Hocking Hills State Park is one of our favorite places we’ve explored in Ohio. What surprised me most was how much there is to see without needing to tackle extremely difficult hikes. There are trails throughout the park that lead to waterfalls, caves, towering rock walls, and huge sandstone ledges — and it seems like there’s another incredible view around every corner.
We visited several of the park’s most popular areas, including Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, and Rock House. If you’re planning your first trip, I’ll share the stops we loved, what you can expect, and a few tips to help you make the most of your visit.
⭐ Why I Recommend It
Hocking Hills is one of those places where the scenery feels like a much bigger payoff than the effort it takes to get there. We absolutely loved exploring this park. There are so many hiking options, and you don’t have to be an experienced hiker to see some truly impressive scenery.
Our kids enjoyed exploring the caves and rock formations, while I loved that every area felt a little different. One trail might take you beneath enormous sandstone ledges, while the next leads to a waterfall or a massive recessed cave. It’s a great destination for families who want an outdoor adventure without spending the entire day on one strenuous hike.
Quick Facts
- 📍 Location: Logan, Ohio
- 🥾 Best For: Families, hiking & nature lovers
- ⭐ Don’t Miss: Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave & Rock House
- 🕒 Plan For: A full day — or a weekend to explore more
- 🍂 Best Time to Visit: Spring for waterfalls or fall for beautiful color
Visitor Tips
- 🥾 Wear good walking shoes: Many of the trails are family-friendly, but expect stairs, rocks, roots, and some uneven or potentially slippery areas.
- 💧 Bring water: You’ll likely be getting in and out of the car to explore several different areas, so keep drinks and snacks handy.
- 🚗 Plan your stops: Hocking Hills is made up of several separate areas. We visited Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, and Rock House, so planning your route ahead of time will save you some backtracking.
- 🍽️ Make time for a fun meal: Stop at The Olde Dutch Restaurant in Logan. We loved adding a local restaurant to our Hocking Hills day, and it makes a nice break between all the hiking.
- 📅 Give yourself enough time: You can see a lot in one day, but I’d recommend a full day at minimum. A weekend gives you time to explore without rushing.
🎥 See Hocking Hills in Action
Want to see what these stops actually look like? Watch our Hocking Hills adventure below for a look at Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, and more!
What to See at Hocking Hills
Old Man’s Cave
Old Man’s Cave was our first stop at Hocking Hills, and the trail was an adventure from the beginning. Along the way, we encountered waterfalls, tunnels, stone stairways, bridges, and massive rock formations, so there was always something new to see. The kids especially loved exploring the narrow passages and tunnels.
We continued past Old Man’s Cave to Lower Falls, making our hike about 1.5 miles. Plan on roughly 1–1½ hours for this longer loop, especially if you want time to stop for pictures and enjoy the scenery.
Worthing Wanders Tip: 📸 Don’t rush this one! There are so many fun photo spots along the trail, and exploring the tunnels and rock formations was part of what made Old Man’s Cave one of our favorite stops.
Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls was another beautiful stop, and we took the shorter trail to reach the falls. The hike includes quite a few stairs, but it doesn’t take long to reach the main attraction. Cedar Falls drops about 50 feet, and the surrounding rock walls and forest make the entire area beautiful.
The kids had fun exploring around the rocks and creek once we reached the bottom, so we spent some time here just enjoying the area before heading to our next stop.
Trail Info: 🥾 The shorter Cedar Falls route is roughly ½ mile and can usually be completed in about 30–40 minutes, although I’d allow extra time if your family likes to explore and take pictures.
Worthing Wanders Tip: There are quite a few stairs on this trail, so the hike back up feels a little more challenging than the hike down!
Ash Cave
Ash Cave was our next stop, and this one was absolutely stunning. The enormous recessed cave is impressive on its own, but the waterfall dropping from the rim makes it even more beautiful. Of course, my son couldn’t resist getting underneath the waterfall — even though we visited in October! 😂
This is also one of the easier stops to add to a Hocking Hills itinerary. The lower trail is paved and only about ¼ mile each way, making it a great option when you want a big scenic payoff without a long hike.
Trail Info: 🥾 About ½ mile round trip on the lower trail. Allow roughly 20–40 minutes, or longer if your family wants time to explore and take pictures.
Worthing Wanders Tip: 💦 If your kids are anything like mine, they may find the waterfall impossible to resist. You might want to keep an extra pair of socks or shoes in the car!
Rock House
Rock House was definitely one of the more challenging hikes we did at Hocking Hills, but it was also one of the most fun! The roughly 1-mile trail has uneven stone steps, rugged paths, and some steeper climbs, but the payoff is getting to explore the incredible Rock House.
The kids absolutely loved going inside and exploring the cave-like passageways and openings in the rock. This stop felt like a true adventure and was completely different from the waterfalls and recessed caves we had seen earlier in the day.
Trail Info: 🥾 About 1 mile, with roughly 30–45 minutes of active hiking. I’d plan closer to an hour so you have plenty of time to explore Rock House once you get there.
Worthing Wanders Tip: 🪨 Save some energy for this one! The stairs and elevation changes make it more challenging than some of the shorter Hocking Hills stops, but our kids thought exploring Rock House was worth the extra effort.
Conkles Hollow
Conkle’s Hollow
Conkle’s Hollow felt like the perfect fairy-tale ending to our Hocking Hills adventure. After a day of climbing stairs, exploring caves, and chasing waterfalls, this trail felt completely different. We walked through a beautiful, peaceful gorge surrounded by towering rock walls, trees, and lush greenery.
It was one of those places where you almost expect to see a fairy hiding around the next corner. 🧚🌿 The scenery was gorgeous, and it was such a relaxing way to finish our day.
Worthing Wanders Tip: ✨ If you’ve already packed your day with some of the more strenuous Hocking Hills hikes, save Conkle’s Hollow for the end. It was a beautiful, quieter way for us to finish our adventure.