Ohio (Logan / Hocking Hills State Park)
Trip Summary
Since the pandemic, I have been an avid hiker and am a member of a large number of hiking and traveling groups on social media. I am always on the lookout for my next trail, and I remember one day seeing a picture of a place just FULL of waterfalls, cliffs, canyons, and trails. I thought to myself, where is THAT? And the answer was Hocking Hills–a place in Ohio a little southeast of Columbus! So I quickly put it on my list of places to hike, but unfortunately, it just stayed on that list as Hocking Hills is about 6 hours away, and it was never on the way to anything else. Then, I got into a conference in West Virginia, and I thought I’d stop there on the way, but then that conference got moved online due to COVID, so my plans were once again foiled! So for Spring Break this year, I decided to cross it off my list! No more cancellations–I would finally GO!
I went solo since my husband had work obligations and my dogs, while they love traveling, are aging so they wouldn’t be able to do the trails easily. So I packed up my bag, got my crampons (a big snowstorm had just come through, and ice had been forecasted on the trails), and set off for a long-anticipated trip!
I stayed for a few days which ended up being perfect, because I could explore all the trails in various states. The first day was icy with lots of icicles on the cliffs and near the caves/tunnels/higher trails and then as the weather got warmer, I could see the trails in their typical “spring state”–and the pictures from these days are some of my favorites!
The park is actually divided up into sections, so the trails are a bit scattered (and some trailheads are even a 20 minute drive from one another). I’ll start with the “main” trail and then review some of the smaller ones, so you know which ones are definitely worth a visit!
Buckeye Trail is at the main trailhead and visitor’s center and has most of the sights–Upper and Lower Falls, Devil’s Bathtub, Old Man’s Cave, and even Broken Rock Falls as part of an offshoot trail. The trail is very easy to follow and has a ton of signs throughout that guide you to the various sights (this trail, like the others in Hocking Hills is also a one-way trail due to crowding at the park, so be sure to follow the signs and be courteous to the other hikers). Buckeye Trail, while it has a lot of stairs, is also not too strenuous, so a lot of children and dogs were on this hike, too.
The first major attraction is Upper Falls, and there are several viewing points for each waterfall which makes it nice to take pictures. The traffic flow also moves pretty quickly, so if you are patient and wait a little bit between viewpoints, you can get pictures without a lot of people in them and just sit and enjoy the sounds of nature.
And what sights and sounds there are! I don’t think I have ever been on a trail that had so many treasures on it, because I had barely turned off the camera on my phone when I saw another view I wanted to take a picture of! There are just so many!
After Upper Falls is Devil’s Bathtub which is a small waterfall that makes for cool pictures as you can get an angle above it. There are also several vantage points for viewing, so be sure to check out all of them (and take slow motion shots when you do!)
Then you get to Old Man’s Cave which is not quite a full cave per-se but rather a rock overhang overhead (impressive to watch, especially when snow and ice are melting and water is trickling down). This area gets a little tricky to go one-way as the trail suggests because the one-way takes you back to the exit/visitor’s center, and you want to keep going on the Buckeye Trail to see the rest of the sights. So you do have to do a little backtracking to get back to the main trail, but the best sights are ahead!
Next, you get to Lower Falls which is also gorgeous. The viewing point is very wide for these falls, so you have plenty of room to take pictures even if it is busy. Take your pictures, videos, panoramic, and slow-motion shots, because all of them will be beautiful!
But the best yet was ahead! Broken Rock Falls! This trail is actually an offshoot, and there was only only sign for this one (versus multiple for the other sights), so a lot of people missed the turn-off. Luckily, I was keeping an eye on my AllTrails app, so I knew when to veer left and follow the cliffs toward the sound of rushing water. Because oh, my goodness! This one is different than all the others because it is a thinner waterfall, but it is just as fierce and impressive as the rest–if not more so! I loved this one, because there was no one else there, so I could sit and listen to it for a while as the water crashed down the rocks and joined the stream below. So peaceful and to have such a gorgeous spot to myself was magical.
You can also take this trail to Whispering Cave and Cedar Falls. Whispering Cave was closed due to construction (even the other trailhead that you could drive to directly was closed and the trailhead covered with fallen trees and logging equipment), but you could still get to Cedar Falls via the Buckeye Trail. This waterfall was also very nice to visit as it had many little waterfalls and streams along the way from melting snow, so it made for a peaceful walk where everywhere you looked seemed picture-worthy!
