area. The trails are one way and this did make things confusing. I would suggest talking to the park rangers at the visitors center to ask for instructions with mapping your route. I am more of an experienced hiker and got confused. I also mapped our route on All Trails and noticed that All Trails mapped us as hiking longer than the map showed. We were expecting heavy rain that day and prepared with ponchos. Another great thing about the park is that it was free!

Absolutely love to go hiking at Cedar Falls in Hocking Hills State Park. It was my son in-law first time here and he fully loved it. We went yesterday April 25, 2021, the group included my hubby, daughter, son in-law and myself. We also hiked Ash Cave Waterfall as well. It was absolutely gorgeous day and plenty of others out hiking enjoying weather as well. Always free to enjoy and definitely recommend you go hiking here if given the chance.

Great park. Plenty of hiking options. Short scenic hikes or longer more taxing hikes. Beautiful views. I suggest dry winter hiking or week days to avoid the crowds :)

This place is great! Beautiful lodge with two-sided fireplaces, nice lounge, big terraces both open and covered. The one-bedroom suite with balcony is gigantic. We were in Room 225, view is of woods, I think the even numbered rooms on the other side might have better views, but the view wasn't bad by any means. The food was much better than we'd been expecting. I would definitely come back and recommend this to anyone who enjoys this type of lodging/vacation experience.

We decided to hike the Gorge Overlook trail, a little over 6 miles with some gorgeous scenery.

Absolutely love Hocking hills. It's a family friendly park. Some trails are good for dogs, some are good for kids, some are good with bikes. If you want to see a waterfall, recommend hiking after a rainy day for the fully experience. Recommend hiking early in the morning to avoid heavy hiker/family traffic. Placed I've hiked so far and recommend: Old mans cave - high hiker traffic Devil's Bathtub Upper falls Lower falls Rock House Cedar falls Conkles hollow gorge

This park is my by far my favorite place in Ohio .. and it's free. It's hilly gorgeous ... it looks more like West Virginia or Tennessee to me. Some lovely peaceful farm country surrounds it ... you can camp but there are several cabins .. some rustic ..some nice. It's far enough from stuff that you would want to come prepared with water and snacks. We have stayed a few days or made it a day trip and drove back. People come from all over to see it .. be prepared the cell phone might not work. Ours didn't work there but our GPS did .. so glad we brought it. We stopped at Old Man cave first (most popular) .. welcome center with maps and flush bathrooms. I'd say Old man cave, upper and lower falls, Cedar falls, Ash cave and rock house are the top places to visit. You can do them in a day if you start early. nice place to hike .. good work out .. lots of stairs and hills.

What does social distancing mean to you? To me it means to get away from everyone and how do you do that? You go hiking deep and farther than any one person cares to venture as at that point it's just you and nature as well as a few friends that you know are all good! Coming here has been on my list for several months as who doesn't love a hike with several awesome features along the way that Mother Nature has created for all to see! Coming here I didn't really know how much more there would be other than a bathtub a devil occupies and a cave that a old man used to live in but what I found was nothing short of beautiful and just relaxing in it's own hikeable way! So first we came up on the first falls where there was plenty of water coming down with a bridge that goes over the top making for a totally beautiful setting that was just stunning! So down the trail a bit you find an interesting path as a lot of it has been carved out with stairs and bridges for you to avoid the river which was making for a really easy hike it wasn't until way down the trail that it got a bit more challenging the way I like it! So after the first falls we came up on the Devil's Bathtub which just screamed come sit inside and let me clean you as it was just a super cool rock formation in the river that just looked like it could be fun to swim in! So a bit more down the trail we came up on Old Mans Cave it was pretty big and kinda cool seeing it in this ravine but there was more to be found so I went on and on until I came up on the waterfall that was just sooo pretty I couldn't keep my eyes off it or behind it! This last waterfall was the stopping point for most but for us we kept going and then we found the suspension bridge that was kinda swinging of sorts which was super fun and just in an awesome place in the forest but a bit after this we would make it to Whispering Cave which was by far the coolest place on this hike as it was huge and just amazing inside it was even better because it was just our group here for the most part which made it even more stunning to be here in this beautiful place! So after some time in the cave we ventured back and it was just that much more fun of a hike as we did a couple of miles which is always the best! Overall super cool hiking area in a beautiful park that's full of tons of features and something for everyone you soo know that I'll be back here again at some point as like I said it was just awesome here!

