Whispering Cave & Hemlock Bridge
The park's newest major trail area and its most acclaimed — USA Today's 10Best ranked Whispering Cave the #1 Best Hiking Trail in America in 2024.
🐕 Dog Friendly: Dogs allowed on leash (6 ft max). Bring water, a collapsible bowl, and waste bags. Dispose of waste at parking lot receptacles.
Highlights
Tallest waterfall in Hocking Hills (100+ ft), park's second-largest recess cave (300 ft wide), swinging bridge over Salt Creek, ranked #1 Best Hiking Trail in America by USA Today 10Best (2024)
The Trail
Whispering Cave and the Hemlock Bridge Trail opened around 2016–2017 as the newest additions to the Hocking Hills trail system. The Hemlock Bridge Trail covers approximately 1 mile, crossing a swinging bridge over Salt Creek through towering hemlocks. A 0.2-mile spur branches off to Whispering Cave itself — the park's second-largest recess cave at roughly 300 feet wide, with a seasonal waterfall exceeding 100 feet that makes it the tallest in Hocking Hills.
The full one-way loop from Old Man's Cave covers 3.7 to 5.0 miles depending on the route and cannot be reversed once started. This longer approach is rated Moderate to Strenuous with 259 to 301 feet of elevation change. A shorter out-and-back from the Hemlock Bridge trailhead near the Lodge area is also possible.
In 2024, USA Today's 10Best reader poll ranked Whispering Cave as the nation's #1 Best Hiking Trail — a significant achievement for a trail that barely a decade old. The recognition has increased traffic, but the trail's length and difficulty still filter out casual visitors, preserving a quieter experience than Old Man's Cave.
The waterfall freezes spectacularly in winter, and the swinging bridge over Salt Creek adds an element of adventure that kids and adults both enjoy. The surrounding hemlock forest is among the densest in the park, though the hemlock woolly adelgid — an invasive insect first detected in the park in 2013 — poses a long-term threat to these foundation trees.
Tips & What to Know
Access from the Lodge area trailhead is shorter and less crowded than starting from Old Man's Cave. The full loop is a serious hike — don't underestimate the distance and elevation. Best waterfall flow is spring through early summer. This trail is an excellent alternative when Old Man's Cave is packed — similar drama with far fewer people.
Getting There
Address: Accessible from Old Man's Cave parking or Hemlock Bridge trailhead near the Lodge
GPS: 39.4249, −82.5521
Parking: Use Old Man's Cave lot or Lodge area parking
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