Hocking Hills Ohio, A three day Itinerary

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

Looking for easy trail navigation? Check out Alltrails; an app with trail reviews, navigation, and trail stats. Predownload trails in case of no service.

Hocking Hills State Park has steep drop offs in certain areas, please follow signage and assume all risk

Ohio, located in the midwest part of the United States is known mostly for sports, open fields, and of course not much elevation gain. However! there’s actually a number of cool outdoor places if you’re willing to seek them out. Hocking Hills state park is a southern Ohio Gem with a number of cool trails that will take you through rock formations, caves, cliffs, and even waterfalls. It’s an amazing place that I’ve been going to since I was a kid. It’s a perfect spot for families, couples, and even older people, to take a day trip or spend a long weekend. Even my 91 year old Grandmother made the trek down to this unique spot.

To get the most out of a 3 day trip in this unique part of Ohio I’ll be going over where to stay, what to pack, and where to go. Alright lets do thissss.

Where is the Hocking Hills

Located in South East Ohio in Hocking County with the closest towns/cities being Athens, Chillicothe, and Logan. There’s a lot of outdoor activities that you can do in the area such as hiking, camping, kayaking, zip-lining, and canoeing.

There’s three roads surrounding Hocking Hills state park, with main parking lot next to Old Man’s Cave, off of state route OH-664. Below I’ve listed the mileage, time, and distance from major cities to Hocking Hills.

Columbus: US 33/57 miles/1 hour

Cincinnati: I 71/135 miles/2 hours 20 min

Dayton: US 35/108 miles/1 hour 55 min

Mansfield: I 71 -> US 33/120 miles/2 hours

Where to Stay

There’s a number of places to stay from Cabins, to the new lodge, Boxhop, and even camping. Below I’ve listed a handful of lodging options in the area.

Camping- A perfect way to save money, but still experience this awesome place. Check out campground details through Explore Hocking Hills or Reserve Ohio

Cabins- Lots of cabin options, I stayed in this newly built cabin booked through VRBO that was close to all of the the trails and parks. A lot of cabins will have a hot tub or fire pit as well.

Boxhop- A really creative way to create housing the Box Hop uses old shipping containers to create one of a kind units that range from a studio all the way to a five bedroom place. A little more expensive, but these properties look pretty awesome.

The State Park Lodge- New to the Hocking Hills, these units are going to be like a hotel room with the lodge having amenities such as a pool/hot tub, restaurant, and gift shop. They also offer cabins on-site with pet friendly options. To check availability head over to their website, Hocking Hills Park Lodge.

Best time to Visit

April through October and if you can swing it, go on the weekdays! The fall can be a very busy time on the weekends in the Hocking Hills, so make sure to book a place ahead of time and plan for more people on the trails.

What to Pack

A few items that I would make sure to bring are

• A rain jacket for spring, summer and fall months. We hit some rain while we were hiking and it was kind of nice because not many people were around. I like Burton Rain Jackets because I stay dry and Burton has plenty of cool designs for Men and Women.

• Proper Footwear- You’ll want to have some good hiking shoes or trail shoes because certain areas are rocky or muddy. Proper footwear will help give you good support and traction!

• Sunscreen- A lot of the areas are shaded, however I would still make sure to have this for your trip. I like SunBum because it doesn’t feel greasy.

• Water Bottle- Gotta stay Hydrated, I like Hydroflask

What’s the story behind the Hocking Hills

Millions of years ago (350 million) Ohio was closer to the equator and covered by the ocean. Black Hand Sandstone was deposited from rivers running through the state as well as during the Glacier melt era. This Black Sandstone is what you see today with the all the rock formations and gorges. Over millions of years water eroded and carved out the Hocking Hills that you see today. If you look closely at the rocks, you’ll notice different rock layers and honey comb carve outs.

