Hocking Hills is one of the most iconic regions in Ohio for good reason.
The area is completely gorgeous, dotted with stunning vistas, impressive waterfalls, and miles upon miles of trails to explore. If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit the region, consider this your guide to must-see areas.
The Atlantic Ocean covered the Hocking Hills region about 330 million years ago, depositing the sand and gravel that finally created the Blackhand sandstone the region is famous for, as well as many of the stunning rock formations that these hikes lead to.
Grab some water and put on your hiking shoes. We’ve got some Hocking Hills exploring to do, friends.
| Hike | Distance | Difficulty | Dogs |
| Old Man’s Cave | 1-mile gorge loop | Moderate to difficult | Yes, on leash |
| Cedar Falls | 0.6-mile loop | Moderate | Yes, on leash |
| Ash Cave | 0.6-mile loop, paved to the cave | Easy to the cave, moderate beyond | Yes, on leash |
| Whispering Cave | 1-mile round trip from the lodge | Difficult | Yes, on leash |
| Rock House | 0.6-mile rim, 0.2-mile gorge | Moderate to difficult | Yes, on leash |
| Cantwell Cliffs | 1.1-mile rim loop, 0.1-mile gorge | Moderate to difficult | Yes, on leash |
| Conkle’s Hollow | 0.7-mile gorge, 2.5-mile rim | Easy gorge, difficult rim | No |
| Honeycomb Rocks | 2-mile loop | Moderate | No |
Old Man’s Cave
You can’t go to Hocking Hills and not check out the iconic Old Man’s Cave. The cave is gorgeous and fair warning, it’s the most popular hike in the park so if you visit during peak times, it will be crowded. There are several stunning spots you’ll want to check out in the area, including Upper and Lower Falls.
Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls pushes more water than any other waterfall in Hocking Hills, a 50-foot cascade at the head of a hemlock-filled gorge. The name is a mistake that stuck: early settlers took the hemlocks for cedars. The hike is a 0.6-mile loop with stone steps and bridges, and most people are back at the car within an hour. If you want a longer day, the Grandma Gatewood Trail connects Cedar Falls to Old Man’s Cave in one direction and Ash Cave in the other.
Ash Cave
If you want to feel a little small, head directly to Ash Cave. The horseshoe-shaped cave is absolutely massive, measuring 700 feet from end to end, 100 feet deep from the rear cave wall to its front edge with the rim rising 90 feet high. Photos can’t do it justice and you absolutely have to see it in person to fully comprehend the scale of the cave.
Whispering Cave
Whispering Cave is the newest of the park’s major trails, opened in 2017 near Hocking Hills Lodge. The payoff is a 300-foot-wide recess cave with a seasonal waterfall spilling more than 100 feet over the rim, and the route crosses Hemlock Bridge, a swinging bridge over the gorge. The shortest route is about a mile round trip from the lodge trailhead, and the park rates it difficult: lots of steps, with a steep climb back out. Go in spring if you want the waterfall at full strength; by late summer it can slow to a drip.
Rock House
As the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park, Rock House is unique. The cave is a tunnel-like corridor that sits about midway up a 150-foot cliff. The ceiling of the cave is 25 feet high and the main corridor is 200 feet long. The cavern was eroded out of the middle zone of the Blackhand sandstone and back in the day, it was known as Robbers Roost. Robbers, horse thieves, murderers and even bootleggers earned the cave quite a reputation. It’s a beautiful spot and the hike to see the cave is about a 1/4 of a mile.
Cantwell Cliffs
Cantwell Cliffs is located in the northern edge of Hocking Hills. It’s a remote area, but it’s well worth taking a trip off the beaten path. Years of erosion has made steep cliffs and the trail winds through some narrow passageways. One is sarcastically called the Fat Woman’s Squeeze and if you’re claustrophobic, this may not be the hike for you.
Conkle’s Hollow
Conkles Hollow is a rocky gorge, considered one of the deepest in Ohio. The first stretch of the Gorge Trail is paved and wheelchair accessible, though the pavement ends before the waterfall at the back of the hollow. The Rim Trail is a lot more rugged: about 2.5 miles along the cliff edge, and the views are fantastic. And since Conkle’s Hollow is a state nature preserve, dogs aren’t allowed on either trail.
Honeycomb Rocks
Honeycomb Rocks is the one hike on this list you can’t just show up for. The 281-acre preserve is run by the Arc of Appalachia, a nonprofit that protects wild land across southern Ohio, and hiking it takes a free permit: 6 cars a day, up to 5 people per vehicle, with a new batch of permits opening on the first of each month. The trail is a 2-mile loop rated moderately difficult, winding through huge sandstone outcroppings and old-growth forest. Dogs aren’t allowed here either. Permits go quickly once the month flips, so apply early.
.jpg){kind=link}