What a gem in Ohio! 1.5-2 days would be a perfect time to explore the Hocking Hill area. You can get the trail map at Old Man's Cave visitor center, then start hike the Grandma Gatewood Trail at the end of the parking lot. Heading to the Cedar Fall direction you will see the upper fall, Old Man's Cave, and I'd suggest to take a short excursion to see the Whispering Cave too. Once you get to the Cedar Fall, the Gorge Overlook Trail will take you back to where you parked (6 mi total). The way back is a lot easier, and you will see Rose lake in the middle. If you loop the Rose Lake, you will add another mile to the hike. If you only have time for one spot in the whole park, I'd recommended the Ash Cave. A short walk from parking lot will take you there, and I think it's the most beautiful cave here. This one is a must see. The Conkels Hollow State Nature Reserve is a nice area too, the Gorge Trail is short and most of it is paved. The end of this trail is very beautiful. Highly recommended this one if you don't have enough time or strength to also finish the rim trail. Rock House is the only true cave in the region, and the short hike offers a unique experience inside the cave. Cantwell Cliffs is not as challenging as I thought, as long as you have non-slippery shoes and OK climb some stairs. The only complaint is the staff at the visitor center, he seems like not really want to help us. Not sure if we caught him on a bad day... Overall, I really enjoyed this park! Hard to believe it's free and has so much to offer.

Nice place, a little over hyped up in my opinion. We've wanted to come check out this park for a while now because of all the rave about it, and I gotta say I don't think it was completely worth it. The area is a little old county, nothing good around it, had a hard time finding a good place to eat, the gift shop was closed, and the lady at the front desk didn't really know the park in order to give us legit info on it. In order to see cedar falls, we hiked the 3 miles but there is parking right next to it. The sceneries were just okay, again I think people just hopped up this park to us a lot and we were just expecting to be super wowed! I'd still recommend it, but it isn't super duper WOW! So don't get too excited lol

Charming place to stay with family and enjoy the outdoors. Billiards, indoor pool, and ping pong make it a great place to relax even on a rainy weekend.

I. Needed. This. Hike. I had been losing my mind with the pandemic and general chaos of the world. Hiking through Hocking Hills was this reminder of how small we all are. It's so easy to come here and just be in awe of nature. This was my first time exploring Hocking Hills, but it certainly won't be my last. I hiked about ~7 miles and 40 flights of stairs (according to the ol' faithful apple watch). While I could definitely feel it in my legs the days following the hike, it was all to easy to just keep hiking and admiring the beauty of the park. I'll post some reviews of the specific sites we hiked to as well (Old Man's Cave trail, Ash Cave, etc), but the trails were well maintained. Be warned, after a good snow some of these trails were ICY! At one point, I just had to sit down and slide down a small hill on my butt. I definitely slid and fell a couple of times, but that's par for the course when hiking with me. I can't wait to come back here and explore even more of the trails!

If you are a stickler for covid guidelines... maybe don't come here. Very few people were wearing masks. However, the scenery is unreal! Ash cave and rock house are wonderful photo spots! Most of the trails have been marked as one way enter and exit which is great. The park is easy to navigate and if you are up to date with technology they have an app you can download! Honestly, it is a great place to camp or just get lost for a weekend.

Covid alert......very few people wore masks, even in areas where 6 feet was not possible. Park did great job turning some of the trails into one way paths. They were very well marked as such. Unfortunately a portion of the people ignored all the signage! Of course seriously so beautiful, it would be impossible not to give it a five stars. But I would not go there on a weekend or a next specially beautiful day.

Beautiful state park with an abundance of green, animals, rock formations, and doable hikes. The popular hikes were relaxing and not challenging (~1 mile or less), though they did also have additional, more difficult options available. For reference, there were a good amount of people dressed in casual clothing and shoes not typically seen during hikes. I also enjoyed the park because there are accessible trails to include everyone in the fun! Nature is meant for everyone and it was heartwarming to see that anyone, with or without personal challenges, can enjoy the park to the fullest. I do wish I had more time in the park - only visited for a day trip - but it was a memorable first time. I completed 3 trails (recommended. Old Man's, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave), explored the gorge, and learned about the history.

