Ash Cave at Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

It takes just thirty minutes hiking along a short, mostly-paved trail to reach Ash Cave: a 100-foot-tall recess cave considered by many to be the single most impressive attraction in Hocking Hills State Park. And depending on who you ask, it’s the most dramatic spot in the entire state.

This enormous cave can be accessed via a simple loop trail, and you’d be remiss not to visit if you’re spending some time in Hocking Hills.

Here’s what to know if you’re heading to Ash Cave:

It’s the largest recess cave in the state. Ash Cave is a breathtaking, 100-foot tall horseshoe-shaped cavern accompanied by a waterfall and an easy loop trail.

The trail to the cave is one of the easiest hikes in Hocking Hills. The loop trail is just a half-mile long, making it a great place to bring the whole family. Much of the trail is paved and wheelchair accessible, save for a few series of steps as you climb out of the gorge.

Ash Cave is one of the “Big Three” attractions in the park. Along with Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls, Ash Cave is one of the main points of interest in Hocking Hills. Because of this, the spot can get busy. Weekdays and mornings are best for avoiding the crowds.

Now, let’s cover everything else you need to know about Ash Cave.

What is Ash Cave?

Ash Cave is a massive recess cave that feels straight out of a storybook. It’s tucked away in the south end of Hocking Hills State park. In addition to the cave, you’ll also find a small creek and a waterfall that rolls off the top of the 100-foot cave.

What is a recess cave? Places like Ash Cave are rare, and they’re different from traditional caves. Here, you won’t find any underground caverns or tight tunnels to crawl through. Instead, a recess cave is a deep swoop of space carved out of a gorge by an overhanging rock ledge—and Ash Cave is among the most impressive you will ever see. If you visit Hocking Hills, you’ll no doubt hear people talking about Ash Cave. It’s one of the main attractions in the park.

Just how big is Ash Cave? It’s 100 feet deep and 90 feet tall, plus 700 feet from one side of the rim to the other. It could make even a giant feel small.

To get there, you’ll take an easy half-mile loop trail to get to the cave, which meanders through a narrow gorge with the occasional wildflower. We’ll discuss trail details a little further down the page.

Ash Cave is a popular spot year round, but it is particularly compelling to visit during the winter and spring, when the waterfall typically runs at full force. At its best, Ash Cave Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Ohio.

And if you visit during a winter cold snap, you can also see one of the greatest spectacles in Hocking Hills: The frozen ice pillar that forms when Ash Cave Falls ices over.

Where is Ash Cave located?

Ash Cave is situated at the far south end of Hocking Hills State Park, just to the north of Highway 56. It’s just over an hour drive from Columbus, 2 hours from Cincinnati, and about 3 hours from Cleveland.

If you’re comparing locations in Hocking Hills, remember that the park is fairly small and you can easily get from one point to another with just a couple minutes of driving. So, if you wanted to hike Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave on the same day, you easily could. They’re just down the road from each other.

Ash Cave Hiking Information and Map

If you want to get to the cave, you’ll need to take a short loop trail. Here’s a quick breakdown of the hike you see on the map above.

Ash Cave Loop (map above): To arrive at Ash Cave, you’ll take a half-mile loop that’s technically made up of two trails, which you’ll see on most maps. The Ash Gorge Trail is mostly paved, and guides you through a narrow gorge underneath the massive shadow of Ash Cave. Once you pass the cave and start heading back on the Ash Rim Trail, you’ll climb some stairs to the rim of the cave, with a jaw-dropping view of the gorge down below.

This is a one-way loop. You’ll start out on the Ash Gorge Trail, and finish on the Ash Rim Trail. The park does this to minimize traffic and congestion on the trails. The trailhead for this loop is just off Highway 56.

Grandma Gatewood Trail: You’ll notice that the Grandma Gatewood trail shows up on most Ash Cave trail maps. That can be a bit deceiving: In the Ash Cave area, the Grandma Gatewood Trail merges with the Ash Gorge Trail. It’s the same path for that stretch.

If you’re looking for a longer hike, try starting at the Ash Cave trailhead and taking the Grandma Gatewood Trail all the way to Cedar Falls. (You can walk the opposite direction too: start at Cedar Falls and hike the Grandma Gatewood Trail to Ash Cave.)

