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 Old Man's Cave. Call (740) 385-6842 before you go. What the status labels mean
Old Man's Cave is a sandstone gorge in Hocking Hills State Park, near Logan, Ohio, with two main waterfalls: Upper Falls and Lower Falls. We found no official height for either. Entry is free, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) lists the Old Man's Cave trail at 1 mile, rated moderate. Ohio rules ban swimming, wading and off-trail hiking in the gorge. On October 29, 2026, ODNR showed no closure.
About Old Man's Cave
Old Man's Cave is a stretch of gorge rather than a single waterfall. Wikipedia divides it into five parts: Upper Falls, Upper Gorge, Middle Falls, Lower Falls and Lower Gorge. Smaller named landmarks include Devil's Bathtub, Eagle Rock and Sphinx Head. The stream is Old Man's Creek, according to hockinghills.com.
This page leads with Upper Falls, where ODNR's annual Winter Hike begins, according to a search excerpt of its 2026 release. Lower Falls is the other main drop. We found no height for any falls in the gorge from ODNR, a tourism office or Wikipedia, so we list none.
Devil's Bathtub is a basin, not a separate waterfall. The commercial directory hockinghills.com describes it as 'a smooth, swirling basin carved out of the Blackhand sandstone.' It sits in the creek between Upper Falls and Lower Falls. We found no official figure for its depth.
The name has two versions. Wikipedia says the cave is believed to be named for Richard Rowe, an 18th-century hermit. Remarkable Ohio's listing for historical marker 5-37 instead calls Rowe a recluse who lived there in the 1800s.
Hocking Hills State Park was established in 1924 with 146 acres, ODNR says, and the department took over the park in 1949.
Getting there and parking
Drive to the Old Man's Cave parking lot off State Route 664, near Logan. ODNR says the Hocking Hills State Park Visitor Center is located at this lot. Listings disagree on the street number, 19852 or 20160 SR 664, so we could not confirm one.
You pay nothing to get in. The Governor's office said in September 2025 that Ohio offers 'free entry to all 76 state parks,' and Spectrum News reported no entrance fees in June 2026. ODNR's park page lists no parking fee either.
ODNR lists the Visitor Center as open daily from 10am to 4pm, with hours subject to change seasonally. A Raptor Enclosure sits behind the building, and the gift shop is open 10am to 3pm. The park office answers at (740) 385-6842, 8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Parking can be the hardest part of a visit. Wikipedia calls Old Man's Cave the most popular site in the Hocking Hills region. Officials launched a free weekend shuttle so hikers could 'avoid the stresses of parking,' WSYX reported in June 2024.
For 2026, Explore Hocking Hills listed the free weekend shuttle on Saturdays and Sundays from May 23 to October 25, so the 2026 season has ended. We found no official time when the lot fills.
Map and nearby falls
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The hike
ODNR's trail list reads 'Old Man's Cave - 1 mile - Moderate.' It does not say whether that mile is a loop or out-and-back. We found no official hiking time, elevation gain or count of stairs.
The map on this page marks the Old Man's Cave area and nearby falls, not the trail route.
The gorge runs about half a mile, according to hockinghills.com. That directory says you can see Upper and Lower Falls from above along the Gorge Entrance and Exit Trail. It adds that the Grandma Gatewood Trail leads down to the pools and to Devil's Bathtub.
ODNR says many of the park's trails have been re-routed for one-way hiking, which improves safety. Please follow the directional signage, as ODNR asks, instead of doubling back against it.
For a longer day, the Grandma Gatewood Trail goes on past Cedar Falls to Ash Cave, the route of ODNR's Winter Hike per a search excerpt. ODNR says the Buckeye Trail and American Discovery Trail share it for 6 miles through the park. It rates the trail difficult.
Leashed dogs may come along. Ohio requires the leash to be held in hand and to be no longer than six feet. ODNR's trail list marks the Ash Cave Gorge trail as wheelchair accessible, but not this one, and we could not confirm an accessible viewpoint here.
When to visit
ODNR says the trails are open from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. We found no seasonal closure. Ohio Administrative Code 1501:46-7-01 closes the day-use trails outside those hours without the chief's written permission.
We found no official guidance on the best month for flow at Upper or Lower Falls. In winter, ODNR warns that trails can be icy and recommends ice cleats.
ODNR held its 60th annual Winter Hike on Saturday, January 17, 2026, according to a search excerpt of its release. The route covered about 6 miles, from Upper Falls past Lower Falls and Cedar Falls to Ash Cave.
Weather has closed the gorge before. The park closed the Old Man's Cave gorge trail and Conkles Hollow after flash flooding as of 4:30pm on July 1, 2025, Scioto Post and Spectrum News reported. We could not confirm when the gorge trail reopened.
On October 29, 2026, ODNR's Hocking Hills page and its statewide alert feed showed no closure for Old Man's Cave, so we list it as open.
