Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
Popular:
  • 117parks & forests
  • 64ancient mounds
  • 34waterfalls
  • 40historic sites
  • 33road trips

Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

Explore by type

What are you in the mood for?

See every place →

Plan a trip

Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia36 places368 places813 places135 places523 places2321 places2124 places2416 places1613 places134 places418 places182 places217 places1710 places1014 places142 places27 places76 places613 places133 places34 places414 places143 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places22 places22 places26 places64 places4

Tap a symbol for a preview, or search for a place. Open the key to show or hide categories.

Parks, forests & wildlife areas

Find a park

117 parks in 7 regions
The blue-green plunge pool and stone bridge in the Old Man's Cave gorge

Old Man's Cave

Logan · Hocking County
Recess cave (sandstone)

Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: aparlette, CC BY 2.0

A gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center.

Type
A recess cave in a sandstone gorge, not a limestone cavern
Size
The recess sits about 75 feet above the stream and is about 250 feet long
Trail
The gorge trail has stairs, uneven footing, slippery rock and mud; one hiking guide suggests allowing two to three hours for a loop of roughly 1.5 to 2 miles
Season
Open daily all year
Visitor center
At Old Man's Cave, with restrooms, a gift shop and exhibits
Also
Starts the Grandma Gatewood Trail toward Cedar Falls and Ash Cave, on the Buckeye Trail

The story

Old Man's Cave is named for Richard Rowe, a trader and hermit who came to the Ohio River valley around 1796 and lived in the recess with his hounds until his death in the early 1800s. Rowe is said to be buried beneath the ledge. The gorge cuts through about 150 feet of Blackhand sandstone, and the recess is one of several caves along the stream, with upper and lower falls and a swirling basin called the Devil's Bathtub.

The region was home to several Native American tribes in the mid-1700s. It was already a major attraction by the late 1800s, and the state began buying land in the Hocking Hills in 1924 to repair land damaged by farming and fires, and Civilian Conservation Corps workers improved several areas in the 1930s. Today it is the park's most visited area.

The gorge trail is stairs and uneven rock, and trail sections close for repairs from time to time.

Stay on the marked trails and official tours. Caves are fragile and can be dangerous, and entering any cave or crevice that is closed, unmarked or not open to the public is unsafe and unauthorized.

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Official page
Location confidence
Verified entrance or visitor center
ODNR parking-area coordinates
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
Tickets or admission info

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

Visiting

Status
Open year-round; check current conditions
Season and hours
Open daily during park hours. Check ODNR for closures.
Cost
Free.
Phone
See ODNR Hocking Hills State Park
Please note
Stay on the trails; the gorge has steep stairs and slippery rock.
Address
Old Man's Cave area, State Route 664, Logan, OH 43138
More information →DirectionsShow on the map

Seasons, tours and access can change. Confirm with the operator or park before a long drive; where a closure alert applies, check current conditions.

Parks nearby

Hocking Hills State Park
Inside this park · Old Man's Cave is one of the park's areas.
Open
Hocking State Forest
About 3 miles · A state forest with quiet hiking.
Open
Lake Logan State Park
About 12 miles · A lake park to the north.
Open

Road trips

Hocking Hills Scenic Byway
A road trip that passes near this stop
Open

Buckeye Trail

Old Man's Cave Section
Near the Buckeye Trail
Open

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

Know a place that belongs here, or spotted something out of date? Email hello@fieldnotesohio.com.