Dating as far back as 13,000 B.C. there were a number of different native people that lived in the Ohio Area, including Paleo Indian, Archaic, Woodland, and Fort Ancient people. Disease and war between European settlers along with wars between tribes started to drive out many of the last Native American Tribes in Ohio including Wyandot, Shawnee, Delaware, Miami, and Ottawa. Sadly by the mid 1800’s the last Native Americans in Ohio were forced to live on reservations in Kansas and Oklahoma.

The first settlers in the Hocking Hills arrived in the late 1790’s and by 1820 Iron and other natural resources had brought more then 2,000 residents to live in Hocking County permanently. The park itself was established in 1924 and by the 1930’s the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) created trails and steps to improve access to the rock formations. The CCC and department of forestry helped with planting many of the trees seen today at the park. Today reforestation and Forest Stewardship practices help maintain and preserve Hocking Hills State park, making sure the habitat stays intact for everyone to enjoy!

Hocking Hills Itinerary Day 1

Whether you’ve checked in to your accommodations or set up camp, its a good idea to get familiar with the area and what you’d like to do. I recommend going to the visitor center first.

Stop in at the Visitor Center

If you’ve never been to the Hocking Hills before, it’s a good to stop by the Visitor Center first to get some info on the area and possibly where you’d like to go. Opening in 2019 the building is pretty awesome with a handful of exhibits, a gift shop, and a front desk to answer any questions you might have. The visitor Center is also right next to the trailhead for Old Mans Cave if you feel like checking that out on the first day as well.

Ash Cave

There’s 6 main hikes in the Hocking Hills and I feel like Ash Cave is a perfect one to do first. You can either do the loop or go out and back on the paved path. The path takes you through green forests and then you’ll eventually reach a 700 foot wide and 100 foot high Rock Overhang with a waterfall! The name Ash Cave comes from a pile of ashes discovered by early settlers. Although no one knows what the ashes are from, Archeologists suspect it to be from Campfires from Native Americans for centuries. This hike in my opinion is one of coolest in the area.

Trail Stats

• Free Parking

• Restrooms on site

• Dogs allowed, but on leash

• .5 mIles

• April-October is the best time to visit.

Conkles Hollow

End your first day at this awesome hike. There’s two different trails the upper rim trail and the lower gorge trail. For families with young kids I recommend doing the lower trail because there are steep drop offs on the upper trail. You can either start on the east side of the trail or the west side. I like doing this hike in the evening because you get golden hour views at the top. I’m sure it’s also a good sunrise hike too!

If you start on the east side of the trail, you’ll get to the lookout area first. There’s a little bit of elevation gain with this trail and I recommend having a good pair of hiking boots when doing it as the trail can get muddy as well as rocky. You’ll walk through green forests (depending on the time of year) until you reach the tallest part of the trail, overlooking the Hocking Forest along with Conkels Hollow. Birch and Hemlock are a couple of the types of trees you will come across as you hike. The trail itself is a loop around the entire gorge area and your close to 200 feet above the valley floor in areas.

The name is derived from W.J. Conkle who carved his name into the West Wall along with with the date 1797.

Trail Stats

• Free Parking

• April through October are the best times to hike

• Loop

• 2.1 Miles with 387 feet of elevation gain

• No pets allowed

• No bathrooms

Hocking Hills Day 2 Itinerary

Now that you’ve settled in, for day two I recommend starting it off at Old’s Man’s Cave. This area will be the most popular spot in the State Park. The name comes from a settler who live in the cave in the mid 1700’s and eventually passed away in the cave.

Old Man’s Cave

This trail has 5 different sections; upper falls, middle gorge, middle falls, Lower Falls and Lower Gorge. This area also connects to a newish trail, Whispering Cave. So if you want to hike to that, it is a little over two miles. Just follow the signage when you reach the end of Old man’s cave. Make sure to stay on the trail at all times!