This approach ends up being about 3 miles (6 miles round-trip), and it’s one of the prettiest routes in the park. Coming from the Ash Cave parking lot, you’ll traverse the Ash Cave gorge, walk through the cave itself, climb the Ash Cave rim, hike through Hocking Hills state forest, and then descend into the main gorge as you approach Cedar Falls. It’s a beautiful trip. From Cedar Falls, you can even continue hiking all the way to Old Man’s Cave if you’re feeling adventurous.

Here’s a map for the Ash Cave to Cedar Falls hike:

To visualize the area, check out this trail map. There’s also plenty of good signage at the trailhead to help you plan your trek.

History: The story behind Ash Cave

Like many places in Hocking Hills, the story behind Ash Cave is an interesting one. It’s a true piece of history, and it’s pretty likely that people lived in the cave at one point.

How was Ash Cave formed?

Millions of years of erosion created the massive cavern that is Ash Cave. This cave is made up of mostly Black Hand sandstone, which is unique to Ohio. The sandstone was created over 300 million years ago, when the now-Hocking Hills area was just a marshy wetlands. The sediments in the wetlands condensed, forming the Black Hand sandstone.

Once the foundation was laid, years of erosion caused Ash Cave’s lower and middle layers to crumble away, creating the incredible cavern you can see today.

How did Ash Cave get its name?

Native American tribes lived in the Ash Cave area for a long time before settlers eventually came across it in the 1800s. These tribes included the Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandot, which lived and hunted in the region in the 1600s and 1700s. Archaeological evidence shows that Native Americans may have been living here for up to seven thousand years before settlers found it.

And though there weren’t any tribes living in Ash Cave when settlers got there, it’s said that there was a gigantic pile of ash when they arrived – hence the name. An excavation of the cave in 1877 confirmed all the signs that people had previously lived there: Pottery, flints, and corn cobs being some of the primary findings.

That same 1877 excavation also found bones of 11 different animal species, including black bears. There aren’t many bears left in the area these days, though (just one or two sightings per year), but it’s a good reminder of the diverse wildlife that call Hocking Hills home.

FAQs about Ash Cave

Is there a waterfall at Ash Cave?

Yes, there is! A small tributary to Queer Creek forms a waterfall at Ash Cave, adding another layer of beauty to an already-gorgeous area. Ash Cave Falls is a spectacular 90-foot waterfall that rolls off the cave rim. It is stunning after a rainfall.

Can you swim at Ash Cave?

No. Not that you really could, anyway. The creek around Ash Cave is shallow. Still, in order to protect the fragile ecosystems within the area, there’s no swimming anywhere in Hocking Hills.

When should I visit Ash Cave?

The cave is beautiful year-round, and it’s one of the more popular spots during the winter. If you do go when it’s been wet, keep in mind that trails will be muddy. The cave gets plenty of foot traffic, so to avoid the crowds, go in the mornings and on weekdays. Also, try going on rainy days. The weather will keep some of the crowds away, but the cave is just as beautiful either way.

How long does it take to hike to Ash Cave?

At 0.5 miles, the loop trail is very short and you should be able to get to Ash Cave in less than 30 minutes. You can complete the loop at your leisure, but it probably won’t take more than an hour to get back to the parking lot.

Are dogs allowed at Ash Cave?

Yes! They’re allowed at Ash Cave and most other areas in Hocking Hills, as long as you keep them on a leash.

What attractions are near Ash Cave?

Ash Cave is one of the “Big Three” attractions in Hocking Hills State Park. The other two are Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls, both of which are further north. If you want to stray out of the park, you can continue south from Ash Cave, across Highway 56, onto the Buckeye Trail.

Places to Stay Near Ash Cave

Wondering where to stay when you visit Hocking Hills? Clear Falls has 15 cabins situated on a secluded 500-acre wildlife preserve. It’s paradise in the wilderness—and just a few minutes’ walk from most of Hocking Hills’ most beautiful attractions. Find your cabin below.

Browse cabins by style:

Browse cabins by size:

The Bottom Line

Ash Cave is a must-visit. It’s one of the most accessible areas in Hocking Hills, you can hike to it in just a couple of minutes, and it’s arguably the defining feature of the entire state park. It’s hard not to be blown away by the sheer size and history of the cave.