Accessible Hocking Hills: Which Trails Actually Work

Accessible Hocking Hills, trail by trail

Start with the paved approach at Ash Cave and the paved portion of Conkle’s Hollow’s Gorge Trail. Check the exact route, surface and return journey rather than assuming an entire attraction is accessible.

Notes from the Pool House Lodge team, who host in the Southern Region.

This guide covers accessibility at state park trails and facilities. For detailed information about accessibility features at Pool House Lodge, see the property accessibility page.

We know “accessible” is not enough information to plan a visit. This guide separates published route information from measurements we have not verified, so you can see what still needs a call to the park.

Which Hocking Hills trails are wheelchair accessible?

Ohio DNR’s accessible-trails list gives surface and length information. Use it alongside the individual trail map and current park advice.

A shorter viewpoint visit may also be an option. Our Old Man’s Cave guide describes the Upper Falls observation route separately from the stepped gorge hike.

Ash Cave: the paved gorge approach

ODNR lists the Ash Cave Gorge Trail as wheelchair accessible. Plan to return along the paved approach; the sandy cave floor and stepped rim route are different surfaces.

Length depends which state page you read. The park page says a quarter mile. The accessible trails list says 0.3 miles. Plan for roughly a quarter to a third of a mile each way and you will not be surprised either way.

The approach brings you to the sandstone recess, so you can see the cave without taking the stepped rim route.

The park map marks restrooms near the parking area and trail. Confirm the facilities and access you need with park staff before traveling.

Conkle's Hollow: where the sidewalk ends

At Conkle’s Hollow, plan to turn back where the sidewalk ends if you need a paved route. You can see the gorge walls along this section without continuing to the waterfall.

ODNR lists the full Gorge Trail as 0.5 mile one way. That is not the length of its paved section. We do not have a verified measurement for the sidewalk; ask the preserve if that distance determines whether the outing works for you.

One thing people miss: Conkle's Hollow is a state nature preserve, not part of the state park. Different rules. Pets are not permitted at all, service animals aside.

What about Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, Rock House and Cantwell Cliffs?

None of them are on the accessible trails list, and the ODNR maps mark stairs on every one.

Old Man’s Cave’s gorge route includes repeated stair sections and a climb out. Its separate Upper Falls observation route is covered in our Old Man’s Cave guide.

Cedar Falls has stairs immediately below the falls. Rock House has stone stairs on the approach and the exit. Cantwell Cliffs is rated difficult, the only Hocking Hills area ODNR rates that way, and its map has the densest stair marking of anywhere in the park.

Ask park staff about viewpoints you can reach from parking without taking a stepped trail, and describe the access you need.

Measurements to confirm before your visit

A trail label cannot answer every question about a particular wheelchair, walker or person’s stamina.

The sources used here describe wheelchair access; we have not verified ADA compliance. Confirm the features that matter to your visit rather than treating those descriptions as interchangeable.

We do not have verified grade, cross-slope or clear-width measurements for these routes. If a measurement determines whether you can use a path, contact the park before making the drive.

For the details missing from the table, call the park at (740) 385-6842 and explain your needs. Ask about current conditions as well as the usual route.

Wheelchair, walker, cane: these are not the same trip

Different mobility aids and different people need different information. Start with the person taking the trip.

Ask about the surface, slopes, places to rest and full return distance. Someone using a walker may need different stopping points from a wheelchair user or someone walking with a cane.

Compare the paved routes first, then decide whether any other outing suits your own needs. There is no single itinerary that works for every wheelchair, walker or cane user.

Where someone can wait while the rest of the group keeps going

If your group splits up, the visitor center near Old Man’s Cave is one place to ask about. Confirm its current hours, entrance access, seating and restrooms before making it your meeting point.

Cedar Falls and Cantwell Cliffs have picnic areas and shelter houses at their lots. Ash Cave has a picnic area and shelter house too. Those are real waiting spots, though we have not yet checked how comfortable each one is or how far the walk from the parking spot is. That is a firsthand check, and we have not done it.

Parking, restrooms and hours

Restrooms exist at the Ash Cave, Conkle's Hollow, Cedar Falls and Cantwell Cliffs parking areas, and at the visitor center. That is from ODNR's own map icons. The map legend contains no accessible facility symbol whatsoever, so a restroom icon tells you a restroom is there and nothing more.

Ordinary day-use hiking and parking at Hocking Hills State Park are free. Check the posted hours and notices at each destination; nearby preserves have their own rules.

Plan around designated parking and the route from the car to the trail. If the spaces you need are unavailable, ask staff about a permitted alternative or return another time.

What we have not measured

Common questions

Which Hocking Hills trails are wheelchair accessible?

Compare Ash Cave’s lower paved approach and the paved portion of Conkle’s Hollow’s Gorge Trail. Our Old Man’s Cave guide also describes a separate Upper Falls observation route. Confirm current access for the route you choose.

Is Ash Cave wheelchair accessible?

Yes. ODNR lists it as accessible with a paved surface, roughly a quarter to a third of a mile each way, and the paved route reaches the cave rather than stopping short of it.

Is Conkle's Hollow accessible the whole way?

No, only part of it. ODNR marks it "Wheelchair Accessible to End of Sidewalk," and the sidewalk stops before the trail does. The length of that concrete section is not published.

Is Old Man's Cave wheelchair accessible?

The gorge hike includes stairs and is not step-free. A separate route reaches the Upper Falls observation area; see our Old Man’s Cave guide and ask park staff about current access.

Are Hocking Hills trails ADA compliant?

We have not verified ADA compliance. The sources used here describe wheelchair access, but we do not have verified grade, cross-slope or width measurements for these routes.

Can you borrow an all-terrain or track wheelchair?

We have not confirmed an all-terrain wheelchair loan service at Hocking Hills. Ask the park directly before planning around one.

Are the restrooms and parking accessible?

Unknown from published sources. Restrooms exist at the main lots and the visitor center, but ODNR's map legend has no accessible facility symbol, and accessible parking counts are not published. Call (740) 385-6842.

Does it cost anything?

No. No entrance fee, no parking fee. Conkle's Hollow is a nature preserve, so pets are not permitted there. Trails run from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.

Sources

Use the linked sources for published route information. Measurements and services we have not confirmed are identified above.

• Ohio DNR — List of Accessible Trails
• Ohio DNR — Hocking Hills State Park
• Ohio DNR — Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve
• Ohio DNR — Hocking Hills trail map (PDF)
• Ohio DNR — Hocking Hills park map (PDF)

Originally published August 16, 2026.