Area events
The Hocking Hills Winter Hike
Ohio's oldest hiking tradition runs every January, from Old Man's Cave down to Ash Cave. It is six cold miles and worth every one of them.
Article
What it is
The Winter Hike has run every January for more than sixty years, which makes it one of the longest-running organized hikes in the country. The route follows the Grandma Gatewood Trail roughly six miles from Old Man's Cave through Cedar Falls and on to Ash Cave, and it draws thousands of people, a genuinely strange and cheerful sight in a gorge that is deserted the rest of the winter.
Bean soup and cornbread are served at Cedar Falls partway through. This is not incidental; for a lot of regulars it is the entire point.
What to expect on the trail
Ice is the main variable. In a cold year the falls freeze into columns and the boardwalks glaze over; in a mild year the whole route is mud. Either way, bring traction devices for your boots, the kind that stretch over the sole. They are cheap and they are the difference between enjoying the day and picking your way down a gorge staircase on your heels.
- Dress in layers you can shed. Six miles generates more heat than you expect.
- Waterproof boots, not sneakers.
- Traction cleats if there is any chance of ice.
- Start early. Parking at Old Man's Cave fills.
Where to stay
The hike starts half a mile from our driveway. That proximity matters more in January than any other month: you can walk out warm, and when you finish you are minutes from a hot tub and a fire rather than an hour from a hotel.
Winter Hike weekend books early. If you are planning around it, reserve well ahead and check our current specials. Winter is when midweek and shoulder-date offers tend to appear.