Whenever we need to unplug for a few days and get back in touch with nature, there is no place we would rather go than Hocking Hills. The Hocking Hill region of Ohio is a beautiful area in southern Ohio that is known for endless hiking trails, numerous waterfalls, and vast cave systems you can explore. It is about an hour and a half from our home in Columbus, so we often go just for the day to walk through one of the caves or hike one of the trails. The majority of the main attractions/ trails are dog friendly so our pups come along as well.
For a more extended stay, we rent a Cabin. The ONLY cabin rental company we use is Getaway Cabins. We have been there many times throughout our relationship and have always had incredible service. The Cabins are always clean, and there are so many different types of cabins you can choose from. Plus they all come with hot tubs! On this trip, we chose a secluded romantic one-room cabin off in the woods. The name of the cabin is Bliss and we have stayed in this particular cabin several times. The enclosed raised covered back porch makes it easy to relax in the hot tub while the dogs play on the deck. There is also a firepit you can see from the back porch.
This cabin has a fully stocked (dishes, silverware, cups, appliances) kitchen and a grill. We love bringing "camping food" and grilling or cooking over the fire. Bliss cabin also has a huge walk-in shower and spacious bathroom, a queen-size bed, and a fireplace. This is definitely my kind of camping! I also love the location of this cabin because it is very close to Ash Cave and pretty central to all the main caves and trails.
The best time to go to Hocking is early in the week. The trails are pretty much deserted during the day and the rates at the cabins are discounted. It is also easier to find bookings during the week. We planned this trip about two months ahead of time. For this trip we stayed for two nights (Monday-Wednesday. Check-in is at 2pm and check-out is 11am. While we were able to do everything we wanted, I think next time we will stay longer because there is so much to explore! Monday through Friday would be the ideal stay for us, although many people just go for an overnight stay. We did not have a chance to go fishing at Rose Lake, and we like to have an entire day just to be lazy and enjoy the cabin. There are also several trails 40-50 minutes from the cabin, like Cantwell Cliffs, that we would like to explore when we have more time.
After we arrived and unpacked on Monday we hiked through Cedar Falls with the dogs. This hike takes about 40 minutes and boasts a beautiful waterfall cut from the sandstone walls that surround the trail. That night, we grilled hamburgers/turkey burgers, soaked in the hot tub, and enjoyed sitting around the fire.
The next day we got up, enjoyed some fried egg sandwiches, and all went to Ash Cave at around 10 am. This hike is also only about 40 minutes and takes you through a cave and under a waterfall. This is our dogs' favorite hike because they love to play and run through the sand under the waterfall. After this hike it was time for lunch, so we headed back to the cabin for some grilled sausages. The dogs were pretty tired, so we decided to leave them at the cabin while we went to explore Rock House. They are very well-behaved dogs, so they do not need to be crated and snuggled up on the couch together. While you can hike with dogs at Rock House, I do not like to bring them on this trail because it is a bit more challenging of a hike, not because of distance but because it can become a bit treacherous. Also, half the fun of this hike is climbing into the caves and exploring behind the waterfalls. The Rock House hike is only 30 minutes (if you stay on the trail) and is my favorite trail at hocking because of the unique natural structures. It also seems to be the least busy trail and we hardly ever encounter other hikers there.
On our hike, I realized I had forgotten the chocolate! You cant go camping without s'mores, and you cant have s'mores without chocolate! Luckily, you can always pick up any camping supplies you need at Grandma Fayes Grocery and Deli. Located right around the corner from Old Man's Cave, this cute little shop has everything you might need while camping. We always stop here for ice cream and other goodies. This time we picked up some incredible fudge (red velvet and chocolate cheesecake) as well as chocolate for our s'mores. That night we built a huge fire and enjoyed it from the comfort of our back deck.
The next morning it was raining so we drank our coffee in the hot tub and packed up. Since there wasn't lightning, we decided to take our final hike through Old Man's Cave before heading home. This hike is very doable in the rain, especially in the summer because it is fairly protected from the elements by the cave itself and the dense forest. Old Man's Cave is probably the most popular trail in Hocking and has the most impressive waterfalls and rock formations. The hike takes about 1.5 hours and winds down through the hills, next to a long waterfall. We got pretty muddy, but it was definitely worth it!
I hope you get the chance to experience the unexpected beauty of southern Ohio and come explore the Hocking Hills region sometime soon! It is the perfect summer adventure.
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