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
Light through the window openings inside Rock House, Hocking Hills

Rock House

Logan · Hocking County
Sandstone cave

Rock House, Hocking Hills · Photo: See1,Do1,Teach1, CC BY 2.0

The only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park, a roofed sandstone passage with window openings, reached by a stepped trail.

Type
A sandstone cave with a ceiling, floor and window openings, described as the only true cave in the park
Size
About 200 feet long, with a roof about 25 feet high and a triangular entrance about 75 feet up the cliff
Trail
A short but more challenging trail than most Hocking Hills areas, with stairs and uneven rock
Season
Open daily all year; check current conditions
Setting
Formed by water erosion of the Blackhand sandstone over millennia

The story

Rock House is unusual in the Hocking Hills: unlike the open recess caves, it is a covered passage, a corridor of sandstone about 200 feet long with openings like windows and columns that hold up the roof. It has been one of the most visited caves in Ohio since at least 1835, when a 16-room hotel was built at the site; today the spot is a picnic area. Workers from Company 526 of the Civilian Conservation Corps improved Rock House in the 1930s.

Guides mention a colorful past for the cave, and the details of those stories are folklore rather than documented history.

The map pin is approximate; use the park's own directions.

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

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
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
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Approximate location, use the address
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 trail closures.
Cost
Free.
Phone
See ODNR Hocking Hills State Park
Please note
Stay on the marked trail and inside the marked passage.
Address
Rock House trailhead, Hocking Hills State Park, Logan, OH 43138
More information →DirectionsShow on the map

The pin on the map is approximate; use the address or the operator's directions.

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 · Rock House is one of the park's areas.
Open
Hocking State Forest
About 2 miles · A state forest with quiet hiking.
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.