Start at the Buckeye Trail, near the visitor center and the upper falls will be your first stop. You’ll get a look of the waterfall from above before walking down to the lower part of the falls. This is a good area to grab a photo. As you continue walking you’ll notice Devils Bath Tub on your left. It was shaped from weak layers of black sandstone being eroded over a long time and is only a few feet deep. The tub continues to get larger from erosion.

As you walk by Devil’s Bathtub you are now walking through the Black Sandstone Gorge, which in total is about 3/4 of a mile. You’ll walk past a small group of waterfalls right before the stairs up to Old Man’s cave. The Cave is 200 feet long and 50 feet high! You can take the stairs back to the visitor center or turn around and keep walking towards the Sphinx head (I recommend this!) The Sphinx head is where the Gorge really opens up. Look to the right and you’ll see a cut out in the Blackstone that looks like a face, this is the Sphinx head.

The last part to end your hike at Old Man’s cave is the Lower Falls. The best time to see these waterfalls is in the spring when there typically is more rain in Ohio. Follow the stairs back up to the nature center to eat lunch!

Trail Stats

• .6 Miles

• Dogs welcome, but must be on a leash

• Out and back trail

• Restrooms in the Visitor Center

• Free Parking

Pack a lunch and eat outside near the Nature Center

There’s a good amount of areas where you can eat a packed lunch either on the top deck of the Nature center (great for if it rains) or at one of the picnic tables near the parking lot.

Cedar Fall’s

The last hike that I would recommend doing at the end of your second day as it’s a pretty easy loop that will take you to the most abundant waterfall in the entire state park. Especially if you’re starting to get tired as it’s a pretty relaxing trail.

You’ll walk down some steps and walk through tall Oak Trees as well as Eastern Hemlock until you reach the waterfall. Again, you’ll walk through a black sandstone gorge when going back to the parking lot. Lot’s of green and cool lighting in this area, perfect for photography!

Trail Stats

• .4 miles

• Dogs welcome, but on leash

• Loop

• Free Parking

• Bathrooms at the trailhead

Dinner at Kindred Spirits

End your evening at this awesome restaurant right up the road from Cedar Falls. The menu options are simple and the food has a home cooked flavor to it. It’s a popular spot and books up quick for its size, so make sure to book a reservation way ahead of time. They are also open for breakfast and seasonally for lunch.

Hocking Hills Day 3 Itinerary

Butterfly Ridge

Admission is $6 and they are open everyday except Tuesday. If you have kids, this is a cool activity as well. The walk is unguided and you’ll walk through a forest area that then opens up into a small field. Summer will be the best time for this when the flowers are in full bloom. However, we still saw a number of butterflies (Mid May) as we walked the path, especially towards the end in the field. If you’re lucky you might even see a Monarch or a Tiger Swallow Tail.

Rockhouse

This is the only true cave in the park standing at 25 feet tall, 200 feet long and 20-30 feet wide. Carved out steps will allow you to step into this tunnel like structure. Evidence shows that people inhabited the cave for 1000’s of years, including Native Americans would would cook food with ovens built into the rock walls. In the 1800’s Bank Robbers would hide out in the cave and you can see carvings on the walls from these time periods.

The trail will lead you back to the parking lot and there is also a small area of picnic tables and a shelter for eating lunch. This is also where the Rockhouse Hotel use to be. A 16 room hotel that was built in the Mid 1800’s that was torn down.

Trail Stats

• .8 Miles

• Loop

• Dogs allowed, but on leash

• Parking at the trailhead

• Restrooms at the trailhead

Jack Pines Glass Blowing

On the way to Cantwell Cliffs, stop by Jack Pines glass blowing facility and art gallery. Inside you’ll be able to witness employees blowing glass, that sells as artwork once finished. It’s free to watch, but the studio also offers workshops where you can learn how to blow glass and create a piece of your own artwork.

Make sure to walk through the art studio as well as there is a number of cool art pieces for sale.

