Hocking Hills State Park Trails

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Hocking Hills is a cluster of sandstone gorges in southeast Ohio, and most people come for six sites: Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, Conkles Hollow and Rock House. Every main gorge trail is 2 miles or less. Plan on three or four of them in a day, with the shortest walks at the start and end.

I grew up in the Midwest, and sandstone gorges with waterfalls are not what most people picture for Ohio. We have done short state-park hikes with nieces and nephews along, and the plan that works is a few short trails with a real lunch in the middle. This guide gives the order I would use, what each trail is like, and what to check before you drive.

Hocking Hills State Park Trails

The ODNR park page lists each trail with a distance and a difficulty rating, and the table below follows it. Conkles Hollow is a separate state nature preserve next door, so its numbers come from its own ODNR page. Both pages were read in early October 2026.

Site	Distance	Rating	What you see
Ash Cave Gorge	1/4 mile	Easy	Huge recess cave; wheelchair accessible
Ash Cave Rim	1/4 mile	Moderate	Top of the cave
Old Man’s Cave	1 mile	Moderate	Upper, Middle and Lower Falls
Cedar Falls	1 mile	Moderate	50-foot waterfall
Rock House	1 mile	Moderate	Tunnel-like cave in a cliff
Cantwell Cliffs	2 miles	Difficult	Remote cliff outcropping
Conkles Hollow gorge	About 1 mile round trip	Not rated	Partly paved path to falls
Conkles Hollow rim	2-mile loop	Not rated	Cliff-top views
Whispering Cave	4.5 miles	Difficult	105-foot seasonal waterfall

Ash Cave Gorge is the one trail marked wheelchair accessible. The Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls routes both involve steps and uneven sandstone, which fits the moderate rating. The park also lists a 6-mile Buckeye and Grandma Gatewood multi-use trail rated difficult, which is a different kind of day.

The tourism association’s parks page says the Whispering Cave trail connects Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls. That makes it the long way between the two for anyone who wants a real hike rather than a short loop.

Hocking Hills in One Day

I would start at the farthest gorge from where you are sleeping and work back toward it. The last stop of the day is then the closest to dinner, and the early hours, when the paths are quietest, go to the places most people want most. Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave should get that early slot.

Order matters less than parking once per cluster. Walk between Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls if you are able, save Ash Cave for a low-effort stop when your legs are tired, and leave Conkles Hollow or Cantwell Cliffs for the afternoon only if you have daylight to spare. For a comparable gorge-and-waterfall day from Chicago, our Starved Rock guide sets out how that park fits a single day.

Ash Cave

Ash Cave is the easy one. The tourism association calls it the largest recess cave east of the Mississippi, and a recess cave is a wide, shallow overhang rather than a tunnel. When the creek is running, a thin waterfall drops over the back lip.

Walk the quarter-mile gorge trail in, then decide whether you want the rim. The rim is the same distance on paper but rated moderate, so it is the one to skip with small children or tired legs.

Old Man’s Cave

Old Man’s Cave is one of the busiest of the six, and the one to see first. The gorge holds the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls, and the tourism association puts the gorge at 150 feet. Bring shoes with real grip, because the steps and the rock beside the water stay damp.

This is also where weekend crowds build on the bridges and stairs. Go early or go on a weekday, and give yourself longer than the one mile on the sign suggests, because you will stop to look every few minutes.

Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls drops 50 feet into a quiet pool, and the tourism association calls it easily the most photographed waterfall in Ohio. It is also the one most affected by rain, so a dry week can leave it thin. After a wet spell it runs fuller and the trail is slicker.

Rock House

Rock House is the only true cave in the park, according to the tourism association, a corridor set about midway up a 150-foot cliff. The trail is rated moderate at 1 mile. Expect dim light inside and uneven floors, so a small flashlight or a phone light helps.

Cantwell Cliffs

Cantwell Cliffs sits in one of the more remote corners of the area, on a high outcropping. ODNR rates it difficult at 2 miles, the longest of the main gorge trails. It rewards a person who wants fewer people and does not mind climbing.

Conkles Hollow

Conkles Hollow has two trails, and its ODNR preserve page says the cliffs rise nearly 200 feet and the gorge is only 100 feet wide in places. The gorge trail is partly paved and about a mile round trip. The rim loop is 2 miles, and pets are not permitted on either trail.

Hocking Hills Trail Closures

The ODNR park page says many of the trails have been rerouted for one-way hiking, so follow the directional signs rather than doubling back. Closures change with weather and repairs, so call the visitor center at (740) 385-6842 or check the park page the morning you go.

