Old Mans Cave Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A 2-tier waterfall.

Scale12/60

Documentation10/20

Character14/20

The details

Tiers: 2 drops
Coordinates: 39.43261, -82.5441

Get directions →

About Old Mans Cave Falls

Old Mans Cave Falls is a waterfall in Ohio. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Old Mans Cave Falls 3.6/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The gorge that made Hocking Hills famous: Upper and Lower Falls bracketing a sandstone cave, the Devil's Bathtub churning between them, all threaded by stone steps and WPA bridges. Ohio's most-walked mile, one-way loops and all.

Getting there

Trailhead: Old Man's Cave Visitor Center, OH-664, Logan
Parking: Main lot fills by 9–10am on weekends; free April–November shuttle from the overflow lot
Road: Paved
Hike: 1.5 mi round trip, 200 ft of climb (moderate — steps, tunnels, cliff-edge stretches)
Heads up: Permanent one-way trail system — follow the arrows, they're not suggestions.

When to go

Spring for full falls, winter for the ice show; summer weekends belong to everyone in Ohio at once.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — free
Dogs: Leashed
Hours: Dawn to dusk, lots cleared by dark
Camping: Old Man's Cave Campground adjacent
Warnings: No swimming anywhere in the park; most of Ohio's state-park cliff deaths happened in these hills — the fences are load-bearing.

Researched from Ohio DNR — Hocking Hills State Park · The Hocking Hills — Old Man's Cave. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Old Mans Cave Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.