Old Man's Cave makes a great day trip
By Lisa Wakeland, Staff Writer
September 13, 2006 | 11:02 a.m.
Directions from OU:
Take 33 West to SR 664 near Logan.
Follow signs for SR 664 south.
Old Man's Cave is about 11 miles from the highway.
The blanket of trees that surrounds the deep ridges and cliffs of Old Man's Cave attracts nearly three million people to the cave each year Ohio University students are no exception. With waterfalls, creeks and gorges the cave makes for one of the most popular sites in Hocking Hills State Park and a great day trip.
Located 50 minutes from Ohio University, Old Man's Cave is 250 feet long and 75 feet high. The cave is named after Richard Rowe, a hermit who lived in the cave. Rowe moved to the Ohio River Valley around 1796 to establish a trading post. Legend has it that Rowe is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave.
"A lot of people like to start at our Upper Falls region, which is at the top of this gorge," said Park Officer Jeff Thompson, who has been with the Hocking Hills State Park for six years. "As you walk down through the gorge, you can see the Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub, Old Man's Cave, and the next region... Lower Falls."n n"If you look downstream at the feature in the rock, it does look like a sphinx head," said Thompson of a rock formation known as Sphinx Head, one of the many interesting places to visit in the park.
Stone bridges, tunnels, and trails allow easy access to the different regions of Old Man's Cave. However, Thompson suggests hiking boots or ice cleats when traveling through the gorge during the winter because the paths can be extremely slippery.
"We ask that people, when they're hiking, stay on the constructed trails," said Thompson. "Rock climbing and being off the trails is prohibited and we enforce that strictly."
Thompson also said that there are not many accidents compared to the volume of people visiting the park each year. Usually, there are only about a dozen accidents. "Ninety-nine percent of them are from people being off the trail or under the influence of alcohol or drugs," he said. "Pay attention to the rules and signs posted and you'll have a safe hike."
Informative plaques are conveniently placed along the scenic trails to describe the various features and history of the area. A visitor's center and museum placed at the top of the gorge gives travelers a chance to learn about the cave before venturing through it.
The trails weaving through Old Man's Cave connect to other areas of the State Park, including a three mile trail that takes hikers to Cedar Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the Hocking Hills region.
Thompson says the park is open all year, from dawn until dusk, with the exception of one morning in mid-January, when Old Man's Cave is closed from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for an annual hike that attracts 3000 to 5000 people.