Most people come to the Hocking Hills to look down—into gorges, at waterfalls, along forest trails. But some of the best views in the region require looking up. The Hocking Hills, in rural southeastern Ohio, is one of the few areas left in the state where the night sky can still be seen in something approaching its natural state, far from the light pollution of Ohio's major cities. And right in the middle of it sits John Glenn Astronomy Park.
What Is JGAP?
John Glenn Astronomy Park (JGAP) is a public observatory and dark sky site located within Hocking Hills State Park, not far from Old Man's Cave. It was established to honor Ohio native and space pioneer John Glenn and opened in 2018. The park features a small observatory with a retractable roof that provides unobstructed views of the night sky, a circular plaza with celestial markers designed so the sun falls on a central point on the first day of each season, and multiple public telescopes available for use during programs.
It's a project of the Friends of the Hocking Hills State Park, a nonprofit organization, and everything about it is free. Programs, parking passes, telescope use—all free.
Programs and Visiting
JGAP runs guided stargazing programs on clear Friday and Saturday nights from early March through late November. Programs begin about 30 minutes after sunset and include a laser-guided tour of the constellations and features of the night sky, plus opportunities to view objects through the park's telescopes.
Programs are weather-contingent. If it's raining or heavily overcast, the program is cancelled. Check the banner at jgap.info or their Facebook page for same-day updates—they typically post a forecast and go/no-go decision by noon on program days.
Important: Because the programs are popular, you'll need a free parking pass. Passes are posted at registration.jgap.org in waves—some several weeks ahead of time, with additional passes released by Wednesday of the program week. Once passes are gone, the lot is full. Guests staying at Hocking Hills State Park Lodge or the park cabins (located right next to JGAP) can walk over without a pass—the walking path runs between cabins 8 and 9.
On any night that JGAP is not running a formal program, the site is open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can drive up, sign in at the kiosk, and observe the sky on your own. If you don't have a telescope, binoculars work beautifully, and even the naked eye reveals far more here than in most of Ohio. Blankets and lawn chairs are welcome. Open flames (campfires, grills) are not permitted because the light and ash interfere with observing.
Why the Hocking Hills Is Special for Stargazing
Light pollution is measured on the Bortle Scale, which runs from 1 (the darkest skies on Earth) to 9 (inner-city glare). Most Ohio towns register a 5 or 6. The Hocking Hills region, thanks to its rural location and distance from major cities, offers significantly darker skies. The JGAP observatory, with its intentional design to minimize ground-level light intrusion, provides even darker conditions than the surrounding area.
To put that in practical terms: from the Hocking Hills on a clear moonless night, the Milky Way is visible as a hazy band arching across the sky. Star clusters, bright nebulae, and the Andromeda Galaxy are detectable with binoculars. Through the park's telescopes, Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, craters on the Moon, and deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula become stunning, vivid sights.
What's Visible in Spring
The Milky Way begins to rise in the east late at night, becoming more prominent as spring turns to summer. By late May, the galactic core is visible in the pre-dawn sky.
Leo dominates the spring sky, high in the south, with its distinctive sickle-shaped head. Virgo follows Leo to the east, and the area between them is rich with galaxies visible through telescopes.
The Big Dipper is high overhead in spring, making it easy to find. Follow the arc of its handle to Arcturus, the brightest star in the spring sky, and continue the arc to Spica in Virgo.
Planets: Visibility varies year to year. Check a current sky guide or the JGAP website for what's up during your visit.
Meteor showers: The Lyrid meteor shower peaks around April 22 each year, producing 10–20 meteors per hour under good conditions. The Eta Aquariid shower peaks in early May.
Tips for Your Visit
Dress warmer than you think. Temperatures drop quickly after sunset in the Hocking Hills, especially in spring. Sitting still in a chair looking at the sky for an hour or two is much colder than hiking. Layers, a warm hat, and gloves are recommended even in April and May.
Let your eyes adjust. It takes 20 to 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adapt to darkness. Once they do, you'll see dramatically more. Avoid looking at phone screens (use the phone's night mode or red filter if you must check something), and don't use white flashlights. Red light preserves night vision.
Bring binoculars. Even a basic pair of binoculars reveals thousands more stars, the craters of the Moon, Jupiter's moons (visible as tiny dots in a line), and star clusters like the Pleiades. You don't need a telescope to have a great experience.
Bring a blanket or camp chair. Much of stargazing involves looking straight up. A reclining chair or a blanket on the ground saves your neck.
Check the Moon phase. A full or nearly full Moon washes out the sky and makes faint objects invisible. The best stargazing happens during the new Moon or when the Moon sets early. Plan your trip around the lunar calendar for the darkest skies.
Combine day and night. A Hocking Hills trip doesn't have to end at sunset. Spend the day hiking the gorges and chasing waterfalls, then head to JGAP after dinner for a Friday or Saturday night program. If you're staying in a cabin nearby, the walk or short drive to the park makes it easy to add stargazing to any trip. Find a cabin at HockingCabins.com.
Getting There
John Glenn Astronomy Park is located within Hocking Hills State Park, near the park lodge and cabins. The physical address is near the lodge at 20020 State Route 664 S, Logan, OH 43138. From Old Man's Cave, it's a short drive south on SR-664. Look for signs to the state park lodge and cabins—JGAP is adjacent.
Remember to secure your free parking pass ahead of time at registration.jgap.org if attending a program night. For the latest schedule and weather updates, visit jgap.info.
For more on what to do during daylight hours, explore our trail guides and visitor information.