Camping Cleveland: Hocking Hills State Park Is A Hiker's Dream

It's no wonder Hocking Hills State Park is the most popular one in Ohio. Packed with gorges carved from the region’s signature black hand sandstone, waterfalls and dense forest, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere deep in Appalachia. The grand scale of the park means it has room for three campgrounds ($27-$45 per night): one with both tent sites and RV-friendly electrical hookups, a group campground, and primitive walk-in sites, where campers park in one area and lug their gear to their sites for a more secluded, backpacking-style experience.

The terrain also makes it a hikers’ paradise, with more than 40 miles of trails and even more in the surrounding Hocking Hills State Forest. While the trails to must-see sights like Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave and Cedar Falls draw the most crowds, naturalist supervisor Pat Quackenbush recommends checking out some other areas.

“The trail that goes around Rose Lake is spectacular,” he says. “You can get that almost to yourself some days because folks just don’t want to make the trek around her.” But don’t let the natural beauty lure you away from your path — by law, hikers are required to stay on trails in the park. A few miles outside the park you’ll find paddling, ziplining and other activities.

State Route 64, Logan, 866-644-6727, reserveohio.com