Old Mans Cave

Old Man’s Cave is the most famous and popular feature of Ohio’s Hocking Hills, a spectacular half-mile gorge where a tumbling stream has carved a chasm of towering sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, plunge pools, stone tunnels and a great recess cave into the ancient Blackhand sandstone. Its iconic trail, winding along the gorge floor and over rock bridges, is one of the most beloved hikes in the Midwest.

Named for a hermit said to have lived in the cave in the early 19th century, the gorge descends through a series of dramatic features — the Upper Falls, the Devil’s Bathtub, the recess cave itself, and the Lower Falls — each carved by water and time. Cool, shaded and green, hung with hemlocks and ferns, Old Man’s Cave offers an enchanting passage through stone and water. Connected by trail to Cedar Falls and Ash Cave, it is the centerpiece of Hocking Hills State Park and a must-see natural wonder of Ohio.

Old Man’s Cave is centered on its famous gorge trail, a roughly one-mile route that descends along the stream past the Upper Falls, the Devil’s Bathtub, the recess cave and the Lower Falls, threading rock tunnels and stone bridges. Hiking, photography and exploring the dramatic gorge features are the draws, with connections via the Grandma Gatewood Trail to Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. The visitor center, the iconic scenery and the beloved trail make Old Man’s Cave the most popular hike in Hocking Hills.

Spring brings full waterfalls and wildflowers, summer cool, green shade in the gorge, and fall spectacular color, making autumn weekends especially busy. Winter transforms the falls and gorge into dramatic ice formations, a photographer’s delight. The falls run fullest after rain and snowmelt. Arrive early, particularly in fall, as Old Man’s Cave is the most visited spot in Hocking Hills; the gorge is rewarding in every season, with the frozen falls of winter a special highlight.

Old Man’s Cave takes its name from Richard Rowe, a hermit said to have lived in the recess cave in the early 19th century and reputedly buried beneath its ledge. The gorge and its caves had long sheltered Native American peoples. The area became part of Ohio’s state parks system, and the iconic trails, tunnels and stone bridges — some built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s — made the gorge accessible. Old Man’s Cave has been a beloved Ohio destination ever since.

Old Man’s Cave is carved into Blackhand sandstone, deposited some 350 million years ago, where the stream has cut a deep gorge through the rock’s layers. The recess cave formed where a softer middle zone of the sandstone eroded away beneath a harder caprock, while the varying hardness also produced the waterfalls, the plunge pools like the Devil’s Bathtub, and the narrow chasm. The cross-bedded, water-sculpted sandstone, shaped over millions of years, gives the gorge its dramatic tunnels, cliffs and falls.

The cool, shaded gorge of Old Man’s Cave shelters salamanders, frogs and other amphibians in its moist recesses, while the surrounding forest hosts white-tailed deer, wild turkey, foxes and a rich community of birds. The hemlock-hung gorge supports species more typical of northern forests, and the stream supports aquatic life. Hikers through the gorge may glimpse wildlife in this green, sheltered hollow, where the cool microclimate provides distinctive habitat in southeastern Ohio.

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

Old Man’s Cave, with its enchanting gorge of waterfalls, tunnels, stone bridges and the great recess cave, holds an iconic place in Ohio’s natural heritage as the beloved heart of Hocking Hills. Its legendary hermit, its CCC-built trails, and its dramatic, much-photographed scenery have made it one of the most cherished and visited natural wonders in the state, a passage through stone and water that has enchanted generations of Ohio hikers and visitors.

Old Man’s Cave is in Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio near Logan, off State Route 664, about an hour southeast of Columbus, with a large parking area, a visitor center and the gorge trailhead. The area is free to enter, but it is the most popular spot in the park and parking fills quickly on nice weekends. The gorge trail involves stairs, stone steps and uneven, sometimes slippery footing. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for trail conditions and access before visiting.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources protects the Old Man’s Cave gorge, its cliffs, waterfalls, recess cave and relict plant communities within Hocking Hills State Park. Visitors help by staying strictly on the designated trail (off-trail travel erodes the fragile sandstone and tramples rare plants), keeping back from cliff edges, not climbing on the formations, packing out everything, and respecting the heavily visited gorge. Protecting the sandstone features and the cool gorge ecosystem sustains this iconic and fragile Ohio landscape.

The Old Man’s Cave gorge trail has steep drop-offs, stone stairs, tunnels and rock that is slippery when wet or icy — stay on the designated trail, keep well back from cliff edges, watch your footing, and supervise children closely, as falls from the cliffs have caused serious injuries and deaths. The trail is crowded on weekends. Wear sturdy, grippy footwear, take special care in winter ice, and do not climb on the rock formations or cross barriers. Respect the rugged gorge.

The area is free to enter; stay strictly on the designated trail and keep off the rock formations and back from cliff edges. Climbing and rappelling are prohibited here (allowed only in the park’s designated climbing area). 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 — arrive early. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for current rules and conditions before visiting.

Old Man’s Cave anchors Hocking Hills State Park, connected by the Grandma Gatewood Trail to Cedar Falls and the great Ash 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 nearby, and Columbus is about an hour northwest. Old Man’s Cave is the perfect starting point for exploring the rock wonders and gorges of the Hocking Hills.

Start early, especially on fall weekends, as Old Man’s Cave is the busiest spot in Hocking Hills and parking fills fast. Wear sturdy, grippy footwear for the wet, rocky gorge trail with its stairs and tunnels, stay on the trail and back from cliff edges, and take special care on winter ice. Hike the Grandma Gatewood Trail onward to Cedar Falls and Ash Cave for a classic Hocking Hills day, and visit after rain for full falls or winter for dramatic ice.