This place almost feels like it doesn't belong in Ohio... ...And that's not meant to be a knock on Ohio! The forest and hills are emerald green and the way the sun shines through the trees into the forest ravines and canyons below borders on feeling enchanted. There are plenty of beautiful, peaceful hikes of varying lengths and difficulties. Some very short and easy ones. Some longer, mildly strenuous ones. Plenty somewhere in between. Almost all go by little caves and waterfalls that add to the "enchanted" atmosphere. Many of the hiking trails are one way, which can make it easy to get a little lost. Make sure you consult a map so you know where a trail leads before you set out. Some trails lead to other parts of the park that may be far away from where you parked. If you took a one way trail, you may have no way to get back to your car. I don't think you'd face much consequence (aside from a "please don't do that) if you're caught hiking the "wrong way," but many of the trails are narrow enough that you'd at least aggravate all the oncoming traffic. Anyway, a couple spots worth visiting are Old Man's Cave and Cedar Falls. These hikes aren't too difficult and the views are rewarding.

Hocking Hills is an amazing park. It is a 1 hour drive from Columbus (Ohio) and a 3 hour drive from Cleveland. It is located in the town of Logan which is south of Columbus. If you currently live in Columbus or lived there as I once did then I'm sure you recall fond memories of visiting Hocking Hills. I last visited in October 2016 and took some visitors from China. They loved been outdoors in nature. Their favourite part of the park was Old Man's Cave which is my favourite part too. I also enjoy all the hiking trials and the big open environment. Visiting in Autumn is great because of the bright colours of the leaves. There are some picnic areas so bring a packed lunch and come on a warm day. There are parking lots too and there is also a visitor's center. Overall, I recommend you visit Hocking Hills for a fun family and friends outing. *** - 34 total reviews in 2019. - 244 total Yelp reviews. - Reviewed on 20 February 2019.

Beautiful scenery, but so crowded. Like Disneyland in February crowded. The popular trails were filled with people to the point you were lined up and not moving at all. Definitely took away from our enjoyment of this lovely park. I hope to return in the off season and have an opportunity to hike the trails.

What a gorgeous place to spend the afternoon! We visited Ash Cave. Easy walk to the waterfalls perfect for enjoying the gorgeous caves. It was snowy and the trail was completely iced over. There were two rangers putting out ice but it was super slippery. Pet friendly and small parking lot but cannot wait to go again in other seasons

Ohio hidden gem! Love walking through the cave tunnels and along the river. Also great waterfalls and nature, great place for a dayhike.

Alrighty y'all, if you want the hiking deets I've gotchu. I'm updating this review to include the details of the "Mega Loop". I parked at Ash Cave at 8am and started hiking the entrance trail at 8:08. This trail takes you past a set of bathrooms and then a short jaunt to Ash Cave. Around the bottom of Ash Cave and up the stairs turning left onto the Buckeye Trail (this specific portion of the 1440 mile Buckeye Trail is also called Grandma Gateway Trail and is marked with blue markers also called blazes). Follow the blue blazes through the forest to a gravel path. You can hike straight down the gravel or take the side trails (I did both). Keep following the gravel! It will lead you down an access road and out across a parking lot for the fire tower. Then you cross Chapel Hill Road and the trail picks up on the other side of the road. Back on a dirt path the blue blazes continue until the trail turns into another gravel path. Continue on this path, straight ahead until you exit another access road. The blazes go straight across the Cedar Falls parking area (the main one with bathrooms, not the quick side pull off). Follow the blue blazes to enter the trail, this is the start of a one way trail. After hiking down the trail spilts left to Old Man's Cave or right to Cedar Falls. Go left, and continue following the blue blazes. This part of the trail is bidirectional. The trail will come to another fork. I went left, across the bridge, to Hemlock Grove and Whispering Cave. Follow the purple blazes for a little while and then up a steep incline. FORK! Left will take you to Whispering Cave and right to Hemlock Grove (and to Old Man'a Cave). After hitting Whispering Cave hike back to the fork and continue straight following signs for Hemlock Grove. This trail runs along side and crosses the road. On the second road crossing follow the paved path in the left. This will bringing you out on the backside of the new lodge. I hiked around the front of the lodge and down the side walk that runs along the front of the double decker parking area. Re-entering the trail at Upper Falls and following the blue blazes down and through Ohio's most popular gorge. This will take you across bridges, over boulders, through a tunnel and up winding rock steps. On this portion of the trail expect delays and congestion especially on the weekends. You will hit Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub and Lower Falls on this portion of the trail. After exiting the tunnel previously mentioned go straight to continue on the Buckeye Trail. Follow the blue blazes to Cedar Falls. Once you hit Cedar Falls then continue straight at the fork. Going left will lead you to the wrong exit (side parking area). After taking the straight ahead trail you will end up exiting AGAIN to the Cedar Falls main parking area. The same one we crossed the first time, only this time you are going the opposite direction. Follow the blue blazes across the road and down the median back to the service road entrance (the second one we exited the first time). Confused? I have an AllTrails map with pictures to help you out! Anyway, back on the service road which turns into the same dirt path that winds its way through forest until spitting you out at Chapel Hill Rd. Cross the road, the parking area and re-enter the first service road (again!). Then following the gravel path (the blue blazes on trees are just side trails that put you back out on the same gravel path). So keep trucking away and soon you'll be at the top of the Ash Cave stairs where this all started. I went straight to follow the red blazes out to the parking lot. And that's it! 12 miles later, you've hit every major landmark in this area of the Hocking Hills. Rock House, Cantwell Cliffs and Conkles Hollow are a different unrelated topic to this review. Hope this was helpful! For more details check out AllTrails. There are multiple maps of the area, if you want to follow my route look for "Hocking Hills Mega Loop". My AllTrails says 13.9 miles which is incorrect. My Garmin watch was also tracking and is more accurate especially in gorges and thick tree cover. So expect to do about 12 miles!

