Ash Cave

Ash Cave is the most massive and awe-inspiring of the Hocking Hills wonders, the largest recess cave in Ohio and one of the largest in the eastern United States — a breathtaking horseshoe-shaped shelter of Blackhand sandstone nearly 700 feet from end to end, recessed about 100 feet deep, with a towering rim some 90 feet overhead. A slender waterfall spills over the lip of the great arch into a small pool below, completing one of the most magnificent natural scenes in the state.

Reached by a short, accessible, wheelchair-friendly trail along a cool, hemlock-shaded gorge, Ash Cave rewards visitors with a sense of vast, cathedral-like grandeur as the immense overhang curves overhead. The cave takes its name from huge piles of ashes found here by early settlers, evidence of long use by Native American peoples who sheltered beneath its rim. Immense, serene and spectacular, Ash Cave is a must-see centerpiece of Hocking Hills State Park.

Ash Cave is reached by a short, paved, accessible gorge trail of about a quarter mile that leads to the foot of the immense recess cave and its waterfall, with a rim trail looping above. Hiking, photography and simply marveling at the vast sandstone shelter and its slender falls are the draws. As one of the most accessible of the Hocking Hills wonders — the lower trail is wheelchair-friendly — and connected by the Grandma Gatewood Trail to Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave is a beloved and easy highlight of the park.

Spring brings the fullest flow over the waterfall and wildflowers, summer cool, green shade in the hemlock gorge, and fall spectacular color. Winter can freeze the slender falls into a striking ice column, a photographer’s favorite. The waterfall runs best after rain and snowmelt and can dwindle in dry spells, but the immense cave is awe-inspiring in any season. Arrive early on busy fall weekends; the great recess cave and its falls are a highlight of Hocking Hills year-round.

Ash Cave takes its name from the enormous piles of ashes early settlers discovered beneath its rim, evidence of long use by Native American peoples who sheltered in the great recess cave, whose vast overhang provided protection from the elements. The cave’s acoustics also reportedly led to its use for early gatherings and sermons. Protected within Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park, Ash Cave has long been celebrated as the largest recess cave in the state and a treasured natural and cultural landmark.

Ash Cave is a recess cave carved into Blackhand sandstone, formed where a softer, less-resistant middle zone of the rock eroded away beneath a harder caprock, leaving the immense horseshoe-shaped overhang nearly 700 feet wide and about 90 feet high. The slender waterfall spilling over the rim drops from the gorge stream above. Deposited some 350 million years ago and sculpted by water and weathering over vast time, the sandstone’s layered structure produced this vast, cathedral-like shelter — the largest of its kind in Ohio.

The cool, shaded gorge leading to Ash Cave shelters salamanders and amphibians in its moist recesses, while the surrounding forest hosts white-tailed deer, wild turkey, foxes and a rich community of birds, with the great cave’s rim and the cliffs offering habitat for nesting birds. The hemlock-hung gorge supports species more typical of northern forests. Visitors on the trail may glimpse wildlife in this green, sheltered hollow, where the cool microclimate provides distinctive habitat in southeastern Ohio.

The gorge leading to Ash Cave harbors a cool, moist microclimate where eastern hemlock, ferns, mosses and relict plants thrive in deep shade, remnants of a colder Ice Age climate isolated far south of their usual range. The great recess cave, the waterfall, the stream and the shaded cliffs form a distinctive ecosystem supporting diverse and sometimes rare plants and animals. The cool, sheltered environment of the gorge and cave makes Ash Cave an ecologically special place within Hocking Hills.

Ash Cave, the largest recess cave in Ohio, holds a place of awe and reverence among the natural wonders of Hocking Hills, its vast sandstone amphitheater long a shelter and gathering place — from the Native American peoples whose ashes gave it its name to early settlers who reportedly held sermons beneath its rim. Immense, serene and cathedral-like, Ash Cave has inspired visitors for generations and remains one of the most cherished and magnificent natural landmarks in the state.

Ash Cave is in Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio near South Bloomingville, off State Route 56, about an hour southeast of Columbus, with a parking area and a short, paved, accessible trail to the cave. The area is free to enter, though parking fills on busy weekends. The lower gorge trail to the cave is wheelchair-friendly, while a separate rim trail loops above with stairs and cliff-top views. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for trail conditions and access before visiting.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources protects the great recess cave, the gorge, the waterfall and the relict plant communities of Ash Cave within Hocking Hills State Park. Visitors help by staying on the designated trails (off-trail travel and climbing damage the fragile sandstone and rare plants), keeping back from the rim’s cliff edges, not carving or marking the rock, packing out everything, and respecting the heavily visited cave. Protecting the immense sandstone shelter and the cool gorge ecosystem sustains this treasured and fragile landmark.

The lower trail to Ash Cave is easy and accessible, but the rim trail above has steep, dangerous cliff edges — keep well back from the rim, supervise children closely, and watch footing on stairs and uneven rock, as falls from the cliffs have caused serious injuries. The cave floor and trail can be slippery when wet or icy. Do not climb on the cave walls or carve the rock. Wear sturdy footwear, take care in winter ice, and respect the great cliffs.

The area is free to enter; stay on designated trails and keep off the cave walls and back from the rim’s cliff edges. Carving, marking or climbing the sandstone is prohibited. Pets must be leashed. Drones are generally prohibited in Ohio state parks. Collecting plants, rocks or artifacts is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Parking is limited on busy weekends — arrive early. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for current rules and conditions before visiting.

Ash Cave anchors the southern end of Hocking Hills State Park, connected by the Grandma Gatewood Trail to Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave, with Conkle’s Hollow, Rock House and Cantwell Cliffs elsewhere in the park. The town of Logan, the Hocking State Forest, cabins, the lodge and the Hocking River lie within reach, and Columbus is about an hour northwest. Ash Cave is an easy, accessible and spectacular stop on a tour of the rock wonders of the Hocking Hills.

Take the short, paved, accessible lower trail to stand at the foot of the immense recess cave and its slender waterfall — visit after rain or in spring for the fullest flow, or in winter for a striking ice column. For cliff-top views, hike the rim trail above, but keep well back from the dangerous edges. Arrive early on busy fall weekends, wear sturdy footwear, and combine Ash Cave with Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave for a classic Hocking Hills day.