🌲 Conkle's Hollow

Overview

Conkle's Hollow is technically a State Nature Preserve, not part of the state park, though it's commonly grouped with the seven major hiking areas. It contains one of the deepest gorges in Ohio — sheer Black Hand sandstone cliffs rising nearly 200 feet above the valley floor, narrowing to roughly 100 feet wide in places. Designated a State Nature Preserve in 1977, it was first purchased by Ohio in 1925.

The preserve is named for W.J. Conkle, who carved his name and the date 1797 into the sandstone — graffiti that's now protected as historical record.

Two Very Different Trails

The Gorge Trail (0.75 miles round-trip, Easy) is a two-way out-and-back path along the gorge floor — notably, this is not one-way like most other trails in the system. It's partially wheelchair accessible via a paved section. The Rim Trail (2.0–2.5 miles one-way, Strenuous) follows the cliff edge with exposed drops of 70–100 feet and no guardrails. The rim offers the best panoramic views of any trail in the Hocking Hills region, especially during fall foliage.

Parking & Crowds

The parking lot is moderate-sized. Conkle's Hollow draws serious hikers for the rim trail and families for the gorge trail. It's less crowded than Old Man's Cave but busier than Cantwell Cliffs or Rock House.

Insider Tips

• The rim trail during fall foliage is the single best viewpoint in Hocking Hills — panoramic canopy views from 200-foot cliffs
• The gorge trail is sheltered and cool even on hot summer days
• The rim trail has genuinely dangerous exposed cliff edges — closely supervise children
• Visit midweek to experience the gorge in near-silence — the acoustics are extraordinary
• The gorge trail does not connect to the rim trail at the far end — you must return to the parking lot to access either trail