Right now
Right now as of Oct 29, 2026
- Permit None needed.
Status note (Oct 29, 2026): Open, as far as we can tell: on October 29, 2026, ODNR's Hocking Hills page and alert feed showed no closure for Ash Cave. The falls are seasonal, so flow varies. Call (740) 385-6842 before you go. What the status labels mean
Ash Cave is a seasonal waterfall that spills over the rim of a large recess cave in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. The rim is about 90 feet high, per Wikipedia; that measures the cave, not the falls. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) lists the paved Ash Cave Gorge Trail at 1/4 mile, easy and wheelchair accessible. Entry is free, and on October 29, 2026, ODNR showed no closure.
About Ash Cave
At Ash Cave, a small tributary spills over the rim of a recess cave, according to hockinghills.com, which calls it a seasonal waterfall. ODNR's Ash Cave page describes the cave and its history but gives no figure for the falls.
Wikipedia gives the cave as 700 feet across and 90 feet high. An undated ODNR release about the historical marker, seen only as a search excerpt, calls it the largest recessed cave in Ohio. That release gives about 700 feet wide, 100 feet deep and 100 feet high.
The 90- and 100-foot figures describe Ash Cave, not the water. Read 'about 90 feet' as the height of the rim the falls pour over. We found no measured height for the falls itself.
Explore Hocking Hills, the regional tourism site, promotes Ash Cave as 'the largest recess cave east of the Mississippi.' That is a tourism claim. ODNR's wording, in the excerpt we found, is largest in Ohio.
ODNR says the name comes from 'enormous piles of ashes that white settlers discovered on the cave floor'. It adds that at least one pile was supposedly three feet deep, one hundred feet long and thirty feet wide.
ODNR cites archaeological evidence that the Shawnee used the cave as a rest stop. Its Ash Cave page also mentions 'whispering galleries that amplify sound' and a speaker standing on a large slump block outside the entrance. The same ODNR page dates Hocking Hills State Park to 1924, when it covered 146 acres, and says ODNR took charge in 1949.
Getting there and parking
Ash Cave has its own parking area on State Route 56, according to third-party listings. They give two different street numbers, 27291 and 26400 SR 56, and we could not confirm either with ODNR.
There is no charge to visit. Spectrum News reported in June 2026 that Ohio state parks have no entrance fees, and ODNR's Hocking Hills page lists no parking fee. We found no permit or ticket for the trail.
The park's Visitor Center is not at this lot. ODNR places it at the Old Man's Cave lot off State Route 664, open daily 10am to 4pm, with hours subject to change seasonally. The park office is at (740) 385-6842, weekdays 8am to 4:30pm.
The map pin uses the federal place-name point for the Ash Cave Recreation Area. It may mark the day-use area rather than the cave itself.
Map and nearby falls
Map loads as you scroll. Open in OpenStreetMap
OpenPartly open / seasonalUnconfirmedClosedLarger map
The hike
The Ash Cave Gorge Trail is the main way in. ODNR's park trail list reads 'Ash Cave Gorge - 1/4-mile - Easy - Wheelchair Accessible.' Its accessible-trails list gives the same trail as 0.3 mile, paved.
ODNR says the trail 'winds through a narrow gorge lined with hemlock, beech, and other hardwood trees' and ends at Ash Cave. If you return the same way, the walk is roughly half a mile round trip. Follow any one-way directional signs, as ODNR asks.
For a view from above, ODNR lists 'Ash Cave Rim - 1/4-mile - Moderate.' hockinghills.com confirms it reaches an overlook of the cave. The Rim Trail has no accessible designation.
Ash Cave is the southern end of ODNR's Winter Hike route from Old Man's Cave, per a search excerpt of the 2026 release. That route follows the Grandma Gatewood Trail, which ODNR rates difficult over 6 miles.
Dogs can walk the Gorge Trail too. Ohio's rule caps the leash at six feet, 'from hand to animal.' hockinghills.com says the restrooms here are wheelchair accessible. We found no official elevation gain or walking time for either trail.
When to visit
Flow at Ash Cave is seasonal. hockinghills.com calls it a 'seasonal waterfall,' and we found no official guidance on which months it runs best.
In winter, the water over the rim often freezes, according to a search excerpt of ODNR's marker release. ODNR's park page warns that trails can be icy in winter and recommends ice cleats.
Trails here follow the park-wide hours ODNR lists: open half an hour before sunrise and closed half an hour after sunset. We found no seasonal closure.
On October 29, 2026, ODNR's Hocking Hills page and its statewide alert feed showed no closure for Ash Cave, so we list it as open.