Hocking Hills is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Ohio. It's a great state park to visit for either a short trip or a longer, several day adventure. There are many short hikes with awesome scenery. The caves are the coolest. We stayed at Hocking Hills Adventure campground and I would not recommend that place at all. Stay somewhere closer to the park. The state park has its own campground but it was fully booked when we wanted to stay. I can't wait to come back!

This place is so beautiful!! I love nature and hiking! Bring outdoors is THE best. What's not great..... the people .... people wearing inappropriate shoe gear, people falling, people not following instructions. I can't people ..... so next time I'll come when there aren't as many

We just spent five days in the cabins at Hocking Hills. This sprawling, mega-sized state park is interesting and offers a lot of activities for all ages. The Good: There are plenty of trails (although you'll likely need to drive to get to them all unless you plan to hike all day). We hiked through caves, along canyon rims, past waterfalls, alongside creeks, over bridges, and beside lakes. Plenty of variety. I also have never seen a state park with so many businesses inside. There is no shortage of lodging (from tents to lodges and inns), entertainment (ropes courses, saunas in the woods, and petting zoos to name a few), restaurants and grocery stores, and artisans. You definitely don't need to be worried about forgetting to pack something. And the cabins we rented from the park were perfectly adequate. Tiny in size, but well furnished and had consistent hot water (very necessary after spending all day outdoors). They also come with fire rings and ancient charcoal grills. There are also huge shelters at almost every hiking site, so bring ALL your friends to party. The Bad: Say goodbye to steady phone service. Spotty at best is the name of the game, and they don't have wi-fi even for the cabins. The maps were often inaccurate or inconsistent (seriously, we got three maps that all said different things). And be prepared to spend ample time in the car as there isn't much of a direct route to, well, anything in the park. Nothing we found was challenging for seasoned hikers or outdoorsmen, but the benefit is that the trails are generally kid friendly (and we have kids so.... Win for us!) As you can see above, the good far outweighs the bad. We had a great time exploring this unique state park.

It doesn't get better than this! I don't even know where to start! Hocking Hills has easily become one of my all time favorite spots. I've been coming here for over a decade, no matter where I lived in the U.S., I've always found a way back. The place is absolutely breathtaking! There are so many fun hiking trails to venture off to. Whether you're new and stick to the paths, or a seasoned Hocking Hills vet, there is always some place fun to explore. Pro Tip - come bright and early in the morning to avoid a plethora of visitors. There's something so peaceful about walking through the caves in the early morning without another person in sight! My favorite spots include the Rock House, Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls. No matter the season, its always amazing. There's usually plenty of parking, there are restrooms scattered across the park, and there are a few little stores to grab snacks, firewood for camping, drinks, etc. I have stayed in a few different cabins and I couldn't complain one bit. This year I celebrated my 30th birthday there for a long weekend and it was the best decision I ever made. I can't wait to see you again soon!

