Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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117 parks in 7 regions

Hocking State Forest

Rockbridge · Hocking County · Southeast Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
9,815acres
59trail miles
1949established

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
ODNR park finder (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Hocking State Forest office, 19275 OH-374, Rockbridge
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
State forests are open to hunting under Ohio Division of Wildlife regulations. Shooting is prohibited within 400 feet of any building, facility or recreation area and from or across any road or driveway. Hocking State Forest closes half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise, except for campers and legal hunters. A valid Ohio hunting license is required.

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.

The story of this land

The state started buying land here in the early twentieth century to undo the damage of logging and hard-used hill farms. During the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps helped replant trees and built trails, and in 1949 the area was officially designated Hocking State Forest. From the 1950s to the 1970s the Hocking Honor Camp operated in the forest, with inmates working on trail crews and responding to fires.

The ground has deep human history too. Earthworks linked to the Adena and Hopewell cultures survive in the wider region. The forest is unglaciated Appalachian Plateau country where northern plants and southern species grow side by side, which gives it an unusual mix of vegetation and wildlife.

The forest sits next to Hocking Hills State Park, and includes or borders three state nature preserves: Conkle's Hollow, which is open to the public, and Sheick Hollow and Little Rocky Hollow, which need a permit. It also has a 99-acre rock climbing and rappelling area, a fire tower, a segment of the Buckeye Trail and the busy horse trail system that the Fairfield County chapter of the Ohio Horseman's Council maintains.

Things to do in the park

  • Camp at the Horse Campground and ride the 40-mile bridle trail network
  • Hike the primitive white trails to rock formations
  • Climb or rappel at the 99-acre rock climbing and rappelling area
  • Hike Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve
  • Climb the fire tower and walk a piece of the Buckeye Trail

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Hocking State Forest.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Hocking Hills State Park, next door, with Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave
  • Logan, about 15 minutes away, for dining and supplies
  • Lake Logan and Lake Hope State Parks
  • Zaleski State Forest and the Moonville Rail Trail, about 30 minutes south

Hiking trails

About 59 miles of hiking on three trails, plus about 40 miles of bridle trails that are open to hikers. The Buckeye Trail passes through the forest. The orange, purple, red and blue horse trails are wide enough in places for two or three riders; the white trails are primitive and lead to the popular rock formations.

Wildlife you might see

  • Plants from the north mixed with typical southern species, so the forest is unusually varied
  • White-tailed deer, wild turkey and songbirds
  • Sandstone rock formations, rock shelters and hemlock hollows on the white trails

Fishing

  • No significant fishing in the forest itself. Lake Logan and Lake Hope are within a short drive.

Hunting

State forests are open to hunting under Ohio Division of Wildlife regulations. Shooting is prohibited within 400 feet of any building, facility or recreation area and from or across any road or driveway. Hocking State Forest closes half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise, except for campers and legal hunters. A valid Ohio hunting license is required.

The Honor Camp and the Mounds

Not every part of this forest's story is about trees. From the 1950s to the 1970s a Hocking Honor Camp operated inside the forest, where inmates worked on trail crews and helped respond to fires. Before that, in the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps replanted trees and built trails on land the state had been buying since the early 1900s to undo the damage of logging and worn-out farms.

The ground is older than any of that. Earthworks linked to the Adena and Hopewell cultures survive in the wider region.

Behind the legend

The forest was officially designated Hocking State Forest in 1949. It sits beside Hocking Hills State Park and includes or borders three state nature preserves: Conkle's Hollow, which is open to the public, and Sheick Hollow and Little Rocky Hollow, which need a permit. The forest is unglaciated Appalachian Plateau country where northern plants and southern species grow side by side.

It also has a 99-acre rock climbing and rappelling area, a fire tower and a stretch of the Buckeye Trail.

If you go

Ride the horse trails from the campground or hike to Conkle's Hollow, and look at the CCC-era trail work.

Road trips through Hocking State Forest

Scenic byways and heritage drives that pass this park or run close to it.

Hocking Hills Scenic Byway

Southeast Ohio
A state forest along the road.
Scenic byway26.4 miles
Half a day · Hocking Hills State Park to Rockbridge

Caves near Hocking State Forest

Caves, rock shelters and cave attractions within reach of this park. Stay on marked trails and official tours.