Cantwell Cliffs

A little farther away, 17 miles from Old Man’s Cave, this trail tends to be less crowded! The starting point will be Fat Woman’s Squeeze at the beginning of the trail and then you can either stay up top on the rim trail or take the gorge trail. I recommend going through the gorge to see all the cliffs from below! The beginning part is really cool in the afternoon when the light starts to get that golden color and shines on the black sandstone walls. We followed the valley floor part of the trail that loops back up to the top of the gorge and then the parking lot, But you can also do the valley floor and entire rim trail (top part).

Trail Stats

• .9 Mile Loop

• 249 Feet of elevation gain

• Dogs allowed, but on leash

• Free parking

• Bathrooms at the trailhead

More restaurants to check out

• Millstone BBQ

• Oasis Coffee Shop

• Ridge Inn Restaurant

Looking for more activities? Check out these below

• Moonshine tour

• Canoe/Kayak rentals

• Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve

• Ziplining

That’s it for a trip to the Hocking Hills, if you have and questions or any information to add for a trip to this unique Ohio destination, leave a comment below! Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

A Beginners Guide to your First Back country Hut Trip

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you. The Backcountry can DANGEROUS. Make sure to have the proper equipment, partner, and education before venturing outside the ski resort.

Alright so you finally purchased a splitboard or touring set up for skiing and you’ve always wanted to do a winter hut trip with some friends. A hut trip is a great way to get away from the resort and connect with the outdoors. My friend Matias and I decided to book one in Breckenridge Colorado and venture over 6 miles to the top of Boreas Pass to do some split boarding and see what cabin life was like above 11,000 feet. It far exceeded both our expectations and the experience was like being back in time in a way. No cell service, a wood burning stove, and having to melt snow for water were just a few of the things we experienced each day.

What I liked most about doing a Hut trip was surviving through mostly old way of life techniques (keep reading for more info) and being out in the back country for a couple days. With that being said, in this post I’ll be going over how to book a hut trip, what gear to bring, and what to expect. Alright lets gooo..

What is a Hut Trip

A hut trip is where you snowshoe, skin, or hike in a mountain region to get to a Back Country Cabin (Hut). The cabins will be equipped with all the basic essentials for cooking and sleeping, however there is no running water or heat. You pack everything you need in a backpack and essentially hike out on snowshoes, skis, or a splitboard to the cabin.

How do you book a hut trip

You’ll want to reserve online as soon as the booking window opens as the huts can book up quickly, especially the more popular ones. Each state will have their own website with booking capabilities, FAQ, hut information, etc. For Colorado, I booked through the 10th Mountain Division. I listed more regions below with hut trip booking capabilities. There are private huts, huts run by the state/area, and huts that offer guides. Typically, check in time is 2pm and check out time is 11am.

Tahoe

Whistler

Tetons

Idaho

Utah

Are Back Country Hut Trips Expensive

It depends on the size of the hut and the location. The larger Huts can get up to 5-600 plus per night, but can sleep 14 people. If you’re able to fill the entire hut it averages out to about $50/person/night. Matias and I booked a three person hut and it cost $175 for the two nights.

Where can you park

At the trailhead there will be specific areas for people who book a hut trip to park. You should receive a parking pass via email to throw on your car dash.

When is the best time to go

Booking windows typically open up in the summer for the following winter, so it’s best to plan ahead! As huts/yurts do tend to book up. If you’re looking to do a hut trip in the summer the booking window tends to open up in the fall. Each area is different so check with the site you are booking through! Winter huts are typically open from Mid November through April. The best month for snow on average is Jan and February. However in April the days are longer meaning if it’s a long skin to the hut, you’ll have more daylight on your skin in.

Also keep in mind snowpack safety depending on where your hut or yurt are. March through Mid April can be a dangerous time as older weak layers begin to warm up. Make sure to always check the avalanche report and plan out your route before you head out to your Hut!

