The Old Man’s Cave Trail
is one of six trails in the Hocking Hills area. The others, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, Cedar Falls and Cantwell Cliffs are all worthy of a visit and we’re going to cover them all as days go on. Each offers a little something different and as a whole, make up some of the most striking scenery in Ohio.
Old Man’s Cave Trail begins a little northeast of Logan on Walnut Dawler Road near the SR 664. It goes from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls, to Ash Cave and back through Hocking Hills State Park. By beginning the trail on Upper Falls, you can walk a half mile loop crisscrossing the creeks and valley and make up the area.
The terrain is fairly straightforward to traverse, although it isn’t wheelchair friendly at all. There are too many slops, steps and tree roots for that.
You will of course, come across Old Man’s Cave itself, an amazing open cave once inhabited by a hermit in the 19th century, hence the name. That man was Rickard Rowe and he apparently lived there for many years.
The Old Man’s Cave Trail and Old Man’s Cave in particular are popular with tourists and is often busy, but there is enough space to cater for everyone and you can wander the cave with ease. It gets busiest at weekends, so if you prefer having things to yourself, it’s best to walk Old Man’s Cave Trail midweek, it’s when we go and it can be very quiet.
The Old Man’s Cave part of the trail has its own infrastructure, including a car park, gift shop, restrooms, an eatery and some exhibits.
From Old Man’s Cave, you can take the upper trail, the Gorge Rim Trail, or the lower which is part of the Buckeye Trail between Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls. The upper is marked with white blazes and the Buckeye Trail is market with blue. Either make for a great hike and offers something different every time you walk it.
If you’re walking the Old Man’s Cave Trail or the Buckeye Trail and want somewhere warm and dry to rest, Old Man’s Cave Chalets is just the ticket. We offer high quality, low cost traditional country accommodation in one of several wooden houses and log cabins. They are the ideal way to enjoy a vacation away from concrete and glass for a while. Contact us today to make reservations!