If you take the trail around to the Gorge Overlook Trail, that will take you back to the main loop that takes you back to the visitor’s center (but if you were only wanting to see Cedar Falls, there is also a separate parking lot and trailhead that allows you a shorter walk to see it).
All in all, it was a magnificent hike, and I quickly saw why the place was so popular! The elevation isn’t so steep, so the miles don’t seem as strenuous if you are an avid hiker. Ice definitely collects in the tunnels, bridges, on the steps, and close to the base of the waterfall, so definitely exercise caution if it is cold and wear good hiking shoes! I totally recommend this hike, though, if you are in the area! It was a wonderful way to spend the day!
Buckeye Trail / Gorge Overlook Trail: A
The other trails I’ll mention are a drive away from the main trial area. One of the most popular (and the one you will most likely see pics of when you look up Hocking Hills) is Ash Cave. This one was so busy that I actually had to park in the overflow lot because the initial parking lot was full (during the middle of the week in off-season!), but I can see why people love it so much! It’s a gorgeous place with probably the highest waterfall in the area! This was actually one of the first trails I took when it was still snowy and icy which made it all the more beautiful.
The trail goes to the base of the falls then goes under the rock overhang then up and over a gorge (that gets very icy, so crampons were a must here!) and even though the trail was on the shorter side, it was gorgeous, and you could easily spend a lot of time here just enjoying the sights.
Here and at the next trail (see below), large icicles had collected at the sides of the cliffs and would sound like small bombs going off when they would break and crash below. It was awe-inspiring (and a little nerve-wracking!) because the sound would echo all over the cliffs so it was hard to tell where it originated until it was too late and you saw the icicles crashing. So exercise caution if you go in the winter/early spring! Look up often, be aware when you are under an overhang, and be prepared to scramble if you have to!
So I highly recommend this trail as well. It’s short, so it’s easy for kids, and the pictures you get at this place are unreal! So many beautiful spots to see the waterfall, and whether it is frozen or flowing freely, it is amazing at every glance!
Ash Cave Trail: A
Though my favorite of all the trails didn’t include a waterfall at all! My favorite was Rock House, also a trail a bit away from the main ones, so you have to drive to it, but this was one of the ones that first drew me to the park with the pictures!
A cave of every photographer’s dreams, this place gets enough light from the outside to take pictures, but is still deeply enough entrenched in the rock to be mysterious, creepy, and incredible all at the same time!
You have to watch out for ice and falling icicles on this trail, but it is not nearly as crowded as the other trails, so you can get a lot of solo time in the cave just enjoying the views, taking pictures, and working to get the best angle without any rush!
The best picture spots are on the far left as you walk inside (as that opening is good for pictures and isn’t blocked off like the right side). There is also a spot on the left close to the entrance that makes for good pictures if you climb up the rock and either have someone take the pic or if you are like me, position your tripod and take a timed pic.
I probably stayed in this place the longest just because there were so many picture opportunities there. The quiet space was so peaceful and listening to the melting ice and the occasional crack of falling icicles made this place a treat! Highly recommend.
Rock House Trail: A+
Okay, one more trail review, but this one was one of my lesser-liked trails. I originally wasn’t planning on going to the Cantwell Cliffs, but I had seen so many signs for it and I had extra time on my last day, so I figured I’d try it out. It’s not nearly as well-marked as the others and even the AllTrails app is a little off on it, so at several points, I had to stop and get out my phone to see if I had lost the trail. At the bottom of the cliffs, I almost turned around but then after looking into the distance, I saw stairs, and if there is one thing about this trail, the stairs will lead you!
The views were beautiful and when the slow is melting, a short waterfall develops, and that is peaceful to watch. The trail goes up and down the cliffs through a variety of stairs built with blocks of wood, stone, and there are spots where steps are even carved into the rock. Some of them are very narrow and wind around so they made for some fun pictures as you went up or down!
However, if you are used to the magnificence of the other trails, this one just doesn’t measure up to those, and the trail was a little frustrating to follow at times. If you have time, definitely check it out, but if you are limited and can only pick a few, then you might want to skip this one.
