Hocking Hills State Park, State park in Hocking County, Ohio, United States.
Hocking Hills State Park is a protected natural area in Hocking County, Ohio, featuring deep gorges, sandstone cliffs, and several waterfalls accessible through a network of trails. The grounds include seven main sections with caves, rock bridges, and wooded valleys connected by more than 25 miles of paths.
The protected area began in 1924 when the state of Ohio started acquiring land around the first rock shelters. More gorges and forested sections were added in the following decades to preserve the natural sandstone formations permanently.
Trail names come from early settler stories and the natural features they encountered when seeking shelter in the rock formations. Families walk the easier paths today while hikers follow deeper routes into gorges that once served as seasonal camps.
Most trails start from parking areas with signs that indicate path lengths and terrain difficulty. Routes to caves and waterfalls can be slippery, so visitors should wear sturdy footwear and take extra care during wet weather.
The sandstone layers formed more than 330 million years ago from an ancient inland sea and contain fossil traces of long-extinct plants. Water and wind carved the soft rock over millions of years into deep caves, narrow passages, and overhanging ledges.
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