Conkle’s Hollow Is the Most Dramatic Gorge in Hocking Hills. One Trail Is Accessible. One Is Not.

Conkle’s Hollow, Hocking Hills — Gorge Trail & Rim Trail guide

The gorge walls at Conkle’s Hollow rise 200 feet on both sides. The hollow is so narrow in places that standing at the bottom feels more like being inside a building than outside. It’s one of the most striking geological features in Ohio, and most people who visit don’t realize there are two completely different ways to experience it.

Trail notes from the Pool House Lodge team who host in the Southern Region.

The Gorge Trail runs along the floor of the hollow on a flat, hard-surfaced path, and it puts you right under those walls the whole way in. The first stretch is concrete and marked wheelchair accessible, though the sidewalk ends before the trail does. The Rim Trail climbs to the top and follows the edge with views straight down. It’s one of the hardest hikes in Hocking Hills. They share a trailhead but are otherwise different experiences.

The Gorge Trail at Conkle’s Hollow is flat and runs 0.5 miles through one of the deepest gorges in Hocking Hills. Its concrete section is wheelchair accessible as far as the sidewalk goes, which is not the full trail. The Rim Trail is the opposite: very difficult, steep, and not accessible, with 200-foot drops at the edge.

Inside Conkle’s Hollow — the gorge walls rise 200 feet above the trail floor

Conkle’s Hollow at a Glance

The Two Trails: Which One Is Right for Your Group?

Conkle’s Hollow sits on the border between the main Hocking Hills State Park corridor and the quieter back roads of the Southern Region. The trails start from the same lot, split immediately, and offer nothing alike.

A look at the paved Gorge Trail at Conkle’s Hollow

The end of the paved gorge trail — the bridge crossing at the back of Conkle’s Hollow

Trail Map & Navigation

Both trails start from the same parking area off Big Pine Road. At the trailhead, the path splits: left leads down into the gorge on the paved Gorge Trail, and right climbs toward the rim. Signs at the trailhead mark both clearly.

The Gorge Trail is a straightforward in-and-out — follow the paved path into the hollow, walk to the back where the walls close in and the seasonal waterfall is, then return the same way you came. You can’t really get lost. The Rim Trail is a loop that returns you to the trailhead from a different direction, but it crosses the Gorge Trail mid-route, so some visitors combine a partial gorge walk with a section of the rim.

AllTrails maps:

• Conkle’s Hollow Gorge Trail on AllTrails — map, photos & current conditions
• Conkle’s Hollow Rim Trail on AllTrails — map, photos & current conditions

Cell service is unreliable once you drop into the hollow. The walls block signal for most carriers, and it generally does not come back until you climb out or return to the lot, so download the AllTrails map for offline use before you set out. If your group is splitting between the two trails, agree on a meeting time and place at the trailhead rather than assuming you can text — rim hikers and gorge walkers routinely lose contact with each other for an hour or more.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Conkle’s Hollow?

Spring and fall are the best times, without much debate. In April and May the creek runs strong and the gorge stays noticeably cooler than the surrounding woods. Fall color — typically peaking in the second and third weeks of October — frames the gorge rim in red and orange that reflects off the sandstone walls. Both seasons hit the parking lot hard on weekends.

Summer is still worth doing. The gorge runs 10–15°F cooler than air temperature on a hot August day, which makes it a good morning hike when the rest of Hocking Hills feels muggy. The seasonal waterfall at the back of the hollow usually slows to a trickle by July, but the gorge walls are the main draw anyway.

Winter is the quietest time. Ice forms on the gorge walls in cold snaps, the crowds disappear, and you can have the whole hollow to yourself on a weekday in January. The paved trail handles light snow reasonably well, but ice patches form near the creek in cold stretches — check conditions before going if you’re planning an accessible visit.

Crowds: When to Go and When to Skip It

Conkle’s Hollow draws fewer visitors than Old Man’s Cave or Ash Cave, but the parking lot is small. On a busy fall weekend, cars overflow onto Big Pine Road within the first hour after the lot opens. Get there before 9 AM on weekends from May through October.

