Hocking Hills State Park, New Plymouth

I could give this park 5 stars, but it is unbelievably overtaken by tourists(yes, me being one of them). We didn’t make it to the park until noon on the first day and Old Man’s Cave was almost stressful and overwhelming with the amount of people around. This was our fault, so day 2, we decided to start our hike at 8am. Came to nearly an empty park and was MUCH more enjoyable than the first day. We hiked Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls and ran into very few people. It was definitely a lot more peaceful. As for the hike, be prepared for a long hike with lots of stairs. The hike to Cedar Falls is 3 miles there and 3 miles back (6 miles total, give or take) from the end of Old Man’s Cave. The hike to Cedar Falls I would consider a pretty moderate hike. Pretty easy in some areas, difficult in others. My mom and I are far from seasoned hikers, but we accomplished it. Definitely sore, but well worth it. If you want to see cedar falls, but don’t want to hike to it. End your hike at Old Man’s, and drive to the parking lot closer to Cedar Falls.

Beautiful trails, with options to choose from long to short, strenuous to easy. Lots of waterfalls to see. Expect to climb and descend a few sets of stairs, but the reward is worth it! The visitor building is beautiful, with detailed information both regarding trail options in the area outside of the state park, as well as interactive educational postings and displays. A great spot to spend the day. Allow for a minimum of 2-3 hrs if you plan to hike to enjoy the full experience.

You simply have to go. Stop thinking about it and just go. As long as you can hike some medium difficulty trails for a mile or two, you can see some of the most amazing natural features you’ve ever seen. Waterfalls, caves, rivers, stone walls, etc are everywhere! The hikes are well marked, but not too touristy. Some are paved for handicap accessibility which is very nice, but most are for very able folks. Also, we had zero crowds, sometimes all by ourselves, by going before 9am on a weekday. Crowds seem to increase quickly after 10am.

This is a really amazing park. The scenic destinations are well developed and maintained for public access. Really breathtaking scenery for this part of the states. The state park itself has some great camping. We appreciated the care of the sites, the bath houses, dump stations, etc... The staff in the campground office were also super helpful and everyone just has great customer service skills. Top marks!

Accessibility is an issue. If you come on a weekend, expect to park on the side of the road and then walk a good ten minutes to get to the visitors center. I would suggest bringing food and beverages with you (as the surrounding towns are sorely lacking in a good variety of those amenities.) The hike itself is only mildly challenging in most places. Be sure to get a map and plan your hike beforehand as there are multiple ways to go about it. The views, as you can see, are impressive.