Hocking Hills State Park

Recently we traveled with my sister and brother-in-law to southeastern Ohio to visit Old Man's Cave located in the Hocking Hills State Park. Old Man's Cave is one of Ohio's most popular natural attractions and the one most visited in Hocking Hills.
 Along the way we passed by the famous Longaberger Basket Company and had to stop and take a picture.

Old Mans Cave

There are six major areas in this park, Old Mans Cave, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkles Hollow, Cedar Falls and Cantwell Cliffs.  We did not have enough time to get to Cantwell Cliffs.
 Old Man's Cave is a deep gorge with a large overhanging lip, not an underground cavern.  Old Man's Cave was named after an early settler Richard Rowe, a 19th century hermit who set up living quarters in one of the recess caves in the area. Killed by an accidental blast by his own gun, it is said the local native Indians buried him somewhere near the cave.

There are many stairways and steps, tunnels and waterfalls to explore in the area.

 Along the length of the half mile long trail the magnificent gorge cuts through the entire 150 foot thickness of the Blackhand sandstone.

There are endless sheer cliffs and unusual rock formations and I like that they don't have everything fenced off!! Explore at your own risk.

Old Mans Cave Sphinx Head

Devils Bathtub, a churning tub of water spilling into the creek below.

A picturesque stone bridge leads to the Lower Falls.

Lower Falls

Upper Falls

Upper Falls

I'm sure the waterfalls are normally nicer than these little trickles, but rain has been very scarce this year.

The Cedar Falls were my favorite of all the waterfalls.

Ash Cave

Ash Cave and Cedar Falls are in a different area in Hocking Hills, but there is a six mile trail that connects them all. We were trying to see as much in one day as possible, so we drove to each one.

Ash Cave is a horseshoe shaped recess cave 700 feet long, 100 feet deep, and 90 feet high. A small waterfall cascades over the rim of the cave.

 It is the largest recess cave in Ohio and was named for the large amounts of ashes the early white settlers discovered in the cave. It is believed the Indians used Ash Cave for shelters and the ashes remained from their campfires.

To be continued.