Every place we actually send guests — gorges and waterfalls, the good pizza, a zipline, an otter you can swim with, and somewhere dry when it rains. Drive times are from the cottage door.
We’re in the quieter northern Hocking Hills, deliberately away from the cabin-lined roads by the main trailheads. You’ll drive a bit to reach the famous gorges — and in exchange you get seven wooded acres out the back door and quiet evenings with the trees. Nothing on this list is here because it fills space; if we wouldn’t go ourselves, it isn’t on the page.
Six state park areas, two nature preserves and a state forest sit within thirty-five minutes of the door. They are not interchangeable — one is paved and flat enough for a wheelchair, another has unfenced two-hundred-foot drops. Sorted here by who each one suits. Trail lengths and difficulty ratings are the park’s own; drive times are from our door.
Download the printable guide (PDF) — the same thing on paper, for the car.
The gentlest walk in the park and the one we send everyone to first. A flat, paved path runs up a hemlock gorge to Ohio's largest recess cave — a sandstone amphitheatre 700 feet from end to end, with a seasonal waterfall dropping into it from the rim 90 feet above. It is the only trail here rated wheelchair accessible by ODNR, and the only one a small child can walk without being carried. A separate rim trail, also a quarter mile, climbs to the top and is rated moderate.
One of the deepest gorges in Ohio, and only 300 feet wide at its narrowest with cliffs rising more than 200 feet on either side. The gorge trail runs flat along the valley floor, paved and accessible for the first stretch, then turns to packed dirt and rock as it narrows to the grotto and the waterfall at the head of the hollow. Ferns, wildflowers and so little sunlight that it stays cool on a hot day. Dogs are not permitted anywhere in the preserve.
Ohio's largest natural bridge — a sandstone span over 100 feet long arching 50 feet across a ravine. A field walk and a wooded descent get you there. Almost nobody goes, which is the point: on an autumn Saturday when Old Man's Cave is shoulder to shoulder, you may have this to yourselves.
The famous one, and deservedly. A mile of gorge takes you past the Upper Falls, the Devil's Bathtub, the recess cave itself and the Lower Falls, by way of stone staircases, a tunnel cut through the rock, and bridges above the stream. Children love it; the steps and drop-offs mean they need holding onto. Start at the Visitor Center, and go early — this is the busiest half mile in the region.
Despite the name there is not a cedar in sight — early settlers mistook the hemlocks. What there is, is the largest waterfall in the park by volume of water, at the head of a deep gorge. A set of stairs takes you down to the base. After a wet week this is the one to prioritise; in a dry August it can thin to a trickle.
A corridor 200 feet long tunnelled clean through the cliff face, with windows of rock opening onto the gorge below — the only true cave in the park, as opposed to a recess. Steep steps down and back up. It sits at the north end of the park and takes noticeably fewer visitors than Old Man's Cave.
The most rugged of the six state park areas and the least visited, largely because it is furthest north — which happens to put it closest to us. Deep valley, high cliffs and a notorious narrow stone staircase known as Fat Woman's Squeeze. Rated difficult by ODNR, and the rating is earned: expect steep, uneven descents and a climb out.
The newest trail in the park and, at 4.5 miles, the longest single loop. It leaves from the Old Man's Cave area, crosses the swinging Hemlock Bridge, and reaches the second largest recess cave in the region with a 105-foot seasonal waterfall falling to the floor below. Because of the distance it stays quiet even when the gorge is busy. Take water and give it half a day.
The rim trail runs along the clifftops around the whole hollow, and the views are the finest in the area. It is also the one walk here we would ask you to think hard about: the drop-offs are unfenced, the preserve's own guidance calls the trail extremely dangerous in all seasons, and people are hurt on it. Not with young children, not in the wet, not in the ice, and not in the dark.
The through-hike: Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls to Ash Cave, six miles of gorge strung end to end, with the Buckeye Trail and the American Discovery Trail running along it. Named for Emma 'Grandma' Gatewood, the Ohio grandmother who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail at 67 and said these cliffs were more interesting than anything she saw on it. It is one way, so leave a car at each end — or walk out and back and take the distance as it comes.