Cantwell Cliffs Trail: B
So those are the trails! But if you are going to go on all of them, you will spend at least a day here…which means you need a place to sleep! Originally, I had planned on camping (and there are lots of camping spots nearby), but camping reservations didn’t even open up until April (I went in March), so I had to look at other options. I didn’t want to splurge on a cabin, especially as it was just me on this trip, so after looking at hotel options, I picked a cheaper one by the interstate…Sleep Inn.
I had low expectations for the place since it was cheap, and even my husband made fun of my choice, saying that I didn’t have to skimp that badly, but this place ended up being my favorite hotel of the trip! It was clean, the staff was friendly, and they had all sorts of extras from a free sound machine sleeping app to toiletries you could take home, and even discounts at the surrounding restaurants if you showed them your hotel key card.
It was also centrally located to some restaurants and breweries, so that was nice after a six hour drive then a whole day of hiking…just walking somewhere to eat and taking leftovers back to the room was just what the day called for!
Parking and breakfast were free, the wifi worked well, it was in a safe area of town, and the price was unbeatable for a quick stay, so I highly recommend going if you can’t stay in a cabin or tent! I would totally visit here again if back in town!
Sleep Inn: A
Okay, let’s get to the not so good place to stay. When looking for a spot for my last night in town, Worthington of Logan kept coming up as highly recommended. The inside had been recently remodeled and the bright paint, the island-like decor, and the glowing reviews convinced me!
The inside is totally different than the outside, because when I first pulled into the parking lot, I was a little suspicious, thinking is this the right place? It was more downtown, the parking lot wasn’t lit well, and the vibe was not near as welcoming as Sleep Inn. Sure enough, the inside looked totally different than the outside, and the nice, cheery interior made up for the drab exterior, but there were more problems ahead.
The person working the front desk was new, so the check-in took a long time. Thankfully, no one else was there as I was the only one checking in, but the front desk lady had a habit of loudly reading aloud everything she was typing into her computer, including your credit card number, expiration, and code. That made me really balk (and be thankful no one else was around), but new or not, that was just irresponsible and shows a lack of proper training (and common sense) by the hotel. She also loudly announced my room number as she gave me the key (also a big no-no in hospitality), so I was relieved just to get away from the desk and in my room.
Oh, but the best (I jest) was yet to come! When I first got into the room, I thought it was thoughtful that they had a set of earplugs on the nightstand. But then I quickly realized why!
The rooms surround an indoor pool, and the noise from the pool when kids are playing in it is UNREAL. Like I was completely flabbergasted. Since everything is inside, the noise has nowhere to go except to bounce around all the hard surfaces, so the noise is amplified. Even when I turned up the TV and put on headphones, I could still hear the noise, so that made it really difficult to get any rest. So if you have kids, they’ll have a good time, but if you are wanting any sort of relaxation, this is not the place.
Granted, there were some perks about the place, like some extras I hadn’t seen in other hotels. A real bathmat for the shower, cushy towels, and a make-up removing washcloth–but even with those nice touches, the noise would drive me away any day. Combine that with the higher expense, the front desk person’s lack of safety etiquette for room numbers and financial information, I would not go here again.
Worthington of Logan: C+
Last but not least, you want to know where the good grub is, right? Luckily, I was able to find a few good spots given the limitations (many places are closed during the week during off-season and/or during the week, so some of the spots I had picked out beforehand were actually closed the entire time I was there). That was a bummer, but I will tell you about the spots that were open and that I would recommend!
The first spot is Millstone BBQ. This restaurant is actually right next to Sleep Inn, so it was a very convenient stop. You could smell the food as you walked over, the staff was nice and greeted you as soon as you came in, and the food matched the good reviews!
They give you corn muffins with honey butter (honey butter is always a win in my book!) when you are seated, and the menu has all sorts of options from pulled pork/chicken to burgers to sandwiches. I ordered the macaroni with pulled pork over the top, and that tasted good. The meat was tender and the sauce had a good consistency. The macaroni definitely left something to be desired, though, as it contained more of the bread filling/topping that actual noodles, so I ended up not eating all of it. It would have been a lot better if the bread filling was not so overpowering, but the meat was good at least.
They also honor a discount for staying at the nearby Sleep Inn, so that in combination with going at Happy Hour made the meal cheaper. I might have just gotten the wrong dish, but the barbecue at least was good, so I would still recommend it–just maybe don’t get the macaroni.
