Cantwell Cliffs or Conkle's Hollow? Choosing the Harder Hike

On paper the two hardest hikes in the Hocking Hills area look alike: about two miles each. In practice they are hard in different ways. Cantwell Cliffs is a technical trail of narrow rock passages and steep footing. The Conkle's Hollow rim is a long walk beside unfenced 200-foot drops. Pick the one that matches your comfort, not your fitness.

The numbers, from ODNR

ODNR lists Cantwell Cliffs at 2 miles and difficult. For Conkle's Hollow, ODNR describes two trails totaling 3 miles: a 2-mile loop that travels around the gorge, and the Gorge Trail, partly paved, about 1 mile round trip to the falls. ODNR's page does not give Conkle's a difficulty rating, so I won't invent one. Published lengths for Cantwell vary between sources, which is why I use ODNR's.

What makes Cantwell hard: the ground

The Hocking Hills visitor site describes Cantwell Cliffs as a deep valley carved by Buck Run, with steep cliffs and a rock shelter under the cliff face. The trail winds through narrow passageways between large fallen rock blocks. The tightest is sarcastically named Fat Woman's Squeeze, reached by the Rim Trail on the way to the Gorge Trail, and you can follow either the valley floor or the rim. Lookout Point on the east Rim Trail looks out at the cliff and rock shelter.

That description tells you what the hike demands. You use your hands, you duck and turn sideways, and you watch every step. Our Cantwell Cliffs trail guide goes through the route and who should skip it. The challenge is footing and body awareness, rather than a single scary view.

What makes the Conkle's rim hard: the edge

Conkle's Hollow is a state nature preserve. The hockinghills.com description puts the gorge cliffs at over 200 feet above the mouth, narrowing to about 300 feet from cliff to cliff. The rim trail circles the gorge along the top of the cliffs, and that site warns that "great caution should be exercised on this trail as it can be extremely dangerous in all seasons."

The rim is not a technical scramble. The challenge is sustained attention near edges with nothing between you and a long fall. If heights make your stomach drop, you will notice every step. Our rim trail guide covers the route, and our gorge versus rim guide helps if you are not sure the rim is right for your group at all.

Which one fits you

Choose Cantwell if...

• You like using your hands and solving footing, and you are not bothered by tight spaces.
• You are bringing a dog. Leashed pets are allowed in state parks, and the Hocking Hills visitor site calls Cantwell pet-friendly. Keep the dog on a short leash and think hard about whether the narrow passages suit it.
• You like having a choice of routes: you can follow the valley floor or the rim.

Choose the Conkle's rim if...

• You are comfortable at edges, and you want sweeping views of the gorge from above.
• The walking is easy for you but you want a big payoff.
• No dog is coming. Pets are not allowed in the preserve, and the rim is a poor place to test a child's impulse control either.

A quick self-check

1. Can I squeeze sideways through a gap and use my hands on rock? If not, Cantwell is the wrong day.
2. Can I walk two miles beside a long drop without losing focus? If not, skip the rim.
3. Is the rock dry and the trail ice-free? If not, wait.

Answer honestly. Three yeses means either hike is reasonable, and a no tells you which one to leave for another day.

Weather decides more than difficulty

Neither is a good wet-day or icy-day hike. ODNR notes that Hocking Hills trails are often icy in winter and recommends ice cleats. Black Hand sandstone is slick when wet, which makes rock passages and rim edges worse. Read our safety guide and the leaves-on-sandstone warning before an October trip. If conditions are marginal, pick a different trail, since most of the rim is unfenced and wet rock makes the passages harder.

• After rain, wait for the rock to dry.
• In freezing weather, check why trails turn icy below a clear parking lot.
• In thunderstorm season, stay off the rim. Our summer storm guide covers the risk.

Gear, pacing and doing both

Both reward boots with grip and ankle support, plenty of water and a phone map downloaded in advance, since cell service is poor in the gorge country. Trekking poles help on descents but get in the way in tight passages: see our trekking pole decision guide. Allow generous time. Ranking trails by distance misses how slowly technical terrain moves. For a broader view of where these two fall, see Hocking Hills trails ranked by difficulty.

Can you do both in one trip? Yes, but I'd resist stacking two demanding hikes on a tired day. Spread them over two mornings and pair each with an easier stop, such as the Conkle's gorge trail or Rock House. Our Rock House and Cantwell two-hike day shows how to build a day around Cantwell.

Bottom line

Pick Cantwell for rock and technical footing, and bring the dog only if you are sure. Pick the Conkle's rim for the view and the edge, and leave the dog at home. If anyone in your group is nervous about heights, start with the Conkle's gorge trail or another easier path, and save the hard hike for a dry morning.