Hocking Hills

**BittyGoat** · 08-20-2019, 07:41

Hi y’all. Need some help/suggestions. Every Fall, we take a trip and this year we were looking at the Hocking Hills area. We typically will do anywhere from 15-25 miles. We like to setup a “Basecamp” the first day which allows us to day home without our full load. Can anyone recommend a trip/route I can check out?

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**Shug** · 08-20-2019, 08:27

There are some threads on Hocking Hills here......https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...rchid=11180019
Never been myself but maybe this will give some insight.
Shug

**Trees company** · 08-20-2019, 18:51

Originally Posted by BittyGoat

Hi y’all. Need some help/suggestions. Every Fall, we take a trip and this year we were looking at the Hocking Hills area. We typically will do anywhere from 15-25 miles. We like to setup a “Basecamp” the first day which allows us to day home without our full load. Can anyone recommend a trip/route I can check out?

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The Hocking hills area doesn’t have a big network of trails but there are lots of attractions close by. The near by Zaleski state forest has an actual backpacking loop as well as Wildcat hollow. I don’t live to far away from any of these locations so if you have any more questions I might be able to answer them.

**Trees company** · 08-20-2019, 18:52

That is if you are referring to the hocking hills in Ohio.

**BittyGoat** · 08-20-2019, 19:06

Originally Posted by Trees company

The Hocking hills area doesn’t have a big network of trails but there are lots of attractions close by. The near by Zaleski state forest has an actual backpacking loop as well as Wildcat hollow. I don’t live to far away from any of these locations so if you have any more questions I might be able to answer them.

Thanks Trees. How is the loop around the Zaleski Forest? Scenery, trails, waterfalls? Appreciate your help

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**Trees company** · 08-21-2019, 04:16

Originally Posted by BittyGoat

Thanks Trees. How is the loop around the Zaleski Forest? Scenery, trails, waterfalls? Appreciate your help

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Zaleski does have some rock formations and overhangs it is moderately hilly . Have you ever been to or considered the Red River Gorge geological area in Kentucky?

**BittyGoat** · 08-21-2019, 05:05

Originally Posted by Trees company

Zaleski does have some rock formations and overhangs it is moderately hilly . Have you ever been to or considered the Red River Gorge geological area in Kentucky?

Yeah we’ve there a couple times. Think we might change our plans and head towards Garden of the Gods in Illinois. Thanks for the help

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**PatapscoMike** · 08-21-2019, 08:58

Originally Posted by BittyGoat

Thanks Trees. How is the loop around the Zaleski Forest? Scenery, trails, waterfalls? Appreciate your help.
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I've spent a lot of time hiking every corner of Zaleski SF- mostly by hiking or biking the logging roads. It's very cool, I loved exploring there. We usually stayed in the cabins at the end of October. There are some really neat geological features there, and massive stands of mature hardwoods. I found a place that sort of reminded me of a poor-mans Antelope Canyon- where you dropped down into a gorge and you could follow a stream for several hundred feet with canyon walls rising above you- but only maybe 20' tall. If you hike back King Hollow Road you can get pretty far away from everything but the logging trucks. The Waterloo area is really pretty too, with coyotes howling all night every night and endless trails to follow. Beautiful country out there. I miss it.

The AEP lands not too far away are fun to explore also- but now that fracking pads are being set up everywhere there are 18 wheelers rolling around day and night. It's too much for my tastes so we stopped going out there.

**Amaas** · 08-27-2019, 11:50

There is some good hiking in Hocking. If you stay in the walk in sites at Hocking, you can go from old man's cave down to Ash cave along the buckeye trail "Grandma Gatewoods trail" and back taking the rim trail. This is around a 14 mile hike from old man's cave lot to ash cave and back. If you hike from the campsite and back add a couple miles. Several other smaller trails in the area that you can drive to, hike and go to the next though. Check the odnr page for some hikes in the nature preserves. These require a free permit but you have the place to yourself typically. Need to submit for it 2 weeks in advance.