Winter Daylight Hike Planner for Hocking Hills
In December you get about nine and a half hours of daylight, and the gorges use up some of it in shadow. Here are the real numbers and a simple way to plan around them.
Winter is a wonderful time to hike Hocking Hills. The crowds thin, the waterfalls freeze, and the hemlocks stand out against the bare hardwoods. The one thing in short supply is daylight. Most winter hiking problems here come back to time: a late start, a slow icy stretch, and suddenly you are on frozen stairs in the dark.
This planner gives you the real numbers for December through February and a simple method to work backward from dark.
The rule: trails close half an hour after sunset
ODNR sets trail and picnic area hours in Hocking Hills State Park at half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Hocking State Forest uses the same window. The only part of the park open at night is the John Glenn Astronomy Park grounds.
That closing time is the hard limit, not a target. Inside a deep gorge, usable light fades well before sunset because the cliffs block the low winter sun. Plan to be climbing out of the gorge with plenty of light left.
Sunrise and sunset in Logan, Ohio: December to February
These times come from published sunrise-sunset tables for Logan, Ohio, in Eastern Standard Time. "Trails close" is sunset plus 30 minutes, rounded.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Trails close (about) | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2026 | 7:31 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 5:36 p.m. | 9h 35m |
| Dec 8 | 7:38 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 5:36 p.m. | 9h 28m |
| Dec 15 | 7:43 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 5:37 p.m. | 9h 24m |
| Dec 21 | 7:47 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 5:39 p.m. | 9h 22m |
| Dec 31 | 7:50 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 5:46 p.m. | 9h 26m |
| Jan 8, 2027 | 7:49 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 5:54 p.m. | 9h 36m |
| Jan 15 | 7:47 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:01 p.m. | 9h 45m |
| Jan 22 | 7:43 a.m. | 5:39 p.m. | 6:09 p.m. | 9h 56m |
| Feb 1 | 7:37 a.m. | 5:50 p.m. | 6:20 p.m. | 10h 12m |
| Feb 8 | 7:30 a.m. | 5:58 p.m. | 6:28 p.m. | 10h 28m |
| Feb 15 | 7:22 a.m. | 6:06 p.m. | 6:36 p.m. | 10h 44m |
| Feb 22 | 7:13 a.m. | 6:14 p.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 11h 01m |
| Feb 28 | 7:04 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 11h 16m |
Two quirks worth knowing
- Earliest sunsets come before the solstice. Sunset bottoms out around 5:05 p.m. in the first half of December, then slowly gets later even before December 21.
- Latest sunrises come after it. Sunrise keeps getting later until around New Year's, near 7:50 a.m., and barely moves for the first week or so of January. Those are the darkest mornings of the season.
By late February you have gained almost two hours of daylight over mid-December, mostly in the evening. That makes late-winter weekends far more forgiving for longer hikes.
Closing time is roughly the end of twilight
The same tables list civil twilight, the period after sunset when there is still enough natural light to see outdoors. On December 24, 2026, for example, sunset in Logan is 5:11 p.m. and civil twilight ends about 5:41 p.m., right when trails close. After that it is truly dark. In a gorge, twilight is dimmer still, so treat sunset itself as the real end of useful light on the trail.
How to back-time a hike
Work backward from closing time, not forward from when you feel like leaving. Four steps:
- Find the trail closing time for your date from the table: sunset plus 30 minutes.
- Subtract a buffer of 30 to 45 minutes. This is your "back at the car" time. In a gorge, make it the full 45.
- Subtract your hiking time, including stops and a winter slowdown for ice.
- Subtract the drive from your cabin to the trailhead, plus a few minutes to park and gear up.
The answer is your latest departure time. Leave earlier if you can.
Trails close about 6:01 p.m. Subtract a 45-minute buffer: back at the car by about 5:15 p.m. The 6-mile Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave route, at a careful winter pace with stops, might take 5 hours: start hiking by 12:15 p.m. Add 30 minutes to stage a shuttle car and drive to the start: leave the cabin by about 11:45 a.m. To be safe, leave by 10:30.
Planning estimates for popular trails
Trail lengths and ratings below are from ODNR. The winter time estimates are our planning ranges for a careful pace with photo stops on moderately icy trails. Everyone's pace differs, so adjust after your first hike.
| Trail | ODNR length / rating | Winter planning time | Latest start, mid-Dec* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Cave gorge | 1/4 mile, easy | 30 to 45 min | about 4:00 p.m. |
| Old Man's Cave | 1 mile, moderate | 1 to 1.5 hours | about 3:15 p.m. |
| Cedar Falls | 1 mile, moderate | 1 to 1.5 hours | about 3:15 p.m. |
| Rock House | 1 mile, moderate | 1 to 1.5 hours | about 3:15 p.m. |
| Cantwell Cliffs | 2 miles, difficult | 1.5 to 2.5 hours | about 2:15 p.m. |
| Whispering Cave Trail | 4.5 miles, difficult | 3 to 4 hours | about 12:45 p.m. |
| Gatewood Trail, one way | 6 miles, difficult | 4 to 5+ hours | about 11:45 a.m. |
*Latest start assumes trails close about 5:37 p.m. (December 15) and a 45-minute buffer, using the upper end of the time range. Earlier is better.
What should push your start earlier
The table assumes an ordinary winter day. Add time, or pick a shorter trail, when any of these apply:
- Heavy overcast or fog. The light goes flat and dim long before sunset, especially under hemlocks.
- Fresh ice or freezing rain. Every stairway takes longer, and some may be closed. Check alerts before you leave.
- Kids, older hikers or a big group. Groups move at the pace of the slowest person, plus bathroom and snack stops.
- First time on the trail. Route-finding at junctions and parking lots adds minutes you will not expect.
- A point-to-point route. Shuttling cars eats daylight at both ends.
The headlamp rule
Carry a working headlamp on every winter hike, even a morning one, and one per person rather than one per group. A turned ankle, a wrong turn or a slow, icy stretch can easily add an hour. A phone flashlight drains a cold battery fast and leaves you with one hand on the rail.
Keep the headlamp in the top pocket of your pack, not buried. Check batteries the night before. Our day pack checklist lists the rest of the winter kit.
Making the most of short days
- Pick one main trail per day. Trying to fit three gorges into nine hours of light, plus driving, is how people end up rushing icy stairs.
- Do the longest hike first. Save a short walk like Ash Cave for the late afternoon slot.
- Use midday light in the gorges. Halfway between sunrise and sunset, roughly 12:30 p.m. in midwinter, the sun is at its highest. That is when the gorge floors get their best light.
- Expect slower going. Ice, traction devices and cold hands all slow you down. See our winter-safe trails guide for routes that hold up best.
- Set a phone alarm for your turnaround time and actually turn around when it rings.
Quick checklist
- Look up sunset for your date; add 30 minutes for trail closing
- Back at the car 30 to 45 minutes before closing
- Subtract hiking time and driving time to get your departure time
- One headlamp per person, every winter hike
- Longest hike first, short walk last
- Set a turnaround alarm and honor it
Frequently asked questions
What time does Hocking Hills State Park close in winter?
ODNR sets trail and picnic area hours at half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. In Logan, sunset ranges from about 5:06 p.m. in early December to about 6:21 p.m. at the end of February, so trails close roughly between 5:35 and 6:50 p.m.
What is the shortest day of the year in Hocking Hills?
The winter solstice falls on December 21. In Logan, Ohio, the earliest sunsets come a little before the solstice, around 5:05 p.m. in the second week of December, while the latest sunrises come around New Year's, near 7:50 a.m.
How do I back-time a winter hike?
Start from the trail closing time, subtract a 30 to 45 minute buffer, subtract your estimated hiking time, and subtract the drive to the trailhead. The result is the latest time you should leave your cabin.
Do I need a headlamp for a daytime winter hike?
Carry one on every winter hike, even a morning one. Gorges lose light well before sunset, and a twisted ankle or a wrong turn can turn a two-hour walk into a four-hour one.
How much daylight is there in January in Logan, Ohio?
About nine and a half hours on January 1, growing to about ten hours and thirteen minutes by January 31, based on published sunrise and sunset tables for Logan.
Sources and verification
- Sunrise-Sunset.org: Logan, Ohio, December 2026
- Sunrise-Sunset.org: Logan, Ohio, January 2027
- Sunrise-Sunset.org: Logan, Ohio, February 2027
- ODNR: Hocking Hills State Park (trail hours, trail lengths and ratings)
- ODNR: Hocking State Forest (hours)
Times are for Logan, Ohio, in Eastern Standard Time, rounded to the nearest minute. Times at individual trailheads differ by a minute or so. Check a sunrise-sunset table for your exact date before you go.