#9 of 21 sights in Hocking Hills
Sight · Hocking Hills State Park
A waterfall and stone bridge introduce the sandstone gorge.
Overview
Map
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The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Hocking Hills Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Hocking Hills State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Old Man's Cave“You're approaching Old Man's Cave, where the creek winds past waterfalls, stone tunnels and a huge sandstone shelter.”
Plays as you drive up to Upper Falls in the Parkwolf Hocking Hills Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Upper Falls is a compact waterfall at the north end of Old Man’s Cave gorge. Old Man’s Creek spills over a sandstone ledge into a pool, with the arched stone bridge and layered rock walls filling the view. The waterfall is modest in scale; the close-up of water, stone and gorge makes this a worthwhile stop and the start of a longer walk.
The marked gorge route continues from Upper Falls past Devil’s Bathtub and Old Man’s Cave, with a way to carry on toward Lower Falls. If you want only the waterfall, use its overlook; for the full gorge experience, follow the marked one-way route. The access point is at the Old Man’s Cave end of the park’s trail system, not a roadside pullout.
Old Man’s Cave gorge cuts through about 150 feet of Blackhand sandstone. The rock was deposited more than 350 million years ago; uplift and stream erosion later carved the gorge, ledges and recesses. Upper Falls is one small part of that water-shaped landscape. Look closely at the layered walls around the pool to see how much rock the creek has cut through.
The Grandma Gatewood Trail begins at Upper Falls. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood became the first woman and the oldest person to hike the full Appalachian Trail in 1955, and she felt a special connection to Old Man’s Cave. The trail keeps her name attached to the gorge she loved.
Wildlife
15 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
83 sightingsSnapping TurtleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
13 sightingsChipmunkMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
19 sightingsGray RatsnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
47 sightingsWatersnakeMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
11 sightingsRing-necked SnakeMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Hocking Hills. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingGrandma Gatewood Trail5.3 mi · 3.5 hr · At the trailheadA tough 5.3-mile crossing for waterfalls, caves and sandstone gorge.
ModerateGorge Overlook Trail2.8 mi · 1.8 hr · 0.1 mi awayA point-to-point gorge walk from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls.ModerateOld Man’s Cave Trail1 mi · 1 hr · 0.1 mi awayA one-mile gorge loop past a waterfall, cave and stone tunnels.
ChallengingWhispering Cave Trail3.3 mi · 3 hr · 0.1 mi awayA rugged one-way circuit to Whispering Cave via Hemlock Bridge.
ModerateBroken Rock Trail0.3 mi · 20 min · 0.4 mi awayA short, steep stair climb to a sandstone cleft waterfall
ModerateRose Lake Trail2.5 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayA rooty 2.5-mile walk to loop Hocking Hills’ 17-acre lake.
ModerateWhispering Cave Trail from the Lodge0.6 mi · 45 min · 1 mi awayFrom the Lodge, steep steps lead to a broad sandstone recess.
ModerateCedar Falls Trail0.6 mi · 40 min · 1.4 mi awayA short waterfall loop with uneven, stepped gorge trails.
Sight · 0.1 mi awayDevil's BathtubA swirling sandstone basin is the gorge walk's standout stop.
Campground · 0.1 mi awayHocking Hills State Park CampgroundStay beside Old Man’s Cave, with full-hookup sites and cabins.
Visitor center · 0.2 mi awayHocking Hills State Park Visitor CenterA useful first stop for regional exhibits and resident raptors.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayHocking Hills Archery RangeA good side stop if you brought your archery gear.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayOld Man's CaveA rock shelter above a gorge of waterfalls and winding creek.
Sight · 0.4 mi awayLower FallsA curved ledge and shaded pool reward the descent into the gorge.
Sight · 0.5 mi awayBroken Rock FallsA stair-heavy spur leads to a tucked-away sandstone cascade.
Campground · 0.7 mi awayHocking Hills State Park Hike-In CampgroundCarry your camp in; the woods are the tradeoff and the draw.Parkwolf’s Hocking Hills ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
