Just outside of Columbus, Ohio lies Hocking Hills State Park, a diverse outdoor destination with waterfalls, caves, rock features, and beautiful hiking trails. We took a trip here with our two dogs this past summer and had a great time. The unique rock formations and waterfalls were awesome but the crowds during mid-day were not. 

Old Man’s Cave Area

Our first stop along the Grandma Gatewood Trail was Old Man’s Cave. All four members of Outdoor Wanderlust made our way over slick rock trail to behold this gorge including two waterfalls and a beautiful human-made rock bridge. Some families frolicked in the creek that cut through the gorge as we passed. This is where the majority of people were coming that visited Hocking Hills. In certain areas it was extremely crowded and the tranquility of the outdoors was interrupted with people yelling or kids screaming.

Devil’s Tub and Upper Falls

The trail offers several highlights along the six mile trail connecting Old Man’s Cave to two of the major attractions, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. One of our first chosen stops was Devil’s Tub, a deep, swirling whirlpool fed by water rushing under a rock formation. Along the way we were treated to forested trail scenery, and a view of the Upper falls, where a small wedding was in progress. It was easy to see why a couple would choose this spot to hold a ceremony, the waterfall carved through the rock and created a crystal clear pond surrounded by white sand.

Sphinx Head

The view from the rock formation referred to as Sphinx Head serves as the reward for a bit of climbing and a shimmy through a slick, dark tunnel (which led to two very nervous trail dogs). From a distance, the rock face resembles that of the famous Egyptian world wonder. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the perfect vantage point from which to compare its likeness, but were nonetheless impressed with the view of the gorge from this height.

Rock House

Outdoor Wanderlust was lucky to arrive at Rock House early enough to beat the crowds. When we arrived at the elevated, hollowed out rock formation, we were able to explore with only Pigeon coos to keep us company. Both dogs bounded up the boulders to enter the depths. The hike to Rock House was wooded, beautiful, and the entrance was steep enough that the trail builder provided several sets of railroad tie stairs. We only regretted our inability to explore more of the trail in this area before leaving. All of our experiences in Hocking Hills were enjoyable and beautiful, but this stood out to me.

Ash Cave

We were also able to explore Ash Cave while in  Hocking Hills. The trail to Ash Cave was very wet.  The hike with two dogs was slightly more challenging than it might have otherwise been. The views along the way were beautiful nonetheless. The impressive horseshoe shaped cave, with a tiny waterfall dripping over the edge – as though someone on the other side of the cliff had inadvertently left a faucet barely running was the true payoff. Words cannot do the experience justice, so I suggest you see it for yourself.

Camping and Lodging

There are several campgrounds and many lodges available in the area. We planned out our trip with very short notice in excellent weather, so we missed out on the opportunity to stay in the campgrounds in or nearby Hocking Hills. It worked out fine but we ended up in a small family owned campground that resembled more of somebodies yard then actual camping. We suggest you make plans in advance to be able to take advantage of the better lodging options in the park.

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