We took a walk back to the falls and it was absolutely beautiful. We were going to walk back to Old Man's Cave, but after stopping at the porta potties (why are there no real toilets?!?) I was too disgusted to go back in, for fear of having to use them again. For a state park, it is completely unacceptable for the porta potties to be filthy, overflowing and short on toilet paper.

A good place for getting exercise. Hocking Hills is a massive state park. There's several distinct parts spread over 10 square miles or so. Many natural structures and picture opportunities. Waterfalls are a popular gathering site. It is very large which helps the crowds spread out a but. It still seems like it gets crowded everywhere. This is especially true on holidays when there's nothing open so it's the only thing to do around here. It can be hard finding a parking spot even though there's multiple large lots everywhere. The most popular time is during the fall to see the changing colors, so it's almost impossible to find somewhere. It's best known for its caves. The most popular is Old Man's Cave, which is close to the visitor's center. This has the largest parking lot and it's still hard to find a spot. It has a smaller parking area across the street, but that can get filled up too before long. The park has many waterfalls. Old Man's Cave is located between the Lower and Upper Falls. The rest of the park is farther away, like a few miles. Ash Cave isn't as busy. It's located on the southern end of the park. Cedar Falls is just north. These areas have their own parking lots, so you can save time and energy by driving there. Best way to get here is from the Logan exit. Get off at Route 664. Take it to the visitor's center, see what's around there, and then either hike or drive to the other parts.

The scenery in this park is absolutely amazing! I drove 5.5 hours from Southwest Michigan and will definitely return again; I didn't get to see all the main hot spots in the 2 afternoons that I spent here. Every corner I turned, I wanted to take more pictures! But the in-person views are amazing and the pictures just don't cut it for much of what you'll see. The cliffs, the trees, the trickling water, the bubbling brooks, the staircases carved into the cliffs, even the man-made staircases -- everything was so beautiful and so picturesque. Some areas were like a fairytale land! We arrived at 3pm on Friday afternoon of Memorial Weekend and parked at the Old Man's Cave visitors center. There was plenty of parking and it wasn't very crowded. Then we returned on Saturday around 3pm and there were cars lined up on the side of the road leading into the park. I don't know if it's like that on every Saturday, or just because it was a holiday weekend. Be prepared to lose your cell service about 15 minutes away from the park. Put your phone on airplane mode while you are there so your battery doesn't drain - save that battery for taking photos! Make sure you use the bathroom before you begin your hike if you're making a full loop between sights. The only restrooms are porta-potties in the parking areas. You should grab a map from the ranger booth before you get started, but there are signs in the park that show you trail options and distance, and the trails are color-coded with paint marks on the trees. Despite that, there were still some challenges with figuring out the signage and trail directions. On our first afternoon, the loop from Old Man's Cave to Whispering Cave and back took 4 hours. On the 2nd afternoon, the loop from Old Man's cave to Cedar Falls and back took 4 hours. We are young and fit and it still took us this long to go about 4-5 miles in 4 hours! Wear tennis shoes or hiking boots. Trails and steps can be slippery and muddy. Pack a backpack with water bottle, bug spray, small snacks, sanitizer and band-aids (just in case), chap stick, extra pair of socks, maybe even a small towel. You won't really need sunscreen. For the most part, it's pretty shaded. It even downpoured for a few minutes while we were at Old Man's Cave, but the trees block much of the rain from coming through. We hid under a cliff overhang until the rain passed. Old Man's Cave: Once you get past the actual cave, be prepared for some rough terrain. Nothing too crazy if you're well and fit, but it rained before we got there and the trails were very muddy. So we climbed on the sides of the trails (slanted, leafy slopes) -- you need steady footing and good balance to traverse narrow paths, stepping on tree roots, and climbing over obstacles like big rocks and fallen logs. For this reason I do not recommend the trail between Cedar Falls and Old Man's Cave for kids, dogs, elderly, strollers, etc. (I think this was the red trail). Cedar Falls: We walked from Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls and it took 2 hours. (and 2 hours back on a different return path). There is an awesome waterfall that we thought was THE Cedar Falls and it was not -- so keep going! You can also park at Cedar Falls and get to the big waterfall in about 10 minutes (down a lot of stairs). If you keep going about 20 more minutes, you'll get to the other waterfall. There are no trash cans on the trails, be prepared to carry your trash with you!

