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    Old Man's Cave Trail

    4.9 (40 reviews)

    Old Man's Cave Trail Photos

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    Rob B.

    What a great walk this is. I have been wanting to go here for years and I finally made it recently with a friend. We thoroughly enjoying every aspect of this walk. The cave is incredible! You get to see so much beauty as you are walking in and out. The day we went it was a little crowded so the trail was not as enjoyable but we still had a great time regardless. There is so much to see here. This is the type of place you could spend all day exploring I can only imagine how beautiful it is in the fall. I love it! Enjoy :)

    Litter
    D R.

    Always enjoy hiking old man's cave. Lately I do not understand all the eye pollution. There is no need for the cables and signs. These things are litter. I have been hiking these areas for most of my life (60), you don't need these warning signs posted everywhere.

    Casey M.

    Well not bad, very busy felt like a Disney ride. The place is beautiful if you're looking for a decent more secluded hike go elsewhere.

    Leslie M.

    We loved it here! It was so beautiful. The waterfalls, trails etc. Do be careful on the trail, it was slippery (which is to be expected). This is awesome for family fun or just some time outdoors. They have a lodge with a lot of neat things to look at. I will definitely go back. The drive was even nice.

    Laurie V.

    This really is a beautiful place, but as much as I wish it were true, the fact of the matter is: I'm just not that outdoorsy. In fact, I am probably pretty much indoorsy. My son and I were here on a weekday around 9 AM and it was quite busy. But it was also a pretty chilly morning for mid October, and he was complaining that he was ready to go. We never did find the nearby waterfall that is allegedly just beyond the parking lot, and we had somewhere else we had to be, so I guess we'll have to come back again. Leaves are pretty this time of year.

    View of lower falls - just a trickle in July 2023.
    Gilbert G.

    My wife, two teenage sons (17 yrs, 15 yrs) and I stopped by Hocking Hills SP on our drive from Parkersburg, WV to Cincinnati. In my opinion, this is the best hiking experience and crown jewel of Ohio state park hikes for visitors with limited time (1 hour or less). First, it's located right next to a large visitor's center with clean restrooms, park maps, and an information center. Second, the hike follows a one-way path down a series of half-caves and other interesting geological formations. Kids are likely to find something interesting. Third, the lower waterfall was pretty although the flow was quite limited. Fourth, it's completely free.

    Upper falls
    Ashley O.

    This is our favorite hike in Hocking Hills. It is. Shirt than most, but has a huge parking lot and a visitors center. It has actual flushing bathrooms and Wi-Fi. It has upper and lower falls as well as caves.

    Courtney P.

    Visited here over the weekend with our pup. Great time with friends. It was a nice stroll through the woods not too cold for January!! The hike was easy/mild took about 30-45 mins to do.

    Jayme H.

    I don't even know where to start. I've been hiking this trail for over a decade now and every time I visit it's just as magical as I remember. Whether it's in the dead of winter and the falls are iced over or it's the middle of the summer with a pandemic going on, it's always worth a trip in my book. Coming from Columbus and just about anywhere else, this is considered a day trip activity. While the drive home can be quiet and sleepy for those not in the driver seat, it's easily accomplished in one day. If you're renting a cabin nearby, I highly recommend visiting really early in the morning... before it starts to get really busy. Over the years the trails have changed. In the past you sorta had free reign over the cave, but these days you need to stay on marked trails. It's definitely become more popular over the years, so I understand how this is necessary in order to preserve the space. This year I definitely noticed more trash and I hope that doesn't become a trend. I treasure this space and I expect other visitors to as well. Overall, this trail is what I consider to be one of Ohio wonders. If you like to be outdoors, this is a must visit!

    Amethyst W.

    Incredibly beautiful trail. Loved every second of exploring this area. Even those dog friendly I wouldn't recommend bringing a dog that has shorter legs because there are areas where the steps are kind of difficult to climb and if they are awkward or long you would not be able to carry them throughout the whole path very comfortably. I would recommend wearing shoes with good tread because parts of the path are slippery. If you're in the area definitely worth visiting this.

