With spring battling for it’s foothold I thought a venture into nature might be nice. Hocking Hills is located in the southeast quadrant of Ohio; about an hour from Columbus and a little under three hours from Cincinnati. Unlike many of my previous posts, there really isn’t much to talk about with respect to history or food, this is about relaxation and adventure.
If you happen to live close enough this is a great park for a day trip. Though there is so much to do that you will likely want to make a weekend out of it anyway. The most popular lodging option is to rent a cabin. Cabins are typically privately owned but managed by one of several management companies (I’ll post a few links at the bottom of the article). There are cabins that can be reserved for a romantic weekend for two or for a large group of up to about 20…maybe more in some isolated cases. Claiming the title “Hot Tub Capital of the Midwest” the majority of cabins will come with a private hot tub. Most also come with fully equipped kitchens and linens. Bring your own food and your over night bag and it becomes home away from home. You will find cabins that offer nothing more than a land line phone for emergencies to cabins with satellite television and WiFi. The next most popular lodging within Hocking Hills are the camp grounds, for those who want to be closer to nature. There are roughly 16 camp grounds in the area, some are RV friendly and others are not so please check around. The most popular is Old Man’s Cave located right in the park and coincidentally the most popular hiking trail. If you’re looking for something a little more “traditional” there are a few hotels and bed and breakfasts in the area as well.
What is there to do in a state park other than look at trees and hope to catch a glimpse of a woodland creature? Lots! You have your standard hiking, a range of trails that for the most part are easy enough for the once in a while hiker, some are even handicap accessible. Make sure you check your maps before venturing out. An even more low key option is to take a train ride on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway or you can take to the air and fly over the area with a scenic sky tour. There also are golf courses and miniature golf courses in the area. If you want to get more adventurous you can rent a canoe or kayak, go horseback riding, rock climbing, mountain biking, or go on an ATV tour. Your other option is to try the increasingly popular zip line tour. The zip line in Hocking Hills was the first in Ohio and until this year held on to the title of only. It’s $85 per person but from the friends of mine who have been lucky enough to try it already, it’s completely worth it.
Here are some links for cabin rentals in the area:
www.hockinghills.com/hhcabins
www.1800hocking.com/hockinghillscabinscottages
hockinghills.com/cabins
getaway-cabins.com