4 Ways to Explore the Hocking Hills this Season

Health & Wellness

Hocking Hills isn’t all about adventure, and its health and wellness offerings are a relaxing example. Located at Chalets Hocking Hills, Hocking Hills Sauna Pods envelop you without making you feel claustrophