We were back and forth all summer from Michigan to Florida. (Summer of 2018). But before embarking on our last road trip carrying our remaining possessions to our new Florida town, we stopped at the stunning town of Hocking Hills, Ohio for a reset in the forest. We've heard about this place for years, and Hocking Hills State Park did NOT disappoint. What a gem nestled in the state of Ohio. For all you hikers out there... waterfall lovers.. photographers.. yes, all of you, it's worth a visit! We had four days, but we wish we would've had a week. We only captured the fringes of this gorgeous land. The weather was sketchy (raining on & off) so we didn't even have our cameras during one of our major hiking days! (eye-roll) Nevertheless, here are some highlights.
We hiked these trails:
- Old Man's Cave - It was amazing, also, extremely popular. This one feels the most like an 'attraction', but it's too incredible to skip. There's a lot to see in a short hike, so it's especially great for those who don't do well on longer hikes.
- Cedar Falls - Very fun. Loved it.
- Ash Cave - Gorgeous.
- Conkle's Hollow - Incredible! 'Oak's favorite! My second favorite. A must to revisit.
- Cantwell Cliffs - My favorite!
Here is more information if you want to plan a trip. Their official visitor site here
This was at Old Man's Cave, specifically a shot of the upper falls. As you can see it's a pretty amazing photo op. Depending on the time of year you go, the water flowing from the falls can be heavy or light. It was on the lighter side, when we were here in August. (Which was fine, since we chose not to lug around our tripod to get those creamy cotton waterfall shots.)
This was another composition of the upper falls at Old Man's Cave.
Below Left: photo of Ash Cave. Another must do hike!
Below Right: Close up waterfall shot at the Upper Falls of Old Man's Cave. Our personal favorite of this spot, since "Oak" captured that creamy cotton waterfall look everyone chases. And hand-held at that!!! Nice, babe!
As much as we love photographing the majestic outdoors, we are true portrait photographers at heart. So whenever we get a chance, we love to push each other in front of the camera. Here are our favorite portraits captured.
We stayed in the most adorable of cabins, literally minutes from the trails. Cabin number four to be exact. It was just as cozy and romantic as ever. Double sided fireplace, and hot tub on the back deck. Umm, yes we took full advantage of that hot tub every evening after those long hikes. Check out the cabins here These next two photos were taken on the grounds of the cabin at Old Man's Haven. I felt like I was back in Austria, perched on a picturesque hilltop!
This was a glimpse at Conkle's Hollow. It was "Oak's" favorite hike! The entire hike is a must. (There are two trails, the Gorge Trail and the Rim Trail...DO BOTH!) This shot was taken on the Gorge trail. We recommend doing the Gorge Trail first, then come back and hit the Rim Trail! Careful though, there are no guard rails, and there are some holes to fall through. Be careful and alert! It will take your breath away.
Yes, there is the expansive beauty in the woods, but there is an exceptional beauty to be found in the details too. Mushrooms of all colors shapes and sizes! The hunt was on. It became a fun game, especially after the nearly 98% humidity clearly meant it was impossible for this hair to be in front of the lens for the rest of the day. All you girls out there know exactly what I'm talking about.
So long Hocking Hills! Hopefully we will return for a visit someday, and continue our journey there. We didn't get to hike Rock Hill, and Rock Bridge and some others remain. For now, we will embark on new photographic adventures in our new town of Deland, Florida and beyond.
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