Rose Lake at Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Two of the most popular spots in Hocking Hills State Park are Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls. In between them lies a gem that doesn’t get visited quite as often: Rose Lake. It’s the only lake in the park—and what Hocking Hills lacks in quantity of lakes, it makes up for in quality.

Rose Lake is a beautiful spot to picnic, hike, or take a rest as you hike through the rest of Hocking Hills. Here’s what you need to know about visiting Rose Lake:

The lake is an excellent jumping-off point for other attractions in Hocking Hills. Rose Lake is about halfway between Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave. The hiking opportunities are limitless.

It’s a good place to avoid crowds. The loop trail around the lake itself is usually quieter than other spots in Hocking Hills. And it’s a different sort of scenery than you’ll get in the rest of the park.

What is Rose Lake?

Officially named Hocking Hills Reservoir, Rose Lake is a man-made reservoir in Hocking Hills State Park. It’s at the north end of the park, approximately equal distance from Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls–two of the most popular spots in Hocking Hills.

At just 17 acres, Rose Lake is small. You can hike all the way around it in about an hour. Many people spend more time there, though, picnicking near the shores and fishing for rainbow trout, which get stocked each spring.

The small dam is located on the south end of the lake. You can walk right over it and look downstream as the creek makes its way towards Rose Lake Falls. The falls are off-trail, located a few hundred yards from the Grandma Gatewood Trail–we’ll talk more about how to get there in the trail section below.

Where is Rose Lake?

Rose Lake is in Hocking Hills State Park. Rose Lake is easily accessible from all of the park’s main attractions, and is just a 2-minute drive from the Old Man’s Cave or Cedar Falls parking lots.

Here are driving times if you’re coming from one of Ohio’s major metro areas:

From Cleveland: About 3 hours.
From Cincinnati: About 2 hours.
From Columbus: About 1 hour.

Hiking around Rose Lake

Note: The map above is a map featuring most of the popular trails in and around Hocking Hills State Park. Keep on reading to learn how to get to Rose Lake—and how you can incorporate the lake into a magical day of hiking.

There are plenty of trail options at Rose Lake: You can start from the parking lot at the lake and loop around to some of the park’s other beautiful areas, or you can use Rose Lake as a midway or ending point on one of your hikes. It’s a great location for adding a couple of miles to your hike. Here are three great trail routes you can take from Rose Lake.

Short hike (less than 1 hour): Rose Lake Loop. You can hike the loop trail around the lake for an easy and beautiful short hike. It’s about 1.2 miles round trip. You can access the trail from the visitor parking lot at Rose Lake. Park near the south lot–the north lot requires some extra hiking to get to the trail. There’s a footpath that’ll take you to the trail.

Intermediate hike (1 to 3 hours): Take a semi-loop hike from Cedar Falls to Rose Lake, or from Old Man’s Cave to Rose Lake. Either route will end up around 4 miles round-trip. To do this hike, take the Gorge Overlook Trail from Cedar Falls or Old Man’s Cave. You’ll walk through gentle forest until you arrive at the shores of Rose Lake. Hike around the lake, then head back the way you came in.

Longer hike (3 to 6 hours): Take a loop hike from Cedar Falls to Rose Lake to Old Man’s Cave. This is a quintessential Hocking Hills hike–you see the majority of the popular attractions in the park in one, sweeping trip. This hike ends up being roughly 8 to 9 miles round-trip.

Earlier in this article, we mentioned Rose Lake Falls. It’s an off-trail waterfall just south of Rose Lake, and a hidden gem for those willing to do some exploring.

To get to Rose Lake Falls: Take the Grandma Gatewood Trail from either Cedar Falls or Old Man’s Cave. When you’re almost directly south of Rose Lake (the steep gorges will start to flatten slightly), you’ll take a bridge over a stream. This is about 1.5 miles from both Cedar Falls and Old Man’s Cave. Follow that stream up for a couple hundred yards, and you’ll find yourself at the base of Rose Lake Falls.

As always, be careful if you go off-trail. There’s no official trail to Rose Lake Falls and this trek can be a little strenuous as you make your way up towards the falls.

How was Rose Lake formed?

The Hocking Hills region is a product of history and erosion over millions of years. In fact, the terrain is so rugged that it’s hard to imagine room for a lake. And there wasn’t a lake in Hocking Hills until the 1970s, when the dam on Rose Lake was built along with the Rose Lake Campground.

Soon after being formed, Rose Lake became a popular spot for hikers and fishermen. The reservoir remains the only one of its kind in Hocking Hills. The lake got its name from Rose Hollow, the valley to the south where Rose Lake flows into Queer Creek.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I swim in Rose Lake?

No. Rose Lake is closed to swimmers. And for part of the year it would be a futile attempt: The lake freezes over in the winter.

Are dogs allowed at Rose Lake?

Yes! You can bring your dog to Rose Lake to walk the trails with you.

When is the best time to visit Rose Lake?

Each season at Rose Lake offers something unique. No matter when you visit, it’s a beautiful spot to relax and hike.

Places to Stay

There are some fabulous cabins just minutes away from Rose Lake. It’s central to most of the main attractions at Hocking Hills. Here are some of the best accommodations if you’re looking to stay in the area.

Browse cabins by style:

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The Bottom Line

Rose Lake is a beautiful, and often overlooked, spot at Hocking Hills. It’s great to visit all on its own, but the lake is also a great jumping-off point for longer hikes to some of the most beautiful gorges and waterfalls in the park.