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 It can only be accessed by state permit, and, to that end, the address is unpublished.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!

Hocking Hills State Park is simply magical. Once you step onto the trails, it does not even feel…read morelike you are still in Ohio. We are so used to the rolling hills, corn and soybean fields of the Midwest. It truly feels like stepping into another world. We visited on a Wednesday - after the busy summer season - school back in session. I was surprised to still see quite a few people around the main attractions, especially Old Man's Cave, Devil's Bathtub and Cedar Falls, but once we moved farther along the trail, it became quiet and very peaceful. We hiked approximately for seven miles. The trails are marked with color codes on the trees but what I was missing where clear signs along the trail. It was difficult at times to determine if we where still on the right one. We ended up taking a wrong turn at one point and ended up on the purple trail instead of the red one we originally wanted to hike. But still - it was honestly one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done. Hiking always recharges my soul, and this place certainly did that. The rock formations, caves, waterfalls, moss and forest scenery are absolutely breathtaking. That being said, some portions of the trail can be challenging. There are steep climbs, uneven ground and areas that can become slippery from the moisture and moss. At times, we had to steady ourselves on rocks or trees while climbing. Good hiking shoes are an absolute must, and be sure to bring a snack and plenty of water, especially on a warm day.

Wow is this a beautiful state park!…read more We went hiking on a Saturday which was crazy packed, but it was still stunning to home through gorges. Everything was beautiful! One downside is that they had stinky compost toilets even at the visitor's center.

All of the trail info I previously described still holds true, and the rockbridge is still fun to…read moresee. What's been greatly improved since our previous visit is the parking and trailhead! There's a nice, paved decently sized parking lot available now. The trailhead is clearly marked with a boot brush, a fun butterfly art piece, and multiple tall, colorful informational signs about history, geology, and trail maps. These are excellent additions to this space and great to see.

What a beautiful hike with some really cool rock formations, waterfalls and some steep hills to get…read morethe blood pumping!

The Ash Cave Waterfall is a large natural rock overhang in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. It is…read moreone of the premier Park destinations in the state, and the home of historic native populations in North America for millennia. A remnant of ancient pre-glacial North America, some of the flora species located here are unique to the continent. Other caves are also located nearby, and coupled with a visit to Ash Cave can make a truly unique and memorable visit to Southeast Ohio. Ash Cave is easily accessible from a large nearby parking lot and the trail is handicapped friendly. It is sometimes the location for special events, such as an annual concert by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. This is a magnificent event and well worth attending, but tickets go fast so if you're interested really be on the lookout for them, so don't delay when they become available.

This was absolutely beautiful and such an amazing place for kids to play! The waterfall was…read morebeautiful and even with all the people tourist-ing it was relaxing. I love how accessible this hike was - we took the stroller most of the way and turned around and walked back instead of finishing the loop. The natural beauty was out of this world!

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!!!

Of all the Metro Parks I've visited, Clear Creek is my favorite. Rugged with a feeling of being as…read moreclose to real wilderness that a Metro Park can currently offer.

Get out and go hiking. Only 1 trail dog friendly I do believe. Definitely some nice inclines and…read morerangers driving around. Happy hiking!!!

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.

This trail was super cool! There was a significant portion (probably about 3/4 of the length of the…read moretrail) was accessible... but if you are able continue on to the end (you have to climb on some rocks) definitely do so!!! We were easily able to park our stroller and carry our baby and the 8&10 year old handled the rocks easily. This is an amazing hike for kids - IF YOU STAY ON THE GROUND. Do *not* do the rim trail with kids... there are severe cliff drops offs. This was peaceful and beautiful and slightly less traveled than typical Hocking hills trails. There was an abundance of wildlife and the views are phenomenal! The water level on the waterfalls was low when we went, so it was more like 1 trickling fall rather than three falls. Worth. It.

This was such a peaceful way to start the day. We chose this path because it's kid-friendly (and…read morewheelchair accessible). We arrived by 9am and there were only a few other cars in the lot. This location also offers bathrooms (no guarantees on toilet paper though ). The half mile trail was filled with shade and beautiful views from start to finish. They also offer an upper trail thats more challenging and apparently not ideal with little kids due to the rim. Highly recommend this spot while in Hocking Hills!

Lincoln was our boat guy this morning. He was very patient and helpful with getting our anxious 10…read moreyear old into her kayak.

We found this secret camp spot not too far from Hocking Hills State Park right along the river…read more Shane set us up over the phone with a campsite and kayaking for the next day even though it was preseason! The campsites had a small bundle of wood for a campfire and they were really well spaced out so you don't feel that you are right on top of the next site. The hot showers and restrooms were well maintained and really nice after falling in on our kayak excursion:) Thanks Shane

This is a nice trail loop in Hocking Hills. There are a couple ways to do the loop so you can…read moreeasily spend over an hour here before moving on to another area.

I've spent time exploring the Hocking Hills area for over a decade now and for whatever reason, I…read moredon't remember ever visiting Cantwell Cliffs... at least until a few weeks ago. I rented a cabin in the area and specifically wanted to go somewhere I had never been before. Cantwell Cliffs is about 17 miles from Old Man's Cave so I have to assume that's why I never made the extended trip. However, this go round time was not an issue and therefore I started my day of hiking there. It had snowed the entire evening before and didn't clear up until about 11AM that morning. Once it was done for the day I decided to head out. By the looks of it, only one person had beat me there. Due to the fresh snow the foot trail was hard to follow and deep, but thankfully all the trails here are marked really well. Along with the welcome signage and map at the beginning, it's easy to follow the colored marks among the trees. I will say that coming when there is a foot of snow on the ground isn't for the inexperienced. The staircases were slick with ice and snow, harder to climb but I was happy to be getting a work out in. It was absolutely breathtaking and so peaceful. I can't believe it took me so long to visit. I can't wait to go back when it's lush with green and flowing waterfalls. If you're in the area and want to get away from the crowds, definitely add Cantwell Cliffs to your itinerary.