Ash Cave, at the south end of the Grandma Gatewood Trail, has a paved, accessible trail. Brandywine Falls is in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northeast Ohio. Our Ohio waterfalls guide compares all three.
| Trail | ODNR lists the Old Man's Cave trail at 1 mile, rated moderate. The gorge itself runs about half a mile (hockinghills.com). The Grandma Gatewood Trail, 6 miles and rated difficult by ODNR, continues through the park |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Moderate on the 1-mile Old Man's Cave trail; difficult on the 6-mile Grandma Gatewood 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 to hike |
| Parking | Old Man's Cave lot off SR 664; no fee listed |
| Hours / season | Trails 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset (ODNR; OAC 1501:46-7-01). Visitor Center daily 10am to 4pm, subject to seasonal change (ODNR) |
| Dogs | Allowed on a leash of 6 ft or less; "on a leash in hand and under control at all times," with the leash "not to exceed six feet in length from hand to animal" (OAC 1501:46-3-06). No pets in the Conkles Hollow nature preserve (ODNR) |
| 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 | We could not confirm an accessible route. ODNR's trail list marks Ash Cave Gorge as wheelchair accessible, but not the Old Man's Cave trail |
| Crowds | Wikipedia calls it the most popular site in the Hocking Hills region; a free weekend shuttle was launched to ease parking (WSYX, 2024) |
| Managed by | Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft |
Safety and swimming
Do not swim or wade anywhere in the gorge, including Devil's Bathtub. Ohio Administrative Code 1501:46-7-03 bars swimming, bathing, diving and wading in Division waters outside officially designated swimming areas.
Leaving the posted trails is illegal in Hocking Hills State Park without the chief's written permission, under OAC 1501:46-3-30 (effective June 30, 2024). ODNR adds that visitors must remain on the marked trails at all times.
ODNR asks that young children be closely supervised. Hold small hands near drop-offs, and expect wet, slick sandstone close to the falls.
Rappelling is banned in any area the Division administers 'except at designated areas and only after registering' (OAC 1501:46-7-09). A search excerpt of an ODNR forestry map places the designated area in Hocking State Forest on Big Pine Road, outside the state park.
High water is not the only hazard. On July 1, 2025, the day flooding closed the gorge trail, Scioto Post reported that a falling tree killed a hiker at nearby Conkles Hollow. Leave if the creek rises fast, and read our waterfall safety guide.
Where to stay near Old Man's Cave
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Photos
Old Man's Cave FAQ
How long is the Old Man's Cave hike?
The trail is 1 mile, rated moderate, per ODNR. We found no official estimate of how long it takes, and ODNR does not say whether it is a loop. The gorge itself runs about half a mile, per hockinghills.com.
Is Old Man's Cave free?
Yes. Ohio state parks charge no entrance fee in 2026, and ODNR's Hocking Hills State Park page lists no parking fee.
Can you swim at Old Man's Cave or in Devil's Bathtub?
No. Ohio rules bar swimming and wading outside designated swimming areas, and leaving the posted trails is illegal in Hocking Hills State Park. Devil's Bathtub is a swirling basin in the creek, not a separate waterfall. We found no official figure for its depth.
Are dogs allowed at Old Man's Cave?
Yes, on a leash no longer than six feet, held in hand and under control at all times. ODNR says no pets are permitted in the nearby Conkles Hollow nature preserve.
What are the Old Man's Cave Visitor Center hours?
ODNR lists the Hocking Hills State Park Visitor Center, at the Old Man's Cave lot off State Route 664, as open daily 10am to 4pm. Hours may change seasonally. Trails open half an hour before sunrise and close half an hour after sunset.
What is the story behind Old Man's Cave?
Both sources we found tie the name to Richard Rowe. Wikipedia says the name is believed to come from Rowe, an 18th-century hermit. Ohio historical marker 5-37 calls him a recluse who lived there in the 1800s.
Can you rappel or climb at Old Man's Cave?
No. Ohio allows rappelling only at designated areas after registering. A search excerpt of an ODNR map places that area in Hocking State Forest, outside the state park. Leaving the posted trails to climb rocks is also illegal in Hocking Hills State Park.
Where is Old Man's Cave?
In Hocking Hills State Park, Hocking County, near Logan, Ohio. Park at the Old Man's Cave lot off State Route 664, where ODNR places the park's Visitor Center.
Nearby waterfalls
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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: Hocking Hills State Park
- ODNR: Ash Cave (park history)
- ODNR: 60th Annual Winter Hike release (via search excerpt)
- OAC 1501:46-3-30 Off-trail use prohibited (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-7-01 Open/closed hours (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-7-03 Swimming prohibited; exceptions (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-7-09 Rappelling (Cornell LII)
- OAC 1501:46-3-06 Animal leash requirement (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)
- Spectrum News: Hocking Hills closes trails for flash flooding (Jul 1, 2025)
- Scioto Post: trails closed amid flooding, Conkles Hollow death (Jul 1, 2025)
- hockinghills.com: Old Man's Cave (commercial directory)
- Explore Hocking Hills: Free Weekend Shuttle (2026 dates; read Oct 28, 2026)
- WSYX/NBC24: shuttle service to ease parking (Jun 18, 2024)
- Remarkable Ohio marker 5-37: Old Man's Cave
- Wikipedia: Hocking Hills State Park
- TopoQuest (GNIS 1082371): Old Mans Cave Recreation Area
- 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.