    Lauren R.

    Very pretty trails! I would recommend going early-ish to beat the crowds if you can. Dog friendly! Personally, I do feel like this trail specifically is a bit over-hyped. It's definitely beautiful and the trails are well taken care of, just not as exciting as I thought.

    Megan M.

    Loved hiking this gorgeous trail that's family friendly! The trail is absolutely gorgeous with multiple water falls! Great opportunities for pictures. Great signage and marking of trails throughout so you don't get lost! There is also a visitor center with bathrooms that are well kept up.

    Rebecca M.

    This is the most popular and sought out trail in Hocking Hills. There are so many routes that you can take, and everything is very well mapped. The trails range from easy, to difficult. With that being said, you're still walking on slippery rocks so I would recommend a decent pair of hiking shoes.

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    3 years ago

    Great place to visit! Trails are not long to get to the caves. Enjoyed all the views and the falls.

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    3 years ago

    Well defined trails. Scenic trails. Easy to navigate. Beautiful waterfalls and interesting history.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Awesome hike! A little bit scary sometimes make sure you stay on the trail and you'll be fine. I will do it again

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    4 years ago

    Breathe taking views everywhere in this place. Highly recommend going here. Awesome scenery

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    Review Highlights - Old Man's Cave Trail

    This trail is easily accessed from the Hocking Hills visitors center and offers a short half mile and one mile loops.

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    Hocking Hills State Park - Hallway looking down to small sitting area

    Hocking Hills State Park

    (195 reviews)

    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.

    Hocking Hills is one of the best state parks in the Midwest. Whether you are looking for…read morechallenging trails to hike, a campground, or just a scenic spot for a picnic lunch, this state park is the perfect place. The trails are well maintained and range from easy to challenging. The trails are dog friendly, but please pick up after your puppy. My friend and I stayed at a nearby campground for a week and hiked every day with our two dogs. We arrived early in the morning and hiked different trails. Some of the trails are loops and some are out-and-back. A few of them involve steep climbs, rock stairs, or scrambling up rocks, so consult the free park map for details. The visitor center is very nice, and naturalists are available to answer questions and provide recommendations. Restrooms are clean and well maintained. The campground at Hocking Hills tends to fill up quickly, with reservations being made up to six months in advance. If the campgrounds are full, there are several private campgrounds in the area that are very nice. We actually camped at Campbell's Cove and drove the short distance to Hocking Hills State Park every morning.

    Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve - Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve

    Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve

    (27 reviews)

    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!

    Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve is definitely an incredible gem of the Hocking Hills area…read morethat I highly recommend everyone check out! Last time I was at Hocking Hills, this completely wasn't on my radar and after exploring a lot of the main Hocking Hills sights and sounds, I can safely tell you that Conkle's Hollow was unlike anything I saw at Hocking Hills! There are two paths you can take once you cross over the bridge from the parking lot and into the preserve just a little bit, one is just cutting through the entire middle of the gorge, so you'll have high walls all around you as you advance. This is the path we opted for and it ended up being really doable! A large portion of the path was paved, which really adds to its accessibility, but there will be a point where the path becomes unpaved (I think mostly past the second bridge you'll cross) which makes the last quarter of the hike less accessible. There are plenty of sights to marvel at before this last quarter of the hike, but I won't lie to you...the last quarter of the hike when you reach the innermost part of the gorge really made the hike what it was. You get to see a ton of smaller waterfalls as you go, but that back part of the gorge is where the main waterfalls are and when we went in the winter, they were frozen over for that extra cool look and we were able to get really close to them! The other path you can take at the start of the trail is to go up a flight of stairs and hike the perimeter of the gorge from above! We didn't do this so I do not know how the views are from here, but I can only imagine they are also incredible! This trail is a loop of about 2.5 miles I believe, whereas the one down below in the gorge is about a total of a mile out and back, so it just depends on the amount of time you have! I don't think you'll regret anything when you come to Conkle's Hollow, there were so many stunning views and things to see, even in the dead of winter! So I can only imagine how incredible it looks throughout the other seasons as well!

    Old Man's Cave Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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