Old Man's Cave: The Complete Trail Guide

The main Old Man's Cave loop runs about 1 to 1.5 miles one way through a sandstone gorge, past two waterfalls, stone tunnels, staircases carved into the rock, and the swirling pool called Devil's Bathtub. It is the most popular hike in Hocking Hills State Park, the trailhead is free to use, and a fit hiker can do it in about an hour.

The short version:

• The main gorge trail is roughly 1 mile via the Old Man's Cave exit, 1.5 miles if you continue down to Lower Falls.
• Highlights, in order, are Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub, the A-frame bridge, Old Man's Cave itself, and Lower Falls.
• It is moderate: uneven stone steps, tunnels, and some elevation, but no long climbs.
• Park at the Hocking Hills State Park Visitor Center off State Route 664. Parking and admission are free.
• From here you can keep going on the Grandma Gatewood Trail, a 6-mile route to Cedar Falls and Ash Cave.

I live in McArthur and shoot cabins all over this region, so I hike these trails in most seasons and most kinds of weather. Old Man's Cave is the one I send first-time visitors to, because it packs the most into the shortest distance. Here is how it actually goes.

How long is the Old Man's Cave trail?

Plan for about 1 to 1.5 miles one way and roughly an hour of walking, longer if you stop for photos, which you will. The trail starts at the kiosk near Upper Falls and follows Old Man's Creek down through the gorge. Per Explore Hocking Hills, the official regional tourism site, this is the most-visited area in the park.

There are two ways to end it. The shorter finish leaves the gorge at Old Man's Cave and climbs back to the Visitor Center for about a 1-mile total. The longer finish continues past the cave to Lower Falls before looping back, which pushes it closer to 1.5 miles. If it is your first time, take the longer version; Lower Falls is worth the extra distance.

Here are the numbers in one place.

What will you see along the Old Man's Cave hike?

More landmarks per mile than anywhere else in the park. The gorge cuts through the full 150-foot thickness of the Blackhand sandstone, so you are walking between and beneath rock walls the whole way down. According to hockinghills.com, the gorge itself runs about a half mile through five sections, from Upper Falls down to the Lower Gorge.

Working from the top, the first thing you reach is Upper Falls, where the creek drops into a green pool. Just below it is Devil's Bathtub, a pothole worn into the sandstone where the water spins in a tight circle before spilling downstream. A short walk further and the trail crosses the A-frame bridge, a wooden span that gives you the classic look back up the gorge.

The cave itself is a wide recess shelter about two-thirds of the way down, named for Richard Rowe, a hermit who is said to have lived here in the early 1800s. To move through the gorge you pass through stone tunnels and down staircases cut into the rock, including a tight spiral near the lower end. Keep going and you reach Lower Falls, the tallest and, in my opinion, the best drop on the trail.

How hard is the Old Man's Cave trail, and what should I bring?

Call it moderate. There are no long, steep climbs, but the footing is the real work: wet stone steps, low tunnels, and railings that get slick after rain. Ohio state parks keep these trails open year round, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which manages the park, opens them from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.

Wear real shoes with grip. I have watched too many people try this in flat sneakers or sandals and spend the whole hike watching their feet instead of the gorge. Bring water, and if you are hiking with kids, hold hands near the drop-offs, because several overlooks have long falls and the railings are old-style.

A few practical notes. The gorge holds moisture, so it runs cooler and damper than the parking lot, which is a gift in July and a reason for a layer in spring. Trails can close or reroute after storms or ice, so check conditions before you drive out. And if you are hiking Hocking Hills with dogs, keep them leashed; the same wet steps that challenge people are harder on paws.