Tar Hollow State Park

Tar Hollow State Park is a forested area in southeastern Ohio with deep ravines and rocky ridges of sandstone where low pines grow on the steeper slopes. A 15-acre lake sits in the central valley surrounded by dense hardwood forest that blankets most of the park.

The federal government acquired this land in the 1930s when it was no longer used for farming and officially established it as a state park in 1949. This conversion was part of a broader effort to protect and restore forest and wildlife in Ohio during that era.

The name comes from early settlers who extracted tar from pine trees for everyday household needs, a practice that shaped how the land has been understood and used. This heritage remains woven into how visitors experience the forest and ridges today.

Trails wind through ravines and across ridges with varying difficulty from flat lakeside paths to steep climbs and descents. The ground becomes slippery after rain so sturdy shoes and caution on slopes are important, and there are places to camp and fish at the lake.

The park protects a habitat where timber rattlesnakes live and thrive, a rare snake species that is vanishing elsewhere in Ohio. These reptiles are shy and tend to avoid people, but their presence in this sandstone landscape is a sign of healthy woodland conditions.