Can you Snowmobile to the hut

Double check the forest regulations for the area your hut is in! Kens cabin didn’t allow any motor vehicles up the service road in the winter.

What should we pack

Since every hut or yurt is different, your packing list will vary. However, I’ll list out basic essentials that I think would make your experience that much better. Either way whether your venturing out through more avalanche prone terrain or your doing a mellow skin up to the hut, I feel having these items handy will still always make good practice.

Shovel, Beacon, and Probe- Back Country huts are located in unmonitored terrain, if you plan doing any skiing or snowboarding, make sure you have these and know how to use them! There are huts where you will be going through dangerous prone terrain, so even if you aren’t going to ride it’s important to have these. Taking a Back Country safety course will help you with learning to use your equipment and navigating back country terrain.

Collapsable Poles- These are a must when touring, Black Diamond makes great collapsable poles for touring.

Pack- You’ll need a good pack to carry all of your supplies and food. I recommend a little bit larger pack in order to fit everything you need in it for a weekend trip. I really like Burton’s AK Dispatcher 35L pack. It’s specifically made for Splitboarding and back country riding. It has a storage component for your shovel, beacon, and probe on top of extra pockets.

Sleeping Bag/Down Jacket- A lightweight, down sleeping bag that’s packable will help keep you warm in the middle of the night when fire has gone out! It also will be crucial to carry a down jacket with you, just in case you get lost in the backcountry. I like Burton’s Expedition Jacket

Down Slippers- I wish I had these, you’ll need them for when walking around the hut

Medical Kit- You’ll def need this! Add things to your med kit that you seem fit and be familiar with what’s in it!

Pillow- A backcountry one will work great! Nemo makes some great lightweight, packable, pillows for camping.

Sunglasses/Hat-When touring (hiking up the mountain with ski’s or splitboard) It’s better to wear sunglasses and a hat so you don’t overheat).

Food/snacks- I went to REI to pick up packable dry-food that can be cooked later. They have a lot of options! I also recommend bringing some snacks as well. That’s one thing I wish I had packed more of were some sweets or chips.

Technical Outerwear- If you can, it helps when skinning or snow shoeing up to the hut to have lightweight, breathable, and durable snow outerwear. Something with no insulation but w/ room to add layers is great to have for these kinds of trips. Technical gear is important because as you hike out to the hut you will be constantly moving, creating sweat, and moisture. This kind of outwear will allow you to regulate your body temps better without sacrificing performance. I use Burton AK outerwear. It’s Gore-tex, lightweight, and functional!

Wilderness wash/lightweight towel- Dish soap is provided, however regular soap is good for washingi up before you go to bed.

Sunscreen- Must have these! You are in high alpine terrain, therefore sun exposure is much greater. Sun Bum is my favorite. Based out of Encinitas California, their stuff isn’t greasy.

Water Purifier- When melting the snow, you’ll want to purify the water after you boil it to get rid of dirt, sticks, etc.

GPS- It will help to have a Garmin Inreach in case you have an emergency with no service

Glop Stopper- For spring conditions you’ll want to pack this and rub on your skins to prevent the glue from pealing away.

Walkie Talkies- If you plan on doing more extreme missions, these are a must for communication. Also helps when skinning so that if one person gets ahead, they still have a way to communicate.

Headlamp- This will be helpful to have, especially if you plan on heading out to your hut after work when the sun starts to set.

What to Expect

Expect to hit weather and some possible darkness as you make your way to the hut. Things to keep in mind ahead of time are knowing your route, layering properly, and being prepared for a little workout. Cal Topo is a great app to map out the area and GAI is also a good app to download an offline maps. If you’re more old school pick up a map of the area at a local outdoor shop.

Each hut distance from the parking lot will be different, so make sure to pack enough water and snacks for your initial tour out to the cabin. Take breaks as needed and take in the amazing scenery when heading up. Once your settled in, stay on top of melting snow for water and heating your cabin with the wood burning stove (gets pretty cold once the fire goes out). Overall expect to have a fun outdoor experience away from crowds with friends.

