How to Explore the Coolest Hocking Hills Caves

How to Explore the Coolest Hocking Hills Caves

The Hocking Hills caves located in southeastern Ohio are some of the most beautiful geological wonders in the area. Within Hocking Hills State Park are some hiking trails, waterways to kayak, canoe, and fish along with checking out some miraculous caves. Make a stop in Logan for supplies before venturing into Hocking Hills State Park. Grab some grub on the way along with filling up on snacks and other things to make a trip to area caves a great experience. Take a look at just some of the caves of wonder dotting the Hocking Hills landscape.

Old Man’s Cave

Adventure enthusiasts thrive on new experiences and checking out spectacular sights. Old Man’s Cave does not disappoint. Old Man’s Cave was once home to a hermit named Richard Rowe in the late 1700’s. The cave is one of the most visited in the park. Five sections make up this amazing cave system:

  • Upper Falls
  • Upper Gorge
  • Middle Falls
  • Lower Falls
  • Lower Gorge

The trail allows visitors to see a gorge that exposes Black Hand sandstone. Several trails including Buckeye and Gorge Overlook come in from Cedar Falls to Old Man’s Cave. This allows visitors to check out several amazing geological formations in one visit. Look for high jagged sides that will impress even the youngest adventurist.

Ash Cave

One of the most beautiful Hocking Hills caves in the park is Ash Cave. This large recess cave boasts 100 foot depth with a 700-foot mouth. Don’t worry, you won’t have to feed it because nature takes care of that. The cave’s history is believed to come from a massive pile of ashes below the cave recorded to be very long and wide. Native American campfires in the area are believed to be responsible for the ashes and thus the name.

Whispering Cave

The second largest cave in Hocking Hills State Park, the Hemlock Bridge Trail leads you right to its core. Take in the hemlock trees along the way until you reach the cave. Look for a swinging bridge over Gorge Trail. Stairs are required to enter into the cave and see the famous waterfall. The cave is 300 feet wide with the waterfall pouring forth from a 150 foot drop at the upper rim. Spring is a great time to see water cascading down the cave. Well marked, the trail can be a bit strenuous and is around 1.5 miles long to complete. The rugged hike makes it more of a moderate to difficult hike depending on your skill level.

The number of caves in Hocking Hills combined with trails makes it a wondrous site to see any time of year. Come for the hikes or views and maybe choose to stay a few nights at nearby lodging. Explore the options and decide for yourself which caves will be on your next list of places to visit in Hocking Hills.

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