Millstone BBQ: B
Now, it’s time to end with a bang! The best place to eat in Logan (that was open when I went, anyway)…and that is Pizza Crossing! This place is more toward downtown, and it was walkable from Worthington of Logan, so I decided to go there for my last dinner in town. And they did not disappoint!
They offer all sorts of cuisine from salads to pizza to pasta, the service was quick and courteous, and the whole place was bustling with happy customers! I decided on the tortellini with Alfredo sauce as it had been so long since I had pasta, and after a full day of hiking, that was going to hit the spot!
It came out hot and fresh along with garlic bread, and the whole thing was delicious. Everything else that waiters would be carrying by to other customers looked delicious, too, so I could see any dish being a home run there!
The price was also excellent for the quantity and quality of food that you got, so it gets my full recommendation! The leftovers kept well the next day, too, so definitely put this place on your list if you want a good meal after a hike! It has something for the whole family and was a great way to end the trip!
Pizza Crossing: A+
All in all, Logan and Hocking Hills State Park are wonderful places to visit whether you are just passing through or you decide on a longer visit. The trails are gorgeous, the views are breathtaking, and there are lots of options to explore. I am so glad that I finally got to go, and I’m sure it wouldn’t take a whole lot of convincing to go back! It was that lovely!
Favorite Experiences
As you can probably tell, my favorites were when I could take my time and enjoy the sights by myself. This happened in Rock House and Broken Rock Falls, and those places were lovely, because I could enjoy the trail, take pictures, and even set up the tripod without a bunch of people nearby. Making reels and TikToks are awkward as heck when a ton of people are nearby watching your every move or are even blocking the shot, so it was nice to find these places of solitude and just enjoy the place without having to rush. If you are patient, you can time out the groups of people at some of the other spots like Ash Cave and get some time to yourself, but it is going to be quite crowded no matter when you go (if it was this crowded after a snowstorm in the off-season during the week, I imagine summer crowds are much bigger).
Crowds or not, though, it’s a gorgeous spot and quite arguably one of the best areas of Ohio, so definitely give it a go! If you are an avid hiker, you can do all the trails and give yourself a workout or if you are a bit more of a newbie, you can do some of the shorter trails and/or drive to some of the overlooks where the trails are shorter and easier.
What I Wish I Knew
Being a planner, I read all the AllTrails reviews, so I knew the Rock House and Old Man’s Cave were going to be icy, so I brought crampons, and I am so glad I did! The first day was the iciest and people were falling all over the trail, so definitely invest in some if you come during the winter. They not only make you steadier on the bridges, steps, and tunnels, but they allow you to go much faster on the trail since you don’t have to penguin walk so much.
Also, while I knew Logan was a small town, I wasn’t expecting so many places to be closed in the off-season. Forums are full of restaurant recommendations for the Hocking Hills area, but come to find out, a lot of them are only open on the weekends, closed certain days like Mondays or Tuesdays, or are experiencing so many staffing shortages that they are only open intermittently. So that is why I don’t have more restaurant recommendations for you–most of the day, I was snacking on protein bars and water anyway.
If you go solo, the best way to get pics/selfies is either through a remote and tripod and/or setting up your phone to record a short video and you can just take screenshots of the sections you like. Well, be sure to play the video back to make sure you like it before dismantling your tripod! I say this because I set up the tripod to take a picture of me up on a rock in Rock House, but when I played it back, I saw that I had climbed the wrong rock and was out of the frame entirely! Luckily, I could just redo it, but it’s something to consider as I would have been so disappointed if I found that out after I had gotten home!
Finally, while I could see on the map that not all the trails were close together, I wasn’t expecting such a distance between them. This can make timing tricky if you are hiking later in the day and want to time out how much daylight you have left, so factor in extra time and bring water and snacks. The trails felt very safe and many were well-marked, so you can definitely hike with confidence even if you are a beginner. A lot of people brought their kids/dogs, so the trail definitely gets busy, but be patient, and you’ll have a great time!
Whether you hike or not, there are a ton of lodging places in the area, including a number of Airbnbs. The Cliff House at Hocking Hills is one that I had seen videos on, and it looks like an amazing place to spend some time–and enjoy your own waterfall and watering hole! The place is very expensive, though, and books up way in the advance, but it’s something to check out if you are looking to splurge!
Overall, it was one of my favorite hiking trips, so whether you like to camp, hike, or just look at pretty waterfalls, this is the place for you! I will remember this place forever and can only hope I can find more gems like this one!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
