Hocking Hills Hiking Trails | State Park and Regional Guide

Hocking Hills Hiking Trails and State Park Guide

Explore hiking trails throughout the Hocking Hills region, including the seven major hiking areas of Hocking Hills State Park and additional trails in nearby state forests, nature preserves, metro parks and national forest lands.

These trail guides are based on firsthand fieldwork. Routes are personally hiked and field-checked for The Hocking Hills Organization, with trail distances, conditions, access points, directions and safety notes verified on the ground rather than drawn from crowdsourced tracks or secondhand summaries.

Hocking Hills State Park has seven major hiking areas: Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, Whispering Cave, Rock House, Cantwell Cliffs and Conkle’s Hollow. Each area offers a different trail experience, from shorter walks beneath towering recess caves to rugged routes with steep steps, cliffs and repeated climbs.

Use the trail guides below to compare distance, difficulty, parking, maps, directions, accessibility and important trail conditions before choosing your hike.

Beyond the state park: The wider Hocking Hills region also includes trails at Hocking State Forest, Lake Hope State Park, Clear Creek Metro Park, Wayne National Forest, Zaleski State Forest, Vinton Furnace State Forest and the Moonville Rail Trail.

Before hiking: Remain on marked trails. Most park trails are one-way and all close at dusk. Swimming and wading are prohibited in park waterfalls and creeks. Leashed pets are permitted in many areas but are not permitted at Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve.

Ash Cave

Walk the paved lower trail to one of the largest recess caves in the Hocking Hills. The lower route is accessible, while the full loop continues up steep steps to the rugged rim trail.

Ash Cave trail guide, map, distance and directions

Cedar Falls

Follow the 0.6-mile loop through the gorge to Cedar Falls. The route includes uneven steps, bridges and a rugged return trail beyond the waterfall.

Cedar Falls trail guide, map, distance and directions

Old Man’s Cave

Explore the gorge from Upper Falls through Old Man’s Cave and toward Lower Falls. The trail includes stone steps, bridges, rock passages and several route options depending on where you exit.

Old Man’s Cave trail guide, map, distance and directions

Whispering Cave

Hike a rugged route with repeated climbs, numerous stone and wooden steps, and a steep ascent after the cave. The shortest option is from the Hocking Hills State Park Lodge, while longer routes connect with the Old Man’s Cave trail system.

Whispering Cave trail guide, map, distance and directions

Conkle’s Hollow

Choose the easier Lower Gorge Trail through the narrow sandstone gorge, or the much more difficult Upper Rim Trail with steep climbs, rugged footing and exposed cliff edges.

Conkle’s Hollow trail guide, map, distance and directions

Cantwell Cliffs

Explore one of the more rugged and less-crowded areas of Hocking Hills State Park. The trail includes steep stone steps, narrow passages, uneven footing and several climbs through the cliff and gorge area.

Cantwell Cliffs trail guide, map, distance and directions

Rock House

Follow the 0.6-mile loop to the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park. The route includes stone steps, uneven footing and a short climb to the sandstone corridor known as Rock House.

Rock House trail guide, map, distance and directions

Lake Hope State Park

Hope Furnace Trail at Lake Hope State Park

Lake Hope State Park, approximately 30 minutes from the main Hocking Hills State Park areas, offers additional forest trails and historic features.

Peninsula Trail guide, map and directions

Hope Furnace Trail guide, map and directions

Hocking Hills Hiking Trail Guidebook

Take the field-checked trail information with you. The guidebook includes the seven major Hocking Hills State Park areas along with forest trails, hidden hikes, route directions, distances, maps and practical trail guidance.

View the Hocking Hills Hiking Trail Guidebook

Ash Cave to Cedar Falls Trail

Follow the Buckeye Trail from Ash Cave to Cedar Falls on a longer, more rugged hike through the Hocking Hills. The route passes forested ridges, sandstone formations and seasonal waterfalls before descending toward Cedar Falls.

Ash Cave to Cedar Falls trail guide, map, distance and directions

Hidden Waterfalls in Hocking Hills

Discover seasonal waterfalls, quieter trails and lesser-known cascades beyond the main Hocking Hills State Park trailheads. Several of these falls are reached by marked forest trails and are most impressive during spring or after steady rainfall.

Hidden waterfalls guide, trails and seasonal waterfall information

Regional Hocking Hills Trail Map

Regional Hocking Hills trail system map

Hocking Hills State Park

Upper Falls at Old Man’s Cave is one of the starting points for the one-way loop trail.

Upper Falls at Old Man’s Cave

Stone Bridge at Old Man's Cave

Stone bridge along the Old Man’s Cave trail

OPEN ALL YEAR-ROUND FROM DAWN TO DUSK

There are seven major hiking areas in Hocking Hills State Park - All are one-way trail systems.

Click here for a Regional Hocking Hills Trail Area Map

Ash Cave, Old Man's Cave, Rock House, Conkle's Hollow, Cedar Falls, Cantwell Cliffs, and Whispering Cave Trail. These park areas offer a unique experience for those who walk its paths no matter what season (the park is open year-round from dawn to dusk)—located on the southern edge of Hocking County. But those are just a handful. Other hiking trails in the Hocking Hills region include those at Wayne National Forest, Clear Creek Metro Parks, Lake Hope State Park, the Moonville Rail Trail, and the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway.