The south-central section of the Hocking Hills — the area around Old Man's Cave, along Route 664 and the Big Pine Road corridor — has the highest density of cabin rentals in the region because it puts you within 15 minutes of four of the park's seven major hiking areas. If your cabin is here, your trail choices are the best in the park.
Here's what's within driving distance, what fits a morning versus an afternoon, and how to build a weekend that actually uses your location.
The trails within 10 minutes of Old Man's Cave cabins
Old Man's Cave
The obvious one. Most cabins in this area are a 5-minute drive from the Old Man's Cave visitor center, sometimes less. Hike it first thing Saturday morning — before the 10 AM crowd surge — and you have the stone bridges and gorge mostly to yourself. The loop is 1–2 miles depending on which route you take through the gorge.
Cedar Falls
About 4 miles from Old Man's Cave visitor center, down a short connector road. The falls themselves are fed by Queer Creek and are the highest-volume in the park. The base view after descending the stairs is the best payoff-per-step ratio in Hocking Hills. In spring after rain, the roar of the falls is audible from the parking lot.
Whispering Cave via Hemlock Bridge
The trailhead sits at the Hocking Hills State Park Lodge area, about 5 minutes from most Old Man's Cave cabins. The Hemlock Bridge Trail crosses a 75-foot suspension bridge and climbs to a 300-foot-wide recess cave with a 105-foot waterfall. Often less crowded than Old Man's Cave despite being right next to it. The lodge's Rock House Restaurant is a reasonable lunch stop after.
Ash Cave
About 10 minutes south of most Old Man's Cave cabins, down Route 56. The paved lower trail is wheelchair-accessible and leads to the largest recess cave in Ohio — a 700-foot-wide sandstone amphitheater with a 90-foot waterfall at the center. Hike it late afternoon when crowds have thinned. The cave is west-facing and catches evening light beautifully.
Grandma Gatewood Trail (partial)
The Buckeye Trail section that connects Old Man's Cave → Cedar Falls → Ash Cave is accessed directly from the Old Man's Cave gorge. For shorter outings, the Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls section is about 3 miles one-way; the full Grandma Gatewood route is 6 miles one-way to Ash Cave. The January Winter Hike event follows this entire route. For cabin-based guests, this is the best way to experience the park in depth without multiple trailhead drives.
Slightly further (15–20 minutes)
If you want to extend your range without giving up the south-central base:
- Rock House — about 15 minutes north, off Route 374. Only true cave in the park. Quick 30-minute hike.
- Conkle's Hollow — about 20 minutes northwest, in Rockbridge. The Gorge Trail is flat and stunning; the Rim Trail is severe-exposure.
- Cantwell Cliffs — about 30 minutes north. The most physically engaging trail in the park, and the least crowded. Worth the extra drive.
How to structure a weekend from an Old Man's Cave cabin
Friday evening arrival
- Check in, unload.
- Drive 5 minutes to Old Man's Cave visitor center just to see the area at dusk.
- Dinner at the Hocking Hills State Park Lodge (Rock House Restaurant) or at a Logan restaurant.
- Fire at the cabin.
Saturday — the big hike day
- 7:30 AM: Old Man's Cave gorge loop. Beat the crowd.
- 9:30 AM: Back at cabin. Breakfast.
- 11:00 AM: Cedar Falls short loop.
- 12:30 PM: Lunch at the cabin or lodge.
- 2:30 PM: Whispering Cave via Hemlock Bridge.
- 4:30 PM: Back for a break, fire prep.
- 6:00 PM: Ash Cave (drive 10 min, hike 30 min, golden hour light at the cave).
- 7:30 PM: Dinner and fire at the cabin.
Sunday — quieter option
The Saturday above hits four of the seven areas. Sunday can be a lighter day:
- Morning: Drive 15 minutes to Rock House. Hike 30 minutes. Coffee.
- Or: Drive 20 minutes to Conkle's Hollow. Gorge Trail, 1 hour.
- Or: A long breakfast at the cabin, one short hike in the afternoon, drive home.
Staying at an Old Man's Cave cabin means you can come back between hikes — for lunch, for a nap, for a change of shoes. That makes short multi-hike days possible that staying in a Logan hotel wouldn't. Your cabin is basecamp, not a nightly sleeping arrangement.
What to look for in an Old Man's Cave cabin
Beyond proximity to trails, the features that actually matter for a hiking-centric weekend:
- Fire ring or fire pit. The best cabin evenings happen around a fire. See our firewood resource for what to bring.
- Hot tub. After a day of stairs, a hot tub isn't a luxury — it's a recovery tool. Older knees will thank you.
- Full kitchen. If you're doing three hikes a day, you don't want to drive 15 minutes to a restaurant every meal.
- Real privacy. The cabins set back from the road, with hemlocks between you and your neighbor, are worth the premium.
- Covered outdoor space. For the inevitable afternoon rain. Porch or deck is fine; covered is better.
The best base for a Hocking Hills trip is a cabin where you can do three hikes in a day without it feeling like an expedition.
Find the right one
For cabin rentals in this specific area, Hocking Cabins has the best local coverage. Filter for the Old Man's Cave / Route 664 / Big Pine Road corridor — that's the 10-minute-from-everything zone.
For the other main cabin zones, see Trails Near Logan and Rockbridge for the northwestern cluster, or Trails Near Lake Hope for the southern region.