Free
Old Man's Cave
A gorge trail past waterfalls, a stone tunnel and the huge recess cave the area is named for.
Southeast Ohio
Hocking Hills
Sandstone gorges, giant recess caves and waterfalls in the woods of southeast Ohio, with every main trail in the state park free.
Photo: The falls at Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills, Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hocking Hills State Park protects a string of gorges cut into Blackhand sandstone: Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, Conkle's Hollow, Rock House and Cantwell Cliffs. Entry is free, and every one feels like a secret.
Around the park, Logan is the small hub town, with canopy tours, canoeing and cabins tucked into the hills.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Ash Cave
An easy, accessible trail to a massive horseshoe-shaped recess cave with a thin waterfall.
Free
Cedar Falls
A short, steep trail to a broad waterfall in a hemlock gorge.
Free
Conkle's Hollow
A narrow gorge with a flat trail along the bottom and a rim trail high above.
Free
Rock House
A tunnel-like cave halfway up a sandstone cliff, with window-like openings.
Free
Cantwell Cliffs
Steep cliffs, rock shelters and a squeeze passage called Fat Woman's Squeeze.
Free
John Glenn Astronomy Park
A dark-sky park near Old Man's Cave with public viewing on clear nights.
Free
Lake Hope State Park
A forest lake with trails and a beach near Zaleski.
Paid
Canoe or kayak the Hocking River
Several liveries rent boats for a float on the river in season.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center
Maps, trail conditions and local tips, near Old Man's Cave.
Paid
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
Vintage train rides from Nelsonville on weekends in season.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Hocking Hills Winter Hike
A popular guided hike from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave each January.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Hocking River canoe and kayak trips
Canoe, kayak and raft trips on the Hocking River.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Hocking Hills Canopy Tours Experience
- Hocking Valley Scenic Railway Experience
Part of our Southeast Ohio guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Six park areas are spread out, and two days lets you see them without rushing.
- Cabins in the woods and dark skies are part of the trip.
- The John Glenn Astronomy Park is open on clear evenings, so look up.
Nearby and worth the drive
Columbusabout 60 min
Sanduskyabout 3 h · Guide ↗Ohio's capital.
Cedar Point and the Lake Erie islands.
Ready-made trips with Hocking Hills
Good to know
- State park: Hocking Hills State Park. Stay on trails; cliffs are high.
- Tourism: explorehockinghills.com.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The falls at Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills, Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ash Cave recess cave, Hocking Hills, Dustin M. Ramsey, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Cedar Falls, Hocking Hills, James St. John, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The waterfall at the head of Conkle's Hollow, DawnBreaksOverMarblehead, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Inside Rock House, Hocking Hills, See1,Do1,Teach1, CC BY 2.0