Third-party pages are slower to update. In early October 2026 the tourism association’s parks page still carried an old June notice about an Ash Cave closure, so trust the ODNR page and the visitor center over anything older.

Some rules do not change. The park says visitors must stay on the marked trails at all times, and the trail map adds that you should be off the trail well before dark and that swimming and wading are not permitted. For rain or ice, the National Weather Service Wilmington office posts flood and winter weather alerts at weather.gov/iln.

Hocking Hills in Winter

ODNR says visitors should wear appropriate foot attire and be careful, because the trails are typically covered in ice in winter, and it recommends ice cleats. The tourism association adds that ice can stay on shaded trails even after temperatures rise. A day that feels mild in the car can still be a skating rink in the gorge.

Winter is quiet, and the frozen falls are worth the cold. Pick the shortest trails, such as Ash Cave and Cedar Falls, and turn around if the steps are glazed.

Hocking Hills Parking

The park lists a visitor center off State Route 664, open 10am to 4pm with hours that can change by season, and a gift shop open 10am to 3pm. The park office is open 8am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Trails open a half hour before sunrise and close a half hour after sunset.

Ash Cave and Cedar Falls each have their own lot, and sunny weekends fill them early. The tourism association says popular areas are packed in summer and recommends early morning or early evening. Midweek is quieter, and Old Man’s Cave is the one to reach first on a weekend.

Download a map before you drive in. Our offline maps guide shows how, so you are not hunting for a signal at the trailhead.

Hocking Hills With Kids

Ash Cave Gorge is the best first trail for a family: a quarter mile, rated easy and wheelchair accessible. Then add Cedar Falls or Old Man’s Cave for a second short walk. Save Cantwell Cliffs and the Whispering Cave trail for older kids.

Bring shoes with grip, water for everyone and a layer for the cooler gorge floor. No flip-flops, since wet sandstone and steps do not forgive them. Hold small hands near ledges and stay on the marked path.

• Closed shoes with a grippy sole, or ice cleats in winter
• More water than you think you need, plus snacks
• A rain layer, because gorges hold damp air
• A small light for Rock House

Hocking Hills Rainy Day

Rain makes the waterfalls better and the trails worse. If the forecast is wet, take the short ones and keep boots on. The park shop and visitor center are a dry first stop.

A rainy-day list that keeps you near the park starts with the lodge restaurant and its indoor pool, which ODNR lists. The tourism association also runs welcome centers in Logan, at 13178 St. Rt. 664 S and at Gallery on Main, 65 West Main Street. Nearby, the parks page lists Lake Logan State Park and Rockbridge State Nature Preserve, home to a natural arch more than 100 feet long.

Logan, the nearest town, is where most people eat and fill the gas tank. Treat it as the dry-day half of the trip.

Hocking Hills Camping

Camping, a cabin and a day trip each suit a different visit. ODNR lists full-hookup, electric and non-electric campsites, primitive hike-in sites and a group camp. Reservations open up to six months ahead, online or at (866) 644-6727.

A lodge and modern cabins are booked through the lodge’s own site, which ODNR links. For a first visit, a night nearby makes the early start easy. Our camping gear checklist covers the basics if you go the tent route.

If you live within a day’s drive, the day trip works well with the order above.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Hocking Hills?

Fall is the best time for color, and midweek is the best time for room to breathe. Spring brings the fullest waterfalls, summer brings the crowds, and winter brings frozen falls and ice. The tourism association’s FAQ says fall is peak foliage and winter and midweek are the quietest.

Can you do Hocking Hills in one day?

Yes, if you pick three or four gorges rather than all of them. Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls pair easily, Ash Cave is the quick stop, and Conkles Hollow or Cantwell Cliffs fills the rest. Start early and be off the trails before the park closes at half an hour after sunset.

Is Ash Cave wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the Ash Cave Gorge trail. ODNR lists it at a quarter mile, rated easy and marked wheelchair accessible. The Ash Cave Rim trail is also a quarter mile but rated moderate.

Are dogs allowed in Hocking Hills?

It depends on the property. The tourism association says the state park trails are pet-friendly and the nature preserves are not, and ODNR’s Conkles Hollow page says pets are not permitted there. Our road trip with a dog packing list covers water, leash and paw care.

Is Hocking Hills open in winter?

Yes. The tourism association says there is no off-season, and ODNR describes the trails as typically covered in ice in winter. Bring ice cleats and plan short, careful hikes.

Published October 23, 2026.