Waterfalls in Hocking Hills: When They Run Best

The waterfalls in Hocking Hills are at their best in spring and the morning after a hard rain. Cedar Falls carries the most water, the Upper and Lower Falls line the Old Man's Cave gorge, and Ohio DNR lists the seasonal fall at Whispering Cave at 105 feet. Every one of them can be seen from a marked trail.

All of these sit in Hocking Hills State Park or the nature preserve next to it. From our cabin, Ash Cave is 10 minutes away, Cedar Falls 14 and Old Man's Cave 18.

The waterfalls in Hocking Hills at a glance

Trail lengths and ratings come from Ohio DNR. Flow rises and falls with the rain, so treat every one of these as seasonal.

Cedar Falls, the biggest by volume

Cedar Falls moves more water than any other fall in Hocking Hills. Settlers named it for the trees around it, which were actually hemlocks they mistook for cedars.

From the Cedar Falls lot, a set of steps called the Democracy Steps leads down into the gorge. Turn one way at the bottom for the falls and the other for the trail toward Old Man's Cave. The 1-mile trail is rated moderate.

This is the one to see after a storm. Our tip: go early in spring or the morning after a good rain, when the falls run hardest.

Old Man's Cave: Upper Falls, Lower Falls and the Devil's Bathtub

The Old Man's Cave trail follows one gorge past several falls. It's usually described in five sections: the Upper Falls, the Upper Gorge, the Middle Falls, the Lower Falls and the Lower Gorge.

Arched stone bridges cross the stream at several of the falls, and along the way it swirls through a narrow plunge pool called the Devil's Bathtub. The park map also marks Broken Rock Falls nearby, on the Broken Rock Trail.

The full loop is about a mile, with stone stairs and some narrow spots. It's the most popular area in the park, so start at opening if you want the falls to yourself.

Ash Cave, a waterfall over Ohio's largest recess cave

Ash Cave is the easiest Hocking Hills waterfall to reach. A flat, paved quarter-mile gorge trail ends at a horseshoe-shaped overhang that Ohio DNR calls the largest recessed cave in Ohio, nearly 700 feet wide and 100 feet high.

Water spills over the rim and drops to the cave floor. In a dry summer it can slow to a trickle. In a cold winter, Ohio DNR notes, it often freezes into a column of ice.

The trail is wheelchair accessible, which makes this the waterfall to share with grandparents or a stroller.

Whispering Cave and its 105-foot fall

Ohio DNR lists the seasonal waterfall at Whispering Cave at 105 feet, falling from the rim of the second largest of the Hocking Hills caves. The cave is named for its acoustics, which are said to carry a whisper from one end to the other.

It's also the hardest to reach, as our guide to Whispering Cave, Hocking Hills explains. The park's Whispering Cave trail with Hemlock Bridge runs 4.5 miles and is rated difficult, and it crosses a swinging bridge. Go in spring, when the fall has the most water to show for the effort.

Conkle's Hollow and Cantwell Cliffs

At Conkle's Hollow, several waterfalls pour over cliffs that rise nearly 200 feet. The partly paved gorge trail runs about a mile round trip to a small fall at the head of the gorge. It's a state nature preserve, so pets aren't allowed (more in our guide to Conkle's Hollow, Hocking Hills).

Cantwell Cliffs, at the north end of the park, has falls that peak in spring and are often dry by summer. Go for the steep gorge and the cliffs, and count any water as a bonus.

When the Hocking Hills waterfalls run best

For water, spring is the clear winner and the best time to go to Hocking Hills. Rain and snowmelt keep the streams full, and wildflowers come up on the gorge floors.

Summer is shady and green, but the falls thin out, and some, like Cantwell Cliffs, are often dry by summer's end. A summer thunderstorm can bring them back for a day or two.

Fall is about the Hocking Hills fall colors more than water. The falls run only as well as the last rain allows, framed by red and gold trees.

A Hocking Hills winter can be the most dramatic season of all. In a cold snap, falls like the one at Ash Cave freeze into ice. Trails are often icy, and Ohio DNR recommends ice cleats.

Rules at the falls

• No swimming or wading in any water in the park, including the Devil's Bathtub.
• Every named waterfall can be seen from the trail, so stay on it. Ledges near falls are slick.
• Dogs need a leash of 6 feet or shorter, and they aren't allowed at Conkle's Hollow.
• Trails open half an hour before sunrise and close half an hour after sunset.

The official park map lays out the rules, and cell signal can drop in the gorges, so download it before you go.

Our pick for a waterfall morning

If you only have time for a few waterfalls in Hocking Hills, start at Old Man's Cave at opening and walk the gorge past the Upper and Lower Falls. Drive to Cedar Falls next, then finish at Ash Cave, our closest big sight.

That route covers three of the park's headline falls by lunch. Our guide to restaurants in Hocking Hills has a place to eat nearby. For the full list of trails, see our ranking of the best Hocking Hills hikes, and for everything else, our guide to things to do in Hocking Hills.

After a wet day on the trails, a Hocking Hills cabin with hot tub is a good place to end up.

Waterfalls in Hocking Hills FAQs

What is the biggest waterfall in Hocking Hills?

The biggest waterfall in Hocking Hills by volume is Cedar Falls, at the end of a 1-mile trail through hemlock woods. For height, Ohio DNR lists the seasonal fall at Whispering Cave at 105 feet. Cedar Falls is the easier visit of the two, and it's at its loudest the morning after a heavy rain.

When are the waterfalls in Hocking Hills the fullest?

The waterfalls in Hocking Hills are fullest in spring and for a day or two after any heavy rain. Their flow depends on recent rain, so a dry spell in summer or fall can shrink them to a trickle. In a hard freeze, the fall at Ash Cave often turns into a column of ice.

Can you swim in the Hocking Hills waterfalls?

No, you can't swim in the Hocking Hills waterfalls. The park map says no swimming or wading in any water in the park, and that includes the Devil's Bathtub and the pools under each fall. The ledges are slick and the water can be deeper than it looks, so enjoy them from the trail.

Which Hocking Hills waterfall is easiest to reach?

The easiest Hocking Hills waterfall to reach is Ash Cave. A flat, paved quarter-mile trail leads to the cave, and it's wheelchair and stroller friendly. The fall over the rim runs best in spring and after rain, and it's the closest of the big sights to our cabin, about 10 minutes away.

Are dogs allowed at the waterfalls in Hocking Hills?

Leashed dogs are allowed at most waterfalls in Hocking Hills, including Cedar Falls, Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Whispering Cave and Cantwell Cliffs. The leash can't be longer than 6 feet. Conkle's Hollow is a state nature preserve where pets aren't allowed, so plan that stop for a day the dog stays at the cabin.