Hocking Hills Trail

The Hocking Hills is a scenic area of Ohio, primarily in Hocking County, Ohio, that features cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls. The relatively extreme topography in this area is due to the Blackhand Sandstone (so named because of Native American graphics on the formation near Newark, Ohio), a particular formation that is thick, hard and weather-resistant, and so forms cliffs.

Most of the more scenic areas of the region are under state ownership. State lands in this region include:

• Hocking Hills State Park (5 unconnected areas: Old Man's Cave, Rock House, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, Cantwell Cliffs)
• Hocking State Forest
• Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve
• Kessler Swamp State Nature Preserve
• Lake Logan State Park
• Rockbridge State Nature Preserve
• Rock House State Park

The geological series that forms the Hocking Hills extends south and west, gradually diminishing but still forming impressive bluffs and gorges in:

• Tar Hollow State Park
• Tar Hollow State Forest
• Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve

The Buckeye Trail, along with the North Country Trail and the American Discovery Trail, passes through the Hocking Hills region. The Hocking Hills region of Ohio is a deeply-dissected area of the Allegheny Plateau. High cliffs and narrow, deep gorges are formed in the Blackhand Sandstone,

Also nearby are:

• Clear Creek Metro Park, part of the Columbus/Franklin County Metro Parks system,
• Lake Logan State Park
• Lake Hope State Park

The Buckeye Trail runs through this area concurrently with the North Country Trail and America's Discovery Trail .

See also

• Ohio public lands