Best times to visit:

• Weekday mornings, any season
• Tuesday through Thursday are the quietest days
• Early morning in fall — the light in the gorge before 9 AM is exceptional
• January through March for near-total solitude

Times to avoid:

• Saturday and Sunday afternoons from May through October
• Peak fall foliage weekends (typically the 3rd and 4th weekends of October)
• 4th of July weekend
• Spring break weekends in late March and April

The parking lot is the real constraint here, not the trail. Conkle’s Hollow draws fewer people than Old Man’s Cave, but with only a couple dozen spaces the lot can be completely full while the gorge itself still feels empty. Big Pine Road is narrow with soft berms, so roadside parking is limited and not something to plan around.

If you pull in to a full lot, the practical move is to drive on to Cedar Falls or Rock House and come back in the mid-afternoon, once the morning group has cleared out and before the late-day arrivals show up. Turnover is fast because the Gorge Trail only takes about an hour — a lot that looks hopeless at 10:30 AM is often half empty by 2 PM.

Parking, Amenities, and Getting There

Conkle’s Hollow is at 24858 Big Pine Rd, Rockbridge, OH 43149. The parking lot is small — a couple dozen spaces — with vault toilets at the trailhead. No flush restrooms, no fee, no reservation required. Ohio DNR does not publish accessible parking details for this lot — check current conditions with Ohio DNR before visiting.

The lot fills fast on busy days. If you arrive and it’s full, Big Pine Road has limited roadside pull-off space, but it’s not designed for overflow. The only real fix is arriving earlier. Weekdays, the lot rarely fills at all.

Useful links:

• Ohio DNR — Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve (official)
• Gorge Trail on AllTrails — map, reviews & current conditions
• Rim Trail on AllTrails — map, reviews & current conditions

What to Pack for Conkle’s Hollow

• Gorge Trail footwear: Sneakers are fine. The paved surface handles most shoes, but closed-toe is better than sandals near the creek crossings.
• Rim Trail footwear: Waterproof hiking shoes with ankle support. The rim trail is rough and has sections that get muddy after rain.
• Layers: The gorge floor stays 10–15°F cooler than the air outside. Bring a light jacket in spring and fall, even if the parking lot feels warm.
• Water: No water available on the trail. Bring at least one bottle per person.
• Bug spray: May through September, especially along the creek in the gorge.
• Wheelchair or stroller: The Gorge Trail handles both. No hesitation — bring it.
• Offline map: Download AllTrails before entering the gorge. Cell service drops inside the hollow.
• Camera: The light in the gorge is indirect and dim. Early morning or overcast days photograph better than bright midday sun, which creates harsh contrasts between the shaded floor and the bright rim.

Conkle’s Hollow vs. Ash Cave vs. Old Man’s Cave

Conkle’s Hollow is the right call if your group wants something slightly off the main trail and has mixed abilities. The concrete section of the Gorge Trail handles wheelchairs and strollers, which is something Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls can’t offer at all, though it ends before the trail does. The gorge itself is more dramatic and more enclosed than Ash Cave — narrower walls, deeper shadows, a different sense of scale.

Ash Cave is the easier comparison. Both have paved accessible gorge trails and towering walls. Ash Cave has a bigger waterfall and more open cave floor. Conkle’s Hollow has a tighter, more dramatic gorge with more of a “walking into the earth” feeling. If you can only do one accessible trail, Ash Cave has a more reliable waterfall. If you want the narrow gorge experience without the crowds, Conkle’s Hollow wins.

Old Man’s Cave is the most rugged and most visited of the three. It’s not accessible, has more stairs and cliff edges, and is where you go when the whole group can handle a proper scramble. Crowds on weekends are significant. For a comparison of all seven major trails in the area, the fall hikes guide ranks them by difficulty, foliage payoff, and crowd levels.

