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Autumn Leaf Report - October 2008
Estimated Peak Arrival: Mid October . .
.
August 31- Nights are just a
tad bit cooler at 65 degrees and there is a lighter green edge to the
horizon, the deep greens of a wetter Hocking Hocking Hills summer are
starting to wane. What do the hills look like now? See our shot below
from Conkle's Hollow.
September 30 - Warm days, cool nights
and a bit of rain adds a tiny splash of color to the hills. Deep greens
are beginning to fade to mute yellows and oranges. Although not yet the
deep maroons, pumpkin oranges and golden yellows of mid-October, the
changes are just a couple short weeks away!
October 15 - Behind the Hocking Hills State
Park Dining Lodge
- Cooler nights and rain have left a patchwork quilt of colors
moving across the horizon.
October 19 - Conkle's Hollow -Fall
is here! Cooler days and rain have brought a wave of color to the
Hocking Hills!

Autumn Leaf Report: Are worth bringing your
camera to take a few shots.
 Rose
Lake-Peak Color |

Cantwell Cliffs Peak Color |
 A
hillside-October |
So you're coming to the Hocking Hills for the Autumn changeover,
but don't know where to go? Here's a few ideas from the locals!
Autumn. It is here in the Hocking Hills with bright yellows, deep oranges and
brilliant maroons. And there is alot of it. You don't even have to get our of
your car to catch an entire horizon of fall colors. But if you've come to hike,
take pictures, relax and catch a few colors before Winter comes crashing down on
us with snow, here's a few places you can drive to see some greens, oranges,
yellows and maroons.
Start out at
Ash Cave (See the map below) on
State Route 56. Make a left out of the parking lot and turn on the first
road to the left-State Route 374. You'll pass places like
Hocking Hills Maple Farm
and Cedar Falls Hiking
Trail. If
you're not in a hurry, stop at the Rose Lake Fishing gravel parking area not far
after Cedar Falls on the right hand side. You can hike down to Rose Lake and get
a bit of color there, too.
Continue on until you get to the stop sign on State Route 664 and turn
left. This road will take you past
Old Man's Cave. Continue along 664 until you get to State Route 374
on the right-This will lead you toward the Rock Climbing Area past
Conkle's Hollow,
Cantwell Cliffs and
Rock House.
Cool Places to Stop:
Wicker Cabin
Gifts: Handmade crafts and hard to find gift shop items;
Lois's Antiques:
What a cool place to stop! Lois has antique
toys and all sorts of antique. . .stuff. And they are really affordable.
If you are looking for unique and affordable antiques, make a trip here.
Offers furniture, glassware, pottery, primitives and collectibles. From
old lanterns and hard-to-find antique toys

Forestry
Area past Conkle's Hollow

Take State Route 374 and turn on Big Pine Road. On
the left, you'll pass the parking lot into Conkle's Hollow. Follow the road
about 2 miles until you see a gravel lot designated as the rock climbing and
rappelling area lot. Just across the street, there is a trail that crosses over
a small foot bridge. Follow the trail across the bridge to where the trail
forks. Take the fork to the right and follow the dirt trail about 1/4 mile to
the waterfall.
Cool Places to Stop:
Conkle's Hollow:
Conkle's Hollow has two trails-one meanders along the forest floor, and
the second trail takes you above the tree canopy for some awesome
photos.
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Don't
forget to wear your nice, worn-in old boots. Trails can be muddy and
slippery this time of year. |
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Cantwell
Cliffs
Take
State Route 374 15 miles north of Old Man's Cave.
Cantwell Cliffs is one of the most remote and the least visited of the six
park areas. The trail overlaps itself so look at the map carefully if you want
to avoid going in circles. There is a 2 mile gorge trail and approximately a
mile of rim trail.
Cool Places to Stop:If
you keep following State Route 374, it will take you to State Route 33. The
Hocking Hills Flea Market is right outside the town of Rockbridge. Also, one of
the best stops for a cup of coffee and deli sandwiches after hiking the day away
is at Great Expectations in the parking lot of the flea market.
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