Hocking Hills has beautiful scenery! My favorite parts were the main waterfall area even if it was dried up when I went. The trails were kind of steep and some of my older family members were struggling. There was a race happening so the trails were really crowded and people were not courteous of slow walkers. I only took one trail which was about 2 miles which took us 2 hours with stops to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. I would suggest going early to avoid the crowds. There is little phone service in certain areas and the newer nature center is really nice and includes WiFi. They have staff in there to help with gifts, maps and what to expect on the trails.

Absolutely the most beautiful place that I've seen in Ohio so far. The trails run from easy to hard depending on the part of the park that you're in. The park rangers were great and helped with questions I had about the trails and park. I will definitely be going back to see the rest of the sights.

This is probably THE best state park to go to in Ohio! The trails aren't too difficult to hike and are mostly all paved or well packed down/even. Depending on the trial(s) you go on I would bring water and snacks. The visitor center only has some vending machines but there's a water fountain there to fill up bottles. There also is a dog portion of the watering fountain on the bottom. You can get a free map at the visitor center. The trails are easy for most dogs too. This place is worth going to for a solid half day or longer, depending on your hiking experience and time.

The state park is beautiful with absolutely no entrance fee. I plan on coming back very soon

Hocking Hills is a must see. We hiked for 3 days and didn't see it all. All of the hikes are near each other, so easy traveling times. A couple are paved and good for wheelchairs or strollers. I recommend doing the gorge trails and the rim if you have time. Bring a change of clothes if you want to walk in the rivers and under the waterfalls. Cantwell Cliffs was my favorite because of playing in the waterfall there. Rock House is amazing and if you only want to see the house and not hike the whole thing then park in lot 2 and the house is near that entrance.

Wow, this place is super breath taking and awesome. We spent four days here and we had a lot more things that we could have done. I really wanted to stay and have some more time hiking the trails and taking brilliant photographs. It is a photographers dream. People are correct about the people in Ohio, no one wears masks, or does social distancing, very strange. In our hotel none of the workers wore masks. The gift shop does not have any regular hours, which kind of sucks. The trails require a good bit of dexterity and agility to get through without falling over. It is maybe for more advanced hikers.

I give this park a three but it deserves a 5 for how beautiful it is there. The trails are the best as are the sights. However, every privy we tried to use there was full to the top. Are you kidding me!?!?! I was shocked that the state could not make sure that on a Saturday that these things were clean and empty. Come on Ohio you can do better you should be ashamed.

One of the reasons I love Ohio is because of our beautiful hiking spots and nature. Hocking Hills is a truly amazing spot for those looking for a challenge! It is a must-see and do for anyone who's into trails. This was probably one of the most difficult hikes I've ever done. At one point we were climbing up the side of a huge rock, relying on tree roots to climb up! Definitely not for the faint of heart! I guarantee will be muddy, scraped up, and sweaty by the end of it! The views that you get out of this park are breathtaking and so worth it, though. There's a few waterfalls, amazing rock formations, caves, stone stairways, and much more to see! The path at the beginning around Old Man's Cave can be a bit crowded and overwhelmed with people, but once you really get out there it's a very peaceful time. Although the trail may say it's only 5 miles, you'll end up walking a few times that factoring in the hills and winding paths. It took my family and I around 5-6 hours until we met our threshold... and we had plenty more to go! 100% recommend!

Stopped here after a spontaneous day hike and night stay in a cabin nearby. Didn't know what to expect but was NOT dissappointed! This is the prettiest hike I've done in quite a while. You really can make the hike as long or as short as you like as there are several different exits back to the visitor center along the way. The hike down the cavern isn't very taxing, mostly the hike back up some long stairs to get back up to the visitor center was what killed me (seriously, I'm pretty fit but this really showed me I need to work on my cardio!) The cavern is gorgeous on the inside! HUGE rock walls with all sorts of different texture, water and waterfalls throughout! I was bummed my phone had died or I would have taken a ton of pictures! ANYONE that has a chance to stop here, I would DEFINITELY recommend!