Explore the beautiful and unique cave known as Rock House.
Trail Details
Location:
– Parking: 39.495191, -82.612853
– Trailhead: 39.495345, -82.613352
Distance & Type: 1.2 mile lollipop loop
Elevation change: 197 foot elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy
Hike features: The 200-foot long and 30-foot tall Rock House Cave, Moss Covered Cliffs, a 100-foot tall ‘seasonal’ waterfall next to the Rock House cave.
Note: Trail conditions change over time. If you discover any inaccuracies with this post during your visit, please post a comment below.
Located around eight miles from Old Man’s Cave Visitors Center is the popular Rock House trail. The trail’s beautiful rock formations make the Rock House Rim Trail hike a top 5 destination in Hocking Hills State Park.
Click here for information on Rock House Rim Trail Hike
Caution: This trail passes near cliffs and steep drop offs. Use caution and watch where you, and your family, walk when near these cliffs.
The trails are well maintained including the 100+ stone steps that guide you down the gorge. Entering the cave is done by walking up a few stone steps through a side cave opening. The inside of the cave will be dark, so I would recommend bringing a light source or using your phone’s flashlight feature.
The Rock Cave can be visited throughout the year, but the stone steps and trail can ice over during the winter months. I would pack a pair of MicroSpikes if visiting during the winter months and allow extra time to complete the hike.
The Rock House is one of those hikes I always complete whenever I’m in the area of Hocking Hills State Park. It is a quick hike that offers a unique landscape that you don’t see in other areas of the park. I love the sandstone stairs that lead into the gorge and the beautiful moss covered cliffs.
The Rock House has a colorful history including stories of Native Americans making the cave a home in addition to Rock House being referred to as Robbers Roost as local folklore says robbers, murderers and bootleggers would use the cave as a hideout at times.
Hike walkthrough
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Mile 0.0 – The parking lot for this trailhead can be found by driving straight on the driveway instead of turning left into the lower parking lot. The driveway will lead you to another parking lot near an old lookout. The trailhead is near the western most corner of the parking lot near a wooden sign.
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Mile 0.1 – Follow the Rock House Gorge Trail for 0.2 miles until you reach the intersection where the Rim Trail intersects and leads to sandstone stairs to your right.
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Mile 0.3 – Proceed down the stone steps and follow the trail past moss covered cliffs
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Mile 0.4 – Enter the Rock House and explore the unique features of this cave. The Rock House measures 25 feet tall by 20 feet wide and 200 feet long. Depending on the time of year a waterfall can be viewed from the western most window of the cave.
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Mile 0.4 – When ready, depart the cave the same way you entered it. Proceed along the trail and down the 53 stone steps that leads to a foot bridge and past the seasonal waterfall.
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Mile 0.5 – Follow the trail for a steady climb uphill until you reach the trail’s exit near the gazebo.
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Mile 0.8 – Follow the Rock House Rim trail until you reach the Gorge trail intersection near the stone steps that leads down towards the Rock House. Backtrack the Gorge Trail until you reach the parking lot where you started the hike.
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