Very beautiful state park in the middle of Ohio and it is free. Popular spots like Cedar falls, Old…read moreMan Cave are very close to the parking lots therefore those are very easy to be accessible. If u are going to tackle the more challenging trail, I suggest you wear something better than running shoe, because surface can be slippery, especially on the Grandma Gatewood trail and whispering cave trail Best time to come is during rainy season or after a big storm, because the water flows are higher. Otherwise you might just see a small trickle from the waterfalls.

An Ohio treasure, Hocking Hills has been one of my favorite parks for my entire life…read more Accessible to all ages, with a plethora of trails both long and short. Plenty of bridges and paved areas. You can really make your Hocking Hills experience as intense as you'd like. With features such as Old Man's Cave and a creek with several water falls, you do not want to miss this park. My personal favorite season to visit is autumn, watching the trees shed their colorful leaves. Gorgeous views, great photo ops, and fun for the whole family. Not to mention free parking.

My husband Tony and I went hiking at Whispering Cave. The trailhead is located off the parking lot…read moreof the Hocking Hills State Park Lodge & Conference Center. The trail dead ends at the cave and is only about 1/2 mile from the lodge itself but it's over the mountain and their are some steps that (remember) you have to climb back up to get back to your car!!! The cave is more of a very long Shelf like over hang, not very deep inside like a cave or room. You could keep dry if needed but it's not a cave in my eyes! It's a moderate rough hike with rock formations and large roots you can trip on so be careful! But enjoy yourself!! I loved it! It's beautiful down there!!! Free to enjoy and very busy!

A lot more strenuous hike to get to the lower falls, but gorgeous. You have to take this option…read moreversus going to the cave/regular exit.

This particular section of the Hike in Hocking Hills State Park near Old Man's Cave is actually…read morecalled MIDDLE FALLS not the Lower Falls, I put in for an edit and I hope they correct it. If you take the path straight over the hillside in front of the OLD MAN CAVE VISITORS CENTER, you immediately drop down beside this fall. This stream is not a huge stream but after the heavy rains lately, it is flowing full. Once in the gorge, if you look up at the rock cliff across the creek line you will see this jagged edge of the rocks sticking out near the rim like a perch. I would be scared to death to stand out there on that ledge, but can you imagine the adrenaline rush???!!!!???? I love hiking in this gorge. If you take the entire trail you will go through 2 tunnels, see several caves and visit three falls in addition to the water swirl known as the Devils' Bathtub. What do I love most about this adventure..? The trails down in the gorge are wide and easy to traverse, but mainly my biggest pleasure it is all FREE. I highly recommend if you are in the area and have about 2 good hours to enjoy this outdoor wonderland .....STOP HERE and ENJOY but be safe...high cliffs, steep steps, crowds and breathtaking views can be a hazard!!!

This is a really neat little park! It has some fascinating historical elements. As suggested by its…read morename, there is an ancient earthworks in the shape of a cross or plus sign. There are four arms that come out from a circular depression in the center that are almost aligned with the north/south/east/west directions. There is a 1/2 mile trail that takes you up by the large mound, plus passes by a smaller stone mound, and then loops through the woods. The mound sits up on a ridge so you can get a nice view of the ravine as you walk along it. In order to access the mound trail, you cross a lovely suspension bridge that was built by the Works Progress Administration on site in 1936. It was restored in 2017 and is a wonderful sight of its own, as well. The bridge crosses the Salt Creek, and there are also several benches nearby where you can sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the creek. There is also a small access area where you can head down onto the creek banks and get a good look back up at the bridge. Additional park amenities include a nice park shelter, picnic tables, a grassy area, and some parking spots available. A very enjoyable stop if you are interested by history.

It's got a nice little trail a creek and a big bridge. It's not very big but it's a nice little…read morescenic nature walk! You can sit at a picnic table and watch nature and relax for a minute.

Strouds Run State Park is a gem, just a few miles from the City of Athens in southeastern Ohio…read more Lots of great trails around the lake and above on the many ridges throughout the park. Fairly large campground with spots that aren't too close together. Beach is typically dragged each morning in the summer and canoes, kayaks, and even motorized pontoon boats for rent. The motorized pontoon is blasphemy for those of us who have been going to the park since the 1970s, but they aren't so many that it is too loud or disruptive. There is one short trail that is accessible for all and there is a mix of pit and flush toilet facilities. There is no life guard at the beach but there is a safe and sizable enclosed playground for young ones.

Pretty spot for a day in nature. They have a nice playground, boat launch, and plenty of bench's…read moreoverlooking water. They do have bathrooms too!

Yesterday we drove over to Lake Logan State Park and checked out the park and marina there…read more Its free to enjoy!! There is a public boat ramp and fishing with license. There are picnic tables along with a swimming beach. Today was so lovely and the views were very nice.

Lake Logan is just south of town. It's on the other side of Route 33 and down a twisting road. The…read morelake itself looks nice with clean water. It just doesn't have much going on here. There is a small older looking marina. If you're going to or coming from Hocking Hills you likely will go right past it. It's a pretty good size lake. There's a couple areas for parking. One is along Route 664 at the dam. There's a small hill to climb to get to the beach, which isn't too dirty looking. Farther up is another entrance. This is where to find the boat launching ramp. It's next to the marina. The marina sells boating supplies and snacks. It's not fantastic but it's good for this area. It doesn't get too many tourists here. Several restaurants are located between the lake and highway.

Tony Vanoy and I went hiking in the Hocking Hills area of Logan, Ohio to Chapel Cave. This was a…read moregreat 2.5 mile hike in and out.. There was some mud, some horse poop on the trail and a well marked pathway. Follow the Orange and Light Blue painted marks on the trees from the parking lot...mainly following the creek bed up that was dry! This was a great hike! We had a great time! It's Free to enjoy this hike! Definitely recommend for you to go and enjoy!

This is an absolutely stunning nature preserve! It sets a whole new standard for the phrase "hidden…read moregem." It can only be accessed by state permit, and, to that end, the address is unpublished. To obtain a permit, complete the form offered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on their website (http://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/Portals/0/Forms/dnap/permits/ApplicationAccessPermit.pdf) It's well worth the effort. There are four caves on the property, all located in a relatively small area that makes for a beautiful hike. We visited recently, when a blanket of snow and ice was in the region, so we didn't get to see everything - we chose to be a bit cautious about going on the sheerest areas that were ice covered. It just means we can't wait to go back again! Regardless, the stunning ice displays were well worth the winter visit. The calm and quiet was relaxing. Highly recommended!