Three Hocking Hill's Sites will reopen on June 15th

Parks & Trails
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Trails scheduled to open on June 15 include Cantwell Cliffs and Rock House. Old Man’s Cave will reopen later this summer along with other Hocking Hills State Park sites. Hocking State Forest is also opening several recreational features including the horse camp, Airplane Rock, and the bridle trails north of the rappelling area (Unger Rd.) on June 15th. The bridle trails south of the rappelling area and the fire tower parking area will remain closed for the time being.

ODNR will re-route trails and direct hikers to one-way travel, where the landscape permits trail modification. One-way trails have the added benefit of protecting the delicate ecological systems in the area. Visitors will be asked to park in only designated parking spots, and when parking lots are full, the area will be temporarily closed until space becomes available.

ODNR will continue to work on addressing trail modifications at Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, and Whispering Cave, as trails are similarly revised to enable one-way travel. The state owned campground and cabin areas will reopen later this summer along with the remainder of the park. ODNR will take new reservations for the campground and cabin areas with an arrival date of July 15 or later. All reservations for arrivals through June 30 will automatically be canceled, and a full refund issued to the original form of payment, if possible. If ODNR is unable to refund to the original form of payment, then an Ohio State Parks e-gift card will be issued to use on a future reservation.

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You think Old Mans cave and the rest will be open by July 25?

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@Adrian The last ODNR update said mid summer for Old Man’s Cave. I’d assume that’s before July 25th but we really won’t know until they announce an exact date.

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my family and I were coming down june 25-28. Will there be enough things to do outside or should we reschedule? kids age 6-17

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@Melody_Marie-May yes, there will be plenty to do.

  1. Hiking. Check out Rockbridge State Nature Preserve, Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve, Clear Creek Metro Park, Cantwell Cliffs, and Rock House.

  2. Other fun things to do - zip lining or canoeing. Mini putt putt is fun as well and the kids will love it (Adventure Golf at Rempel’s Grove)

https://hockinghills.com/family_outting.html

https://hockinghills.com/outdoor_adventure.html

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How are one-way trails going to work? Several times on visits to longer trails we have needed to turn back at some point either due to a member not being able to complete a trail obstacle or due to time or just feeling unwell.

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Good Afternoon. Rock House Trail, to my knowledge, has two parking lots. Will this trail contain one way travel? If so, do you know which parking lot will be the start and which will be the end of this trail?

Thanks!

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@Ann Rockbridge will contain one way travel. I’m not sure which parking lot it will start from but there should be signs when you get there.

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Hello! The Hemlock Bridge trail that leads to Whispering Cave is still closed, correct? But should re-open July 2nd?

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Hi @Raymono100. That’s correct. Hemlock Bridge/Whispering Cave is closed as of June 18th, but should reopen July 2nd if everything ODNR has goes to plan!

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Hello. Just confirming that the Rock House Trail did indeed open on June 15th. Is that correct?

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@nina that is correct, Rock House opened June 15th.

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Is ash cave open yet

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@Desandandy Ash Cave is not open as of 6/19. It is scheduled to open on July 2nd.

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So there is no way to reserve it for July 3rd for my wedding renewal and to see how much it would cost is there

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There is a permit process for weddings or wedding renewals for all parks in Hocking Hills, including Ash Cave. You may be able to get a permit, its ultimately up to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who manages trails and permits. You can reach them at https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr-core/about/contact-us/contact-us

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Are any lakes with swimming areas in the hocking hills area open? Specifically Lake Logan or any others you’d recommend for families.

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@Jason_Hanger Lake Logan isn’t the nicest beach in the world, but it’s still a lot of fun. Lake Hope would also be a great spot for family swimming.

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Thank you so much Finn! We’re planning to go to Lake Hope. Do you happen to know if we’re allowed to bring pets with us? We have a dog and nowhere to leave him so would have to bring him with us.

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Hi @Jason_Hanger! Pets are allowed at Lake Hope. I see dogs there running around and hiking the trails with their owners every weekend. The only place pets are not allowed are in the nature preserves which include Rockbridge and Conkle’s Hollow.