Where to Stay Near Conkle’s Hollow

Conkle’s Hollow sits between two very different sides of the region, and where you base changes your driving more than it changes your day. Four areas account for nearly all of the lodging here.

Logan and the SR 664 corridor. The largest concentration of cabins and the closest base to Old Man’s Cave, with the area’s main grocery stores, restaurants, gas, and the regional hospital. It is also the busiest road in Hocking Hills on a fall weekend — a drive that looks like fifteen minutes on a map can take twice that in mid-October. Best if you want services close by and do not mind traffic.

Rockbridge and South Bloomingville. The immediate area around the preserve: scattered small cabins on gravel roads, very dark at night, almost no services. Shortest drive to this trailhead, but plan on going into Logan for supplies and expect thin cell coverage. Driveways on this side are often steep gravel, which matters more than people expect in ice or after a heavy rain. This is also the same small community that’s home to Rockbridge State Nature Preserve and its natural stone bridge — worth pairing with your Conkle’s Hollow visit if you’re already staying nearby.

Nelsonville and the US-33 corridor. A town base rather than a woods base — highway access, chain lodging, Hocking College, and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway. Roughly a half hour from most trailheads, on paved four-lane for most of the drive. A reasonable pick for late arrivals or anyone who would rather not drive unlit two-lane roads after dark.

The Southern Region — McArthur and Vinton County. South of the park corridor and about 25 minutes from Conkle’s Hollow, this side trades a slightly longer drive for much quieter roads and no weekend backup. It also puts Lake Hope State Park, Zaleski State Forest, and Moonville Tunnel closer than they are from Logan, which is the argument for basing here if you want more than the headline trails. Pool House Lodge is on this side, in McArthur.

If accessibility is what brought you to Conkle’s Hollow in the first place, two questions are worth asking wherever you book. Is there a step-free route from the parking spot to the door, not just a single-story floor plan? Cabins in this region frequently sit on sloped lots with steps at every entrance. And is the bathroom you need on the same level as the bedroom you are assigned? Loft bedrooms are common and are almost never accessible. Most properties in the area also set two-night weekend minimums, with longer minimums over fall foliage weekends and holidays.

Frequently Asked Questions About Conkle’s Hollow

How long is the Conkle’s Hollow Gorge Trail?

Ohio DNR lists the Gorge Trail at 0.5 miles, flat the whole way. Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour including time at the back of the hollow. If you add the Rim Trail on top, plan on 3–4 hours for the full loop.

Is Conkle’s Hollow wheelchair accessible?

Yes — the Gorge Trail is paved the full length and flat enough for a standard wheelchair or stroller. Ohio DNR does not publish accessible parking details for this lot — check current accessibility and parking conditions with Ohio DNR before visiting. The Rim Trail is not accessible and should be skipped if anyone in your group has mobility limitations.

How hard is the Rim Trail?

Very hard. The Rim Trail involves about 200 feet of elevation gain, steep uneven footing, and exposed edges with no guardrails. It’s one of the more strenuous hikes in Hocking Hills. Wear proper shoes and go early — the section near the rim gets more technical than it looks on the map.

Is there a waterfall at Conkle’s Hollow?

There’s a small seasonal waterfall at the back of the gorge where the walls meet. It runs best after rainfall in spring and fall, and slows to a seep in summer and dry stretches. It’s not the main draw the way Ash Cave’s waterfall is — the gorge walls are the feature here.

Is Conkle’s Hollow free?

Yes. No entrance fee, no parking fee, no reservation required. It’s a state nature preserve, so the rules are stricter than a state park — stay on marked trails only.

How far is Conkle’s Hollow from Pool House Lodge?

About 25 minutes. Guests based in McArthur can hit Conkle’s Hollow early, drive over to Old Man’s Cave or Cedar Falls, and still be back at the pool before dinner. It’s a comfortable day-trip distance from the Southern Region.

Posted July 27, 2026