Ash Cave

Logan · Hocking County
Ohio's largest recess cave, a horseshoe of sandstone 700 feet across with a seasonal waterfall, reached by an accessible gorge trail.
Recess cave (sandstone)
About 3 miles from this park

Old Man's Cave

Logan · Hocking County
A gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center.
Recess cave (sandstone)
About 3 miles from this park

Rock House

Logan · Hocking County
The only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park, a roofed sandstone passage with window openings, reached by a stepped trail.
Sandstone cave
About 2 miles from this park

Waterfalls near Hocking State Forest

Falls inside or within reach of this park. Stay behind railings and on marked trails; wet rock is slick in every season.

Conkle's Hollow Falls

Rockbridge · Hocking County
A narrow waterfall at the head of a gorge with cliffs nearly 200 feet high, reached on a mostly flat, partly paved trail.
20 to 25 ftEasy walkAccessible overlookLegend
About 1 mile from this park

Upper Falls at Old Man's Cave

Logan · Hocking County
The first waterfall in the gorge, viewable from an accessible ramp and deck just steps from the parking lot.
15 ftEasy walkAccessible overlook
About 2 miles from this park

Lower Falls at Old Man's Cave

Logan · Hocking County
A deep plunge pool at the far end of the Old Man's Cave gorge, reached down a steep stone stairway.
25 ftModerate hike
About 2 miles from this park

Whispering Falls

Logan · Hocking County
Reported as the tallest falls in Hocking Hills at around 100 feet, reached on a newer, five mile loop trail past a swinging bridge.
100 to 105 ftStrenuous hike
About 3 miles from this park

Cedar Falls

Logan · Hocking County
Hocking Hills' broadest waterfall, a wide sandstone cascade with the biggest year round flow of any falls in the park.
50 ftModerate hikeLegend
About 4 miles from this park

Ash Cave Falls

South Bloomingville · Hocking County
Ohio's largest recess cave, with a thin seasonal waterfall spilling 90 feet from its rim.
90 ftEasy walkAccessible overlook
About 4 miles from this park

Buck Run Falls at Cantwell Cliffs

Rockbridge · Hocking County
A seasonal curtain of water that can spill more than 100 feet down the cliff face at Hocking Hills' most remote, least crowded unit.
Up to 150 ftStrenuous hikeLegend
About 6 miles from this park

Rockbridge Falls

Rockbridge · Hocking County
A little known seasonal waterfall that drops beneath Ohio's longest natural stone bridge, away from Hocking Hills' crowds.
40 ftEasy walk
About 9 miles from this park

Robinson Falls

Logan · Hocking County
A tucked away canyon waterfall, also called Corkscrew Falls, that can only be visited with a free access permit from the state.
12 ftEasy walk
About 15 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Hocking State Forest

Ohio's 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop passes through or beside this park. Tap a section for its route, camping, water and resupply.

10 Old Man's Cave Section

53 miles · Hocking, Vinton
Quiet woodland after the gorges
3 parks

Campsites

Horse campground
23 reservable sites · electric at sites, hitch rails, non-potable water, restrooms, no showers · for riders with horses
See ODNR

On site

  • Electric hookups at the horse campground
  • Hitch rails and mounting block
  • Non-potable water and restrooms
  • Group camp permits by request form
  • Trailheads for hiking, bridle and the rock climbing area
Reserve on ODNR's forestry system →
Since September 1, 2025, camping at the Hocking State Forest Horse Campground requires a reservation and a digital permit from ODNR's forestry system, which is separate from ReserveOhio. Accounts are free and use the OH|ID login. You can book up to 90 days ahead, 14 nights in any 30 days. Check-in is 3 p.m. and check-out 1 p.m. Only campers with a horse can register a site here.
Prefer the phone?740-385-4402

The horse campground is for people who ride. Anyone else camping in this area will want Hocking Hills State Park's campground, which is listed separately on ReserveOhio. Walk-up camping is no longer offered here. Hocking Hills State Park hike-in sites run about $23 to $27 a night, electric and full-service sites more; check ReserveOhio for current pricing.

Restaurants nearby

Chelle's 33 Diner
Diner breakfast and burgers; open Friday to Sunday only
Directions
Squatchalicious
Pulled pork and smash burgers; open Mon, Fri, Sat and Sun
Directions
Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ
Wood-smoked BBQ in a canoe-lodge dining room; expect a wait on weekends
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Harper's Gas and More
Closest station to the Hocking Hills area
Directions
Murphy USA
Large station in Logan with propane and supplies nearby
Directions

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