607 acres and seven miles of trail, barely ten minutes away — the obvious choice for a morning walk when you do not fancy the drive. Corkscrew Falls, the highlight, is permit-only and must be reserved in advance through ODNR; the rest of the preserve is open.
5,470 acres of hemlock ravine and sandstone cliff, home to more than 2,200 species including Ohio's last wild rhododendron colonies. Trails run from level creekside strolls to genuine climbs, so there is something here for whoever you have with you. Quiet on almost any day of the year.
A working fire tower you are allowed to climb — eighty feet of steel stairs to a view across the whole forest canopy. The walk to it is nothing; the climb is not for anyone uneasy with heights. In mid October it is the best colour view in the county and there is rarely a queue.
A seventeen-acre lake reached by a half-mile trail off State Route 374, inside the state park but almost entirely overlooked. Rainbow trout, channel catfish, bass and bluegill. A good short leg-stretch if the gorges are heaving.
Most of these are short enough that one is not a day. These pairings work because the driving between them is small.
Coffee, cold brew, smoothies, wraps and pastries out of a restored Airstream trailer beside Lake Logan — the only drive-through coffee shop in the Hocking Hills. Rooftop deck, fire pit and outdoor seating, and dogs are welcome.
Downtown Logan, open from 6 AM — the local breakfast counter, and the best-rated cheap plate in town.
Our own favorite, in downtown Logan — once named the best pizza in Ohio by TripAdvisor and USA Today, with a gluten-free crust available. They don't deliver to the cottage, but they'll meet you at the end of Bear Run Road where it joins SR 93.
Southern barbecue in Logan, and the most-reviewed restaurant in the county — brisket, ribs, pulled pork and corn muffins.
Family Mexican at the Hocking Mall — generous portions, quick service and easy prices, open until 10 PM every day. A dependable, unfussy choice on a night nobody wants to cook.
Italian with a Spaghetti Western twist — pastas, lasagna, ravioli and seafood, a wine wall and a patio.
An Amish-run market and deli on SR 664, and our pick for lunch on the way to the trails — made-to-order sandwiches built at the counter, Holmes County deli meats and cheeses, and fresh-cut meats. Behind the deli it’s a proper country store: bulk spices and baking supplies, jams, trail mixes, a bakery case and a good range of gluten-free. Closed Sundays.
Tastings without a reservation, then a glass by the fire or out on the covered patio. Live music every weekend, plus pizza and charcuterie. Closed Tuesdays.
House-brewed beers on tap and a beer garden with a fire pit, rotating food trucks and live music. Dog and family friendly, with a playground and lawn games.
Hocking County's first moonshine distillery, in downtown Logan. The tour is free — watch it being made and hear the prohibition history — and samples are a small fee.
The nearest fuel and the nearest food, on SR 93 on the way into Logan — and much more than a gas station. Gas and diesel both, plus a full meat counter and deli: hand-cut steaks, deli meats and cheeses, made-to-order sandwiches and hot food to take away. The handiest stop for provisions on your way in or out. Closed Sundays.
Downtown Logan — elevated American plates, with a winery, brewery and distillery on site. The area's standout for a dinner out. Closed Tuesdays.
The dining room at Glenlaurel, a Scottish inn set on 140 acres at Rockbridge, and the most theatrical meal in the Hills. Six courses in a dim manor-house room, seated at 6:30 PM and running about two hours; on many Saturdays a bagpiper in full kilt pipes guests in. $85 a head, or $95 on Saturdays for the chef’s tasting built around rack of lamb. Adults only, and seating is limited — book at least 72 hours ahead.
Dinner by candlelight in the 1840s log cabins at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls — contemporary American, and the area's special-occasion table. Reservations required.
Kayaks, paddleboards and pontoon boats to rent at the marina, and some of the best fishing in Ohio.
The last washboard factory in the country, still running 1800s equipment. Guided tours, a museum and gift shop, and the World's Largest Washboard out front.
Ohio’s first zipline course, in Rockbridge — a guided treetop tour above cliffs and caves, plus the SuperZip: two riders launched from an 85-foot tower at up to 50 mph, rated among the top ten ziplines in the world. A gentler course for children too.
Canoe and kayak trips on the Hocking River, five or seven miles. Season runs April to mid-October.
Watch glassblowing or make your own piece.
Dark-sky stargazing, telescopes and public programs. A free parking pass is required in advance at registration.jgap.org.
Historic train rides from Nelsonville, weekends May through October, including fall foliage runs.
The restored theater on East Main Street in downtown Logan, reopened in 2026 — classic films and community screenings. A good answer to a wet evening.
Free, and inside the Welcome Center on SR 664, so you can see it while you are there anyway. Paul Johnson's collection of 3,479 pencil sharpeners — no duplicates — is the largest in the country.
A paved rail trail running nineteen miles from Nelsonville to Athens along the old canal and railbed. Flat, shaded and car-free — the easiest cycling in the region. Bring bikes; there is no rental at the trailhead.
Guided trail rides from a small family farm at South Bloomingville. The horses are rescues, rehabilitated and retrained on the farm, and the guides will tell you where each one came from. One- and two-hour rides suit people who have never sat on a horse; longer rides reach Crystal Falls, Red Rock and Airplane Rock. Thursday to Sunday, reservations essential — no walk-ins. Ages 10 and up.
Ninety-nine acres set aside for rock climbing and rappelling, a mile east of Conkle's Hollow.
Escape rooms on South Spring Street in downtown Logan — lock-ins, puzzles and a countdown clock, good for a group of four to six. Thursday to Sunday, by appointment; book ahead at hockinghillsescapegames.com.
In Bremen, and the highest-rated attraction in the region — swim or paint with Asian small-clawed otters in a heated indoor pool, or meet the sloths, capybaras and foxes. By appointment only — book at www.pandcencounters.com and they send the address. Indoors, so it works in any weather.
Feed and brush goats, alpacas, donkeys and llamas, then sift for gemstones and fossils at the gem-mining sluice. Open April to October.
Nineteen species, from rabbits and miniature donkeys to camels, emus and a zedonk — half zebra, half donkey. Open select days; call ahead.
Over a hundred dealers under one roof on SR 664, just up from the Welcome Center — furniture, glassware, tools, records and a great deal of pleasant clutter. Open seven days.
A large flea market in Rockbridge — indoor and outdoor vendors in a big barn, with crafts, antiques, produce and food stalls. Call ahead for days and hours.
The factory outlet on East Canal Street in Nelsonville — Rocky have made boots here since 1932, and the store carries work, hunting and hiking boots, outdoor clothing and other brands at outlet prices. Open daily.
Rain is part of these hills — it is what carved the gorges, and the waterfalls are never better than the day after a good storm. But wet sandstone is slick and the stairs are unforgiving, so a wet day is worth planning around.
At the cottage. The screened porch is the best seat in the house in a downpour: dry, with the rain coming down through the trees and the birds still working the feeders. The hot tub is genuinely better in the rain — hot water, cool air, and the woods to yourself. The gas fire pit lights in any weather, and indoors there is a full cable package with live sports, plus 1,000 Mbps Wi-Fi.
Indoors nearby. Paws & Claws otter encounters (16 min), the Columbus Washboard Company factory tour, the Pencil Sharpener Museum, the Logan Theater, Hocking Hills Moonshine, Hocking Hills Escape Games and the Logan Antique Mall (all about 15 min), Hocking Hills Winery and Brewery 33 (20 min), and Jack Pine Glassblowing and the Rocky Boots outlet (30 min).
Tucked away on a quiet road north of the busiest parks, with every major trailhead within an easy drive. (Drive times are approximate — please allow for rural roads.)
Tucked away on a quiet road north of the busiest parks, with every major trailhead within an easy drive. (Drive times are approximate — please allow for rural roads.)
Two bedrooms on seven wooded acres, with a hot tub under the trees and all of the above within an easy drive.
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