In northeast Ohio, Brandywine Falls has a boardwalk to an accessible upper viewing area. See our Ohio waterfalls guide to compare them.
| Height | 90 ft (cave rim)Note: height of the cave rim the falls pour over, per Wikipedia, not a measured drop of the falls. An undated ODNR release gives the cave as about 100 ft high |
|---|---|
| Trail | Paved Ash Cave Gorge Trail: 1/4 mile on ODNR's trail list, 0.3 mile on its accessible-trails list, easy and wheelchair accessible. About 0.5 to 0.6 mi round trip if you return the same way. The 1/4-mile Rim Trail, rated moderate, leads to an overlook |
| Difficulty | Easy on the paved Gorge Trail; moderate on the Rim Trail (ODNR) |
| Entry fee | Free: Ohio state parks charge no entrance fee (Ohio Governor's office, 2025; Spectrum News, 2026). ODNR's Hocking Hills page lists no entrance or parking fee. |
| Permit / reservation | No permit or ticket needed for the trails |
| Parking | Lot on SR 56; no fee listed |
| Hours / season | Trails 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset (ODNR; OAC 1501:46-7-01) |
| Dogs | Allowed on a leash of 6 ft or less. The rule (OAC 1501:46-3-06) says 'on a leash in hand and under control at all times'. It adds that the leash is 'not to exceed six feet in length from hand to animal' |
| Swimming | No. OAC 1501:46-7-03 bars swimming, bathing, diving and wading outside officially designated swimming areas. Leaving the posted trails is illegal in Hocking Hills State Park (OAC 1501:46-3-30) |
| Wheelchair / stroller | Yes, to the cave: ODNR lists the Ash Cave Gorge trail as easy, paved and wheelchair accessible. The Rim Trail has no accessible designation |
| Restrooms | Yes, wheelchair accessible (hockinghills.com) |
| Managed by | Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft |
Safety and swimming
Stay out of the water under the falls. Ohio Administrative Code 1501:46-7-03 bars swimming, bathing, diving and wading outside officially designated swimming areas.
Keep to the marked path. Under OAC 1501:46-3-30, being off the posted trails in Hocking Hills State Park without the chief's written permission is illegal.
On the Rim Trail, stay well back from the cave's edge and keep children close. ODNR asks visitors to supervise young children closely and to follow one-way directional signs.
When the falls freeze, give the ice below the rim plenty of room. Expect slick spots on the trail in cold weather, and read our waterfall safety guide before you go.
Where to stay near Ash Cave
Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls.
See places to stay nearbyAffiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Partners do not see or change our waterfall facts. Disclosure.
Photos
Ash Cave FAQ
How tall is the Ash Cave waterfall?
The falls pour off the rim of the cave, which Wikipedia puts at about 90 feet high. That is the cave's height, not a measured drop. An undated ODNR release, seen only as a search excerpt, gives the cave as about 100 feet high.
Is Ash Cave an easy, wheelchair-accessible walk?
Yes, on the Gorge Trail. ODNR lists the Ash Cave Gorge trail as easy, paved and wheelchair accessible. The Rim Trail is rated moderate and has no accessible designation.
Does Ash Cave have a waterfall?
Yes, a seasonal one. A small tributary spills over the cave rim, according to hockinghills.com. We found no official best month, and in winter the water often freezes, per a search excerpt of an ODNR release.
How long is the hike to Ash Cave?
About half a mile round trip. ODNR lists the paved Gorge Trail at 1/4 mile on its trail list and 0.3 mile on its accessible-trails list. That assumes you return the same way. We found no official walking time.
Why is it called Ash Cave?
ODNR says settlers found enormous piles of ashes on the cave floor. One pile was supposedly three feet deep, one hundred feet long and thirty feet wide.
Can I bring my dog to Ash Cave?
Yes, on a leash no longer than six feet, in hand and under control at all times, under Ohio's state park rule.
Is Ash Cave or Old Man's Cave better?
It depends on the walk you want. Ash Cave is the easier visit: one large recess cave with a seasonal falls, reached by a paved, accessible trail of about a quarter mile. Old Man's Cave is a gorge with Upper and Lower Falls on a 1-mile trail ODNR rates moderate. Both are free, follow the same park rules and are linked by the Grandma Gatewood Trail.
Where is Ash Cave in Ohio?
In Hocking Hills State Park, Hocking County. Third-party listings place its lot on State Route 56, but we could not confirm the address with ODNR. It is the south end of the Grandma Gatewood Trail from Old Man's Cave.
Nearby waterfalls
_1_(34857580256).jpg){kind=link}
_6_(34087133003).jpg){kind=link}
More waterfalls to explore
Brandywine FallsOhio · 140 mi straight-lineOpen60FT
Creation FallsKentucky · 125 mi straight-lineOpen
On these lists: Dog-friendly waterfalls · Easy waterfall hikes · Free waterfalls
Sources
Some facts credited to the Ohio DNR come from search-result excerpts of its official pages. Confirm fees and rules on the official site.
- ODNR: Ash Cave
- ODNR: Hocking Hills State Park
- ODNR: List of Accessible Trails
- ODNR: Historical Marker at Ash Cave release (via search excerpt; undated)
- ODNR: 60th Annual Winter Hike release (via search excerpt)
- OAC 1501:46-3-30 Off-trail use prohibited (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-7-03 Swimming prohibited; exceptions (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-3-06 Animal leash requirement (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-7-01 Open/closed hours (Cornell LII)
- Ohio Governor's office: free entry to all 76 state parks (Sep 17, 2025)
- Spectrum News: Ohio State Parks Week, no entrance fees (Jun 2, 2026)
- hockinghills.com: Ash Cave (commercial directory)
- Explore Hocking Hills: Parks listing
- Wikipedia: Hocking Hills State Park
- TopoQuest (GNIS 1082369): Ash Cave Recreation Area
Last verified Oct 29, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.