What do huts come equipped with

Most Yurts and Huts should come with a propane gas stove, a kitchen stocked with basic utensils, pots, pans, paper towels, eating utensils, cups/mugs, plates, bowls, and a soap/sponge. There will also be matches, firewood, fire starters, beds, chairs, and a dining table.

Depending on the hut make sure to pack a camping pillow and lightweight sleeping bag.

How do you heat the Hut

Huts are heated by a wood burning stove. When you arrive there should already be a stack of wood from the previous group. As you use up the wood, there should somewhere either be already stacked wood or you have to chop more wood on your own. Kens Cabin where we stayed had a seperate storage shed that required you to chop your own wood. Make sure there is enough stacked in the hut for the next group.

Is there Electricity and Running Water

Huts will have electricity that is typically solar powered! However there is no running water. To get water, you have to melt snow (Summer huts should have a water source nearby). You can put snow in a big bucket and leave it on top of the stove to melt it. Then Boil the water and filter all of the dirt and grime though a water filter that you packed.

What food should we pack

I would recommend mostly freeze dried that can be cooked once your at the hut. Freeze dried food will be lightweight and easy to pack. If you have room in the bag I would try bringing extra snacks and sweets to make your trip that much better.

Is there a bathroom

There will either be an outhouse or a vaulted toilet inside the hut. These facilities will have hand sanitizer, but I would bring a bar of soap or wilderness wash with you.

Can you ski or snowboard around the hut

Yep! There will be terrain that you can tour up and ride down in the area that your hut is in. Make sure to check the avalanche report and snowpack before you start the day. Hut trips are also a great time to practice your back country skills, digging a snow pit, and doing a beacon check. The trip is more about the experience and less about the riding, so Matias and I only did a few low angle laps to make the 6 mile trek in worth it.

What about Avalanche Danger

Depending on the location of the Hut, there can be avalanche danger to and from the hut as well as the surrounding area that you decide to ski or snowboard on. That’s why it’s important to have the proper tools, partner, and plan. I personally play it safe and will only book huts that are in safer areas that have low angle terrain to play around on.

Hut Trips are also a great way to practice using your beacon, building a snow pit, and talking with others about snow safety. If this isn’t your thing then they have backcountry huts that you shouldn’t have to worry about avalanche danger and can just hang out and have a good time!

What can you do for fun with no technology

Huts may have cards and board games in them, which Kens cabin had, but maybe pack an extra deck of cards just in case. Since there isn’t much cell service it’s nice to bring a book and get lost in a good story. It’s also fun to just hang out around the fire, shoot the shit, and relax while eating a meal.

If your Huts in an area with mountain views, it’s always nice to catch a sunset, and enjoy the surrounding outdoor scenery.

Is there anything you need to do when you check out

You should receive an email with check-out instructions and there will also be check-out instructions in the hut. Make sure to restock the firewood, sweep the hut, and clean the kitchen area. Depending on the hut location you’ll either skin back to your car or ride back to the parking lot.

I asked Matias what he thought of the whole experience and he said, “Exhausting, but very rewarding. A lot of ups and downs initially when heading up to the hut, especially in the dark, but once we saw the cabin, pure joy and excitement overcame us. Once inside, it was very cozy and beautiful, while providing us with everything needed for an awesome experience in the back country. Overall, Ken’s cabin was a great entry level hut for anyone looking to do their first hut trip! Just make sure to pack a sleeping bag as it gets very cold at night when the fire goes out lol.”

That’s it for a beginners guide to your first back country hut trip! If you have any questions or info to add, leave comment below and if you’re looking to get more outdoor trip ideas and information, subscribe to our email list below! Thanks for reading the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

Looking to take a cool ski or snowboard trip? check out Steamboat in Colorado, for awesome terrain, natural hot springs, and a cool downtown area.