Hocking Hills State Park Camping: Ohio’s Gem
Ohio is known for having pockets of beautiful nature, and Hocking Hills State Park is certainly one of those areas. With peaceful hiking trails and breath-taking waterfalls, you won’t want to miss this Ohio gem. And on top of this beauty, there are several ways to stay right in the park, so let’s get you planning a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip!
This large campground has over 170 campsites and a few cabins for those who don’t want to spend the night in a tent.
And with such close proximity to several major Ohio cities, it’s a great place to get away for a weekend, or even longer.
Important Links
Hocking Hills State Park website
Hocking Hills State Park Hiking Guide
Hocking Hills State Park Camping – Make Reservations Here!
Location
Hocking Hills State Park is in southern Ohio, and not too far from several major Ohio cities. This beautiful gem of a park is a great place to hike or camp or just to unplug for a bit.
Address to use: 19852 State Route 664 Logan, Ohio 43138-9537
Just 1 hour south of Columbus, OH, 3 hours south of Cleveland,OH, and about 2.5 hours east of Cincinnati, OH, a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip is the perfect weekend getaway!
2 Words of Caution!
The Hocking Hills area of Ohio was a little confusing when we first drove into the area. There are so many cabins and campgrounds, it was a little confusing as to where we were actually trying to go.
- Use the Campground Address to get there – First off, the campground’s official name is Old Man’s Cave Campground, instead of just going by Hocking Hills State Park Campground. I highly recommend using the address above so you don’t get lost like we did in an area without much service. Which leads me to…
- Download an Offline Map for this area – There is very little phone service in the area. Don’t get me wrong, the campground itself has great service. But the surrounding area has so many hills and hollows, it will interfere with your signal.
Time to Spend Here
Hocking Hills State Park is not a huge state park, but there are several highlights spread throughout the region that will make you want to spend at least a couple days exploring the area.
If you are just looking for immediate adventure, you will probably only need 2 – 3 days to see most or all of the highlights. From the campground, there are several trails that will connect your campsite to the iconic views and waterfalls that Hocking Hills has to offer. But if you are looking to explore more extensively, you’ll need more time to drive around and explore.
Personally, my husband and I camped here for a week. We enjoyed our peaceful Hocking Hills State Park camping trip and the ease of accessing all of the trails. But we didn’t need a week to see the highlights of the park. We would have been fine to stay for a long weekend.
Hiking Options
Hocking Hills State Park has many hiking trails, and if hiking is the name of your game, go check out my post on Hocking Hills Hiking!
But for a quick overview, here is the list of trails below.
- Ash Cave Rim Trail – 0.3 miles
- Broken Rock Trail – 0.1 miles
- Camp Access Trail – 0.3 miles
- Cedar Falls Trail – 0.4 miles
- Gorge Entrance/Exit Trail – 0.7 miles
- Gorge Overlook Trail – 2.8 miles
- Grandma Gatewood Trail – 5.3 miles
- Lodge Connector Trail – 0.1 miles
- Rose Lake Trail – 1.6 miles
- Rose Lake Access Trail – 0.5 miles
- Whispering Cave to Old Man’s Cave Trail – 1.9 miles
Highlight: If you can only do one trail, you’ll definitely want to stop by the visitor center and pick up the Gorge Entrance/Exit Trail, head down into the gorge on part of the Grandma Gatewood Trail and then loop back to the visitor center via the Gorge Entrance/Exit Trail.
For more info and all the hiking details, check out Hiking in Hocking Hills State Park!
Campground
When it comes to a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip, the state park is the perfect place to camp. Not only does the campground have several ways to stay, it’s also close to many hiking trails and it’s a very affordable way to visit such a beautiful area.
The campground itself has sites at all price points, from non-electric sites, to full hook-up sites and even a couple cabins! Whatever your budget, there is something for you. And with a beautiful pool and hot showers available to everyone, it’s also a great place to introduce people to camping.
Let’s dive into the details and then we’ll look at a price comparison.
Details
- Paved Campsite Pads
- 113 Electric-Only Campsites
- 46 Full Hook Up Campsites
- 13 Non-Electric Campsites
- 4 Group Campsites
- 3 Cabins
- 3 Shower Houses
- Laundry Room
- Pool (seasonal)
- 2 Playgrounds
- 3 Bathrooms (pit toilets)
While these bullet points are to give you an idea of what the park has to offer, let’s take a deeper dive into each of the ways to camp in Hocking Hills.
Non-Electric Sites (Tent Only + Dog Friendly)
These 13 campsites are what people think of when they think of camping. No electricity, no water, a fire ring, a picnic table, and a spot on the ground for a tent. And while this is certainly the least glamorous way to book a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip, it’s a very affordable way to get outdoors.
Electric Sites (Dog Friendly)
Next up are the campsites with just electric hook-ups. These sites are great for both campers who need/want to plug in and tent campers who want to be able to charge their devices. Or to plug in a heater or a fan depending on the season.
Each pad is paved for the electric sites (image below), and they also provide a fire ring and a picnic table as is pretty standard at state parks. Some sites are completely in the sun, while others are more shaded, so be careful when booking your site!
We stayed on an electric site with our travel trailer for a week and were glad to have the power without paying the extra cost of a Full Hook-Up site. And speaking of, that’s next on our list!
Full Hook-Up Sites (Dog Friendly)
Finally, we have reached the area where camping meets some luxury. Full Hook-Up sites not only have electric hook-up, they also have water and sewer hook-ups. These sites are paved as well as provide a fire ring and a picnic table like usual.
There were all different kinds of rigs in this area. From huge fifth wheel campers to truck campers and just about everything in between on these sites. So come one, come all if you prefer a full hook-up site and want a touch of luxury.
Group Camping
This post wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the option for group camping. Hocking Hills State Park has 4 group camping sites. 2 sites that are large enough for 20 people and 2 that are large enough for 30 people.
These sites are tent only and they allow up to 5 cars to park per site, so make sure you have a plan to carpool if you have a group from all over. To book a group Hocking Hills State Park camping trip, you can book online, just like any other site.
Cabin Sites (NOT Dog Friendly)
And now we have come to the part of the campground that some would call “glamping”. These cabins are perfect for those who don’t have a camper, or don’t like tenting. These cabins sleep 3 or 4 people, (1 double bed and 1 set of bunk beds) have AC/heat, electricity, a small fridge and a microwave ready for you.
There is no running water in these cabins, so you will have to use the campground showers/bathrooms while you are staying here. While this isn’t the most luxurious cabin, it is the nicest way to go camping at Hocking Hills State Park
Now that you have an idea of the different ways to stay, let’s take a minute to compare some prices!
Price Comparison
**Disclaimer: These were the prices at the time of our visit. Prices are subject to change with weekends or holidays. The section of the post is to give you an idea of how you can book a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip without breaking the bank.**
Non-Electric Campsite
- Daily Rate: $32 per night
- Weekly Rate: $224 per week
Electric Campsite
- Daily Rate: $36 per night
- Weekly Rate: $252 per week
Full Hook-Up Campsite
- Daily Rate: $50 per night
- Weekly Rate: $350 per week
Group Camping
- Daily Rate: $40 per night
- Weekly Rate: $280 per week
Cabins
- Daily Rate: $70 per night
- Weekly Rate: $490 per week
Now, these prices do not include taxes and fees, but this will give you a general idea for the price of camping in Hocking Hills State Park.
Our Camping Experience
My husband and I camped on site #12 for a full week. We parked our 25-foot travel trailer on this electric-only campsite so we could stay for a slightly cheaper rate.
During our week here we were able to explore many of the hiking trails as well as take a day trip up to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We never had an issue with the showers or bathrooms being overly crowded, and we even took advantage of their affordable laundry room ($1.25 to wash and $1.25 to dry).
Our only complaint was that, aside from the shower houses, the “bathrooms” throughout the campground were only pit toilets. While this would have worked in an emergency, we preferred to use toilets with running water (and to avoid the smell), so we had to take a couple long walks each day to the facilities.
Other than that one tiny complaint, we really enjoyed our Hocking Hills State Park camping trip. The sites were spread out and the flat/paved pads made for easy camper set up and tear down.
Conclusion
If you are looking to take an affordable trip to Ohio, look no further than a Hocking Hills State Park camping trip! With several different ways to stay, from tent camping to cabins, you can’t go wrong.
Between the proximity to great hiking trails, the running water, the pool and the great campsite locations, you can’t go wrong when camping at Hocking Hills.
As always, feel free to reach out to averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions.
-Happy Camping!
Megan C.
Avid hiker and traveler around the US. I've been hiking consistently since I was 18 and I can't wait to teach you my tips, tricks and hiking hacks! Travel and hike with me and my camera.
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