Hocking Hills State Park

Two hours east of our cozy home base is a beautiful state park nestled in Ohio: Hocking Hills State Park. This park surpasses the low expectations one might have for a nearby state park. Hocking Hills provides explorers with maintained trails, waterfalls, bridges, and nooks of nature's beauty. We have camped twice with Thea at the state park and found some favorite hikes and adventures.

The first time we went to Hocking Hills was actually Thea's FIRST camping adventure with us. We camped in March 2021 at the campground in the state park. You do have to reserve camping spots ahead of time. March made for a slightly-chilly-but-mostly-pleasant weekend. The campground was not crowded at this time as it usually is in the busy seasons. When it's just the two of us and Thea, we use rustic camping; it's just us, Thea, the tent, and our sleeping gear.

We wanted to camp somewhere close enough to home that we could return if Thea ended up not liking the adventure. Thea was initially a semi-nervous doggo when we adopted her, so we wanted to make sure we could return home easily if she was uncomfortable. Luckily, we introduced her to the tent early and came prepared so the first night was a camping success (although she kind of hogged the sleeping bag).

On our first trip, we went to the following trails that were dog friendly:

Old Man's Cave (entrance from the visitor's center)

Ash Cave

Grandma Gatewood Trail (partially)

After a day of hiking, we headed home to not overwhelm our puppo. On the way back, we stopped to eat at The Ridge Inn Restaurant 13 miles from the park. They brought Thea treats and water as we ate on the quaint porch. The food was satisfying after hiking and they all came out to see Thea! We were so pleased with this find as we weren't sure where we could find a dog-friendly bite to eat on our way out.

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Our second time camping at the park with Thea was another fun experience. We rustic camped at the group camping sites with our dear cousins and their children in June 2021. Thea engages with children well and we were excited to all spend time together in this beautiful place. This time, we hiked a few different trails and found a few other gems.

This trip, we hiked:

Old Man's Cave

Ash Cave

Cedar Falls

Rock House

We also went into the visitor center with the kids and Thea. There were other dogs in the building, but Thea got very excited about other dogs and was barking/howling so we took her back outside to not amp up other pets/folks who may feel uneasy. The visitor center is a beautiful and educational space that is a must-visit if you go to the park. The parking here does get *very* packed since many trails head off from the visitor center. Try to get there early or come with patience in the busy times!

We had some extra time in the hot afternoon to be lazy, so we took Thea for a drive to keep her cool in the car. We found a cute coffee shop that I couldn't pass up, Hocking Hills Coffee Emporium. Dogs (according to my memory) are allowed in the outdoor patio space, but not inside. The coffee was tasty and needed!

One other aspect of our camping trip was my desire to swim in the campground pool. Dogs weren't allowed to go in the pool, so Thea and her dad laid under a tree nearby as I swam with the cousins. That came to a quick end, though, when I was reminded of the grime of public pools as someone became sick in the pool and it was shut down. Oh, the joys of summer!

Overall, Hocking Hills was very dog-friendly if you enjoy camping and hiking. There are some trails that do not allow dogs, though, so be sure to check before you start a new trail. The park is open year-round and is beautiful in all seasons. Remember to keep your doggo leashed and clean up after them & yourself so this continues to be a joyous place to visit for times to come!

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