Hocking Hills State Park: Grandma Gatewood Trail (Blog Hike #89)

Trails: Grandma Gatewood Trail and Gorge Rim Trail

Hike Location: Hocking Hills State Park

Geographic Location: south of Logan, OH (39.43572, -82.54054)

Length: 10.3 miles, if walked both directions

Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)

Dates Hiked: April 2001, July 2016

Overview: A spectacular hike past some of the most scenic features in the state, including Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave.

Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/hocking-hills-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=717472
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The Grandma Gatewood Trail is a linear hike, not a loop.  Therefore, it must either be hiked in both directions, or a vehicle shuttle must be arranged.  This trail description starts at Old Man’s Cave, the northern terminus of the trail.  To reach Old Man’s Cave from Logan, go south on SR 664 for 13 miles to the large parking lot for Old Man’s Cave on the right.  To reach Ash Cave, the southern terminus of the trail, go south on SR 664 out of Logan for 12.5 miles.  Turn left on SR 374 and proceed south past Cedar Falls.  Where SR 374 ends at SR 56, turn right on SR 56 and go 0.5 miles west on SR 56.  The small hiking trail parking lot is on the right.  A larger parking area for the picnic area is directly across SR 56 on the left, in case the smaller lot should be full.

The hike: By all accounts Hocking Hills State Park is the biggest jewel in Ohio’s state park crown.  Land first began to be acquired as part of Hocking State Forest during the 1930’s.  Although Hocking State Forest still exists today, some 6000 acres containing some of the most scenic terrain were transferred to the Division of Parks and Wildlife for development as a state park. 

            The results of this development are quite striking.  The park famous for its sheer walls of blackhand sandstone is organized around 5 scenic areas stretching through southern and central Hocking County.  Two of these areas, Cantwell Cliffs and Rock House, are located in the more remote northern parts of the park.  The southern section containing Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave is more developed and more crowded.  Sandwiched between these two areas is Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve, which offers a scenic 3 mile trail.  A total of 43 miles of trails now interlace the park and the surrounding state forest.

            The northern areas feature only short trails for exploration, so our hike is located in the southern section of the park.  The Grandma Gatewood Trail is named after Emma Gatewood, a former resident of the area.  Although she took up hiking at age 67, she managed to hike the Appalachian Trail 3 times and the Oregon Trail once.  This trail was one of her favorites, and shortly after her death in 1973, the trail was named in her honor.  The Buckeye Trail, a 1200 mile trail encircling the state of Ohio, and the American Discovery Trail, a long trail crossing the entire United States east-to-west, also share this route.

Upper Falls-Old Man's Cave

            Start from the northern end of the parking lot, cross a stone bridge over the creek that runs through Old Man’s Cave.  Turn right, walk about 100 feet, and descend into Old Man’s Cave gorge via some wooden and concrete steps.  Stay right at the base of the steps and come out below Upper Falls, the first of two major waterfalls in Old Man’s Cave.  These falls are about 20 feet high, have moderate water volume, and are framed nicely by the stone bridge in the background and the surrounding rock cliffs.

            Once you have soaked in the falls, turn around and follow the blue blazes of the Grandma Gatewood Trail south through Old Man’s Cave gorge, crossing and recrossing the stream several times, all via footbridges.  Pass Devil’s Bathtub, a small pool of water surrounded by vertical 3-foot rock walls.  Further downstream, pass the rock shelter that housed Richard Roe, a hermit from West Virginia who lived in this rock shelter during the Civil War.  It is from this person that this gorge receives its name.

Devil's Bathtub

            Continue downstream with 50-foot vertical sandstone walls on either side of the trail.  This section of trail has recently been reconstructed after a massive flood in 1998 destroyed much of the old trail.  Over 3 years were required to return the entire trail to its current passable condition.  Notice an A-frame bridge some 60 feet overhead that link the two sides of the gorge.  Just past the bridge, you will pass a small waterfall.  Continue downstream, ignoring side trails that go right and leave the gorge.

Trail through Old Man's Cave

            Use some wooden steps that climb over a bluff and come out below Lower Falls.  This waterfall is higher than Upper Falls with a larger plunge pool.  It is also the only feature in Hocking Hills located in the lower layer of the Blackhand sandstone.   From Lower Falls, the blue-blazed Grandma Gatewood Trail leaves Old Man’s Cave, continuing downstream along the east side of the creek.  The trail is occasionally rough going, as some windfalls and fallen boulders make the hiking more difficult.  Some tall hemlocks and sycamores add to the scenery of the ravine.

Lower Falls-Old Man's Cave

            The trail gradually bends left as Old Man’s Creek joins Queer Creek in an area called The Gulf.  The combined stream heads westward toward the Scioto and eventually Ohio Rivers.  Our hike goes upstream along Queer Creek passing two rock shelters and a couple of wet-weather waterfalls on its way toward Cedar Falls. 

            Less than 0.25 miles before reaching the falls, the trail reaches a detour sign, directing you to the right.  Sections of the trail that continued straight ahead ran perilously close to drop-offs over the stream and were closed due to safety.  The detour takes you to the right and fords the stream without the aid of a bridge.  During times of normal water, this stream can be easily rock-hopped.  The trail now switchbacks up the south side of the ravine to arrive at the Cedar Falls parking lot.  This marks the midpoint of our journey from Old Man’s Cave to Ash Cave.  The small picnic area with a hand-pump water well makes an ideal resting spot.

            The Grandma Gatewood Trail in its current configuration does not pass within sight of Cedar Falls.  If you are hiking the trail both directions using the Rim Trail for your return route, you will pass directly in front of Cedar Falls on your return route.  If you have arranged a 2-car shuttle at Ash Cave, the falls can be accessed via a 0.25 mile hike on a trail that exits the left side of the loop road encircling the picnic area.  Either way, the falls are among the tallest and most beautiful in the state of Ohio and are well worth going a little out of your way to see.

Leaving Cedar Falls area, heading for Ash Cave

            The Grandma Gatewood Trail exits the Cedar Falls parking lot on the southwest corner of the parking lot loop road at an orange vehicle gate.  The trail follows a wide gravel access road as it tops a small rise to descend into a shallow ravine.  Now traveling through second-growth forest that was probably logged some 60 years ago, the maintenance road goes right and the trail becomes a narrow dirt path, crossing the stream 3 times via wooden bridges.  The trail leaves the stream to the right and begins the steepest climb of the hike by ascending Chapel Ridge.  Over the next 0.5 mile the trail gains 300 feet in elevation as it climbs to Chapel Ridge Road.  Cross the narrow blacktop road and begin a descent along a small stream toward Ash Cave, first dropping moderately, then almost imperceptibly.

            The forest above Ash Cave is some of the most beautiful along the trail.  Tall hemlocks and a lush understory could allow one to mistake this area for the Garden of Eden on a cool, wet spring day.  After crossing the stream several times, the trail comes out on the lip of Ash Cave, with the floor of the gorge some 90 feet below you on the right.  Use some wooden steps on the right of the trail to enter the gorge.

Top of Ash Cave waterfall

            The small stream you have been following also enters the gorge, but in more dramatic fashion.  Though not big in terms of volume, the Ash Cave waterfall is one of my favorites.  Water vertically drops 90 feet from the lip of the rock shelter to a small but pretty plunge pool.  The trail goes underneath the rock shelter behind the falls, allowing you to view the waterfall from all angles.  The sound of water hitting the plunge pool echoes around the rock shelter, making it seem as if water is running within the rocks.

Ash Cave waterfall

            Once on the floor of the rock shelter, the trail traverses some soft orange sand that has eroded from the sandstone rock shelter.  It is unclear as to whether this sand has given the cave its name or some ashes that were found in the cave by early settlers.  Notice a large rock in front of the falls.  During early settlement, church services were held in Ash Cave, with the preacher standing on this rock and the congregation benefiting from the excellent acoustics of the rock shelter.

            The last 0.25 mile through Ash Cave is paved, allowing the disabled access to this wonderful sight.  The trail crosses the stream one last time to arrive at the small parking lot along SR 56.  Some picnic tables and a set of restrooms are located in the area, making this spot perfect for a trail snack or just a rest.

Exit of Ash Cave near parking lot

            If you have arranged for a shuttle, your hike is over and a short drive remains to Old Man’s Cave.  Otherwise, retrace your steps 3 miles back to the Cedar Falls parking lot.  From this point, you could retrace your steps back through Old Man’s Cave gorge to your car.  Another alternative, the Rim Trail, offers slightly easier hiking, different scenery, and a direct route past Cedar Falls.  To follow this alternative, angle right through the picnic area and pick up a dirt trail that enters the forest at the southeast corner of the picnic area.  The trail passes through some large boulders as it descends via wooden steps to the base of Cedar Falls.

            Cedar Falls is considered to be one of the most scenic waterfalls in Ohio.  Larger in terms of volume than any other Hocking Hills waterfall, water cascades 80 feet in two sections surrounded  by sandstone cliffs into a large, clear plunge pool.  Take a few minutes to soak up the beauty before continuing toward Old Man’s Cave along a red-blazed trail. 

Cedar Falls

            The trail departs Cedar Falls by climbing an extensive wooden stair construction to the rim of the falls.  A stone bridge was under construction to cross the creek above the falls when I hiked this trail.  If it is not yet completed, you must detour and use the SR 374 bridge over the creek.  The ravine is too steep to ford easily.

            The trail now begins to follow the north rim of the gorge, heading west.  Some 100 feet to the left of the trail, sandstone cliffs drop 90 feet to the floor of the gorge.  This section of trail is very new, and parts of the trail may be rather muddy.  A drier alternative, usually on the higher right side of the trail, can always be found.  After about 1.5 miles of hiking through young ridgetop forest, the trail curves right and climbs moderately to arrive at Rose Lake.  Once Rose Hollow, this feeder stream of Queer Creek was dammed to create a 15 acre lake.  This small, isolated, scenic lake is surrounded by forest and accessible only by trail.

Hiking along the rim of The Gulf

            Cross the dam and continue to follow the red blazes as they turn left and reenter the forest.  Trail conditions improve considerably from here, as you are now hiking on older trail.  Views of The Gulf and Old Man’s Creek gorge unfold to the left, especially during the winter months.  The sandstone cliffs range from 10 feet to 100 yards from the trail on the left.  Only sounds of vehicle traffic on SR 664 on the other side of the gorge break the serenity.

            At 2.5 miles from Cedar Falls, the trail joins a wide two-track gravel maintenance road.  In another 0.4 miles, look to the left for the A-frame bridge you saw from within the gorge at the start of the hike.  Crossing this bridge will return you to the parking lot at Old Man’s Cave, thus completing this wonderful hike.