Whispering Cave at Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Whispering Cave is a massive, 300-foot wide recess cave in Hocking Hills. A 100-foot waterfall cascades off the top of the ledge. It’s one of the many impressive spots in Hocking Hills—and one of the newest. The location wasn’t accessible until 2017, when a couple new trails opened and provided access to the area. Since then, it’s become a welcome addition for hikers.

Because the trail to the cave is new, you won’t hear people talking about Whispering Cave as much as other spots, like Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave. But Whispering Cave is quickly becoming one of the best spots in Hocking Hills. In addition to the beautiful views, you have to cross a swinging rope bridge to get to the cave—it doesn’t get much more fun than that.

Here’s what you need to know:

There are plenty of ways to get there. You’ll get to Whispering Cave just off of the Grandma Gatewood trail from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls. It’s central to Hocking Hills, and is a great way to add some mileage to a longer hike. Of course, the cave is also worth visiting all on its own.

It’s not the same as Whispering Falls. It’s easy to confuse Whispering Cave and Whispering Falls. But, they’re not actually in the same place. Whispering Falls is a seasonal waterfall just a few minutes down the Grandma Gatewood Trail from Cedar Falls. Whispering Cave, however, is a recess cave that also has a waterfall, but is more than a mile detached from the Grandma Gatewood Trail.

What is Whispering Cave?

Whispering Cave is the second largest recess cave in Ohio. (It’s second only to Ash Cave, which is also located in Hocking Hills State Park.) It’s located about a mile off the trail from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls, and features a beautiful waterfall when it’s running at full force. If you want to see that waterfall, visit in the winter, spring, or after a heavy rainfall. During the warmer months, it can dry up to a trickle—or nothing at all.

Whispering Cave doesn’t receive the same amount of attention as the park’s long-standing attractions. But it’s just as beautiful, and it’s great either as a detour from the Grandma Gatewood trail or as a standalone out-and-back hike.

Where is Whispering Cave?

Whispering Cave is in the center of Hocking Hills State Park: It’s an equal distance from Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls. If you’re driving to the trailhead from one of Ohio’s major metro areas, here are the driving times:

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

The cave is central to most of Hocking Hills’ other attractions. So when you’re done hiking, drive around and explore some other spots.

Hiking to Whispering Cave

There are a few ways to get to Whispering Cave. Let’s break them down.

Whispering Cave via the Hemlock Bridge Trail parking lot (as seen above on the trail map): This is the easiest way to get to the cave. Park at the Hemlock Bridge trailhead and hike 0.9 miles until you reach Whispering Cave. You’ll encounter a junction about a quarter-mile before the cave. Take the Whispering Cave Trail, which will be the trail on your right.

Whispering Cave via Old Man’s Cave: This route is a great option if you want to extend a hike from Old Man’s Cave. Take the Grandma Gatewood trail from Old Man’s Cave until you reach the junction with the Hemlock Bridge Trail. Start hiking on the Hemlock Bridge Trail, and take the Whispering Cave Trail at the next junction.

Whispering Cave via Cedar Falls: Hike north-northeast on the Grandma Gatewood trail until you reach the junction with the Hemlock Bridge Trail. Take it, then get on the Whispering Cave Trail at the next junction. This route also works if you’re coming from Ash Cave.

How was Whispering Cave formed?

All of the recess caves in Hocking Hills State Park were formed in much the same way. Millions of years ago, there was a shallow sea that covered Ohio. But when this shallow sea started to recede, sediments on the ocean floor condensed to form sandstone.

The sandstone that formed in the Hocking Hills area is called Black Hand sandstone. It’s unique to Ohio. The upper and lower sections of Black Hand sandstone are resistant to erosion, but the middle section can be easily carved out by natural forces of erosion.

Whispering Cave was formed when those forces of erosion chipped away at the middle section of the Black Hand sandstone. This carved out the recess portion of the cave, leaving the roof and floor intact.

Where did the name come from?

Whispering Cave gets its name from the idea that a hiker on one end of the cave could whisper and be heard by another hiker, 300 feet away, on the other side. Although this is a slight overestimation of the cave’s acoustic qualities, sound does echo very easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Hemlock Bridge Trail Open?

Yes! The Hemlock Bridge trail opened up in 2017 and is open to the public. You can access it from the Hemlock Bridge Trail parking lot, or from the Grandma Gatewood Trail.

How long does it take to hike to Whispering Cave?

If you’re hiking from the Hemlock Bridge Trail parking lot, a hike to Whispering Cave should take you about an hour or two–depending how much time you spend at the cave. If you’re coming from Cedar Falls or Old Man’s Cave, it will take longer.

Is there a rope bridge at Whispering Cave?

Yes. There’s an Indiana Jones-styles swinging rope bridge on the Hemlock Bridge Trail. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds, though: The bridge isn’t very high off the ground.

Places to Stay

Wondering where to stay when you visit Hocking Hills? Clear Falls has 15 cabins situated on a private, 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

Though you may not hear people talking about Whispering Cave as much as some of the other Hocking Hills attractions, this is one of the park’s true gems. The trail is new, well-maintained, and suitable for most people. Plus, the central location makes it a can’t-miss spot if you want to extend your hike to other areas in Hocking Hills.