One Drive. 2 Hikes.
And 3 Awesome Views. A Heart of Hocking Guide to Fall Colors
Fall Colors in the Hocking Hills - Autumn creeps into the Hocking Hills in late September and then bursts into October with brilliant oranges, yellows, reds and greens. If you are looking for the "best" date to come, we can't actually say when it will be. Things like the amount of rain, cool air and other factors make it difficult to pinpoint an exact date. However, if you look below, you can see it is usually mid-October when the most radiant colors flow across the Hocking Hills horizon.
What to wear in October when leaf peeping - Ohio's weather in the fall could definitely be called 'fickle'. Temperatures can range from 45 degrees to 70 degrees! Suggested clothing is jeans or warm pants, t-shirt or sweatshirt and a waterproof jacket. Grab some clothes you can layer if it is cooler in the morning and you can toss in a backpack during the warmer afternoons. We recommend hiking boots or tennis shoes with a thick tread - leaves along the trail can be slippery!
Fall Color Hikes in the Region:
October 11, 2014 Grandma Gatewood’s Fall Colors Hike Hocking Hills State Park- 1:00 PM Bring along a cool drink and celebrate the season’s colors. Meet with the naturalist at the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center for a strenuous hike that spans roughly 6 miles of the Grandma Gatewood trail. We will be traversing the section that runs from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls and back while enjoying the scenic beauty and cultural personality. This hike does include several hills and steps and is not recommended for the easily winded individual. (Approx. 3 to 4 hrs) 740-385-8003
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Columbus Metroparks Information 614.891.0700 | Reservations 614.508.8111 | InfoLine 614.508.8000
Springhouse Program Area 8445 Winchester Rd. NW Carroll OH 43112
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Columbus Metroparks -Innis Woods
Information 614.891.0700 | Reservations 614.508.8111 | InfoLine 614.508.8000
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Lake Hope State Park -
Lake Hope State Park Fall Hike at 27331 St. Rd. 278, in McArthur, OH. -mile guided hikes begin at 10:00am from the shelter house. Hike ends at Hope Furnace with bean soup and cornbread. Shuttles return you to your car. Enjoy Sassafras tea to start.(740) 596-3030
How it starts: September 21 - Warm days, cool nights and rain gets the leaves beginning to change color. The deep greens will begin fade to a smoky gray-green. Although not yet the deep maroons, pumpkin oranges and golden yellows of mid-October, the changes are just a month away!
Early September
End of September
Mid/late October
Drive. 2 Hikes.
And 3 Awesome Views.
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.
Please note that the drive will take you past all of the Hocking Hills State Park trails (all 25 miles of trails!), so feel free to stop in and visit each one. We have noted those below that offer the best views. But please remember - with views come cliffs! Please make sure all pets and children are under your control when hiking. Conkle's Hollow does not allow pets as it is a nature preserve. The lower trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Please stay on the trails at all Hocking Hills State Park areas - it is the law.
The Drive
Start out at Ash Cave (GPS
Tracking: 39.395993,-82.545927
Continue on until you get to the stop sign on State Route 664 and turn left (State Route 664 and 374 join together here for the
next two miles). This road will take you past Old Man's Cave (GPS
Tracking: 39.434668,-82.541571). Don't
forget to stop in at the Expedition
Trail right behind the Hocking Hills State Park Visitor Center.
There are picnic tables for a quick lunch and plenty of hands-on nature
games for folks of all ages. 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 (GPS Tracking:
39.452879,-82.572148), Rock
House (G
Two Hikes with 3 Awesome Views
Conkle's Hollow - Take State Route 374 and turn on to Big Pine Road. From there, follow the signs to Conkle's Hollow where you will travel a dead-end drive back to the parking area and trail head.
When you get on the trail, head toward the Upper Rim Trail designated by the many steps. Since this is a preserve, you must stay on the marked trails! Also a word of caution-the upper section of Conkle's Hollow is over 200 feet in the air in some places and the trail is along the edge. No Pets are allowed. Don't take kids here and certainly, use your common sense.
Conkle's Hollow Upper Trail From Forestry Headquarters: you will have to leave Conkle's Hollow parking lot to get here. Pull out of Conkle's Hollow and make a right. Go to the first stop sign (State Route 374) and make a right. Go about a 1/2 mile and watch for the pull offs on the right. Do not block any gates. Follow the tail to lookout point.
Cantwell Cliffs: 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.
Map of Autumn Drive
Explore the Hocking Hills, but do so wisely. Stay on the trails! Find Hocking Hills Cabins. The information provided is correct to the best of our knowledge. All rights reserved. Prices, facilities and availability are subject to change at any time and may contain errors. Although the information given is updated, immediate changes may not be available. Please call the park, agency, cabin, camping area, private facility ahead for updated information before visiting. This organization may contain many outside contacts and has no control over the content of these sites. The park is open dawn to dusk -Please stay on the trails. These sites may be accessed by visitors to the site at their own discretion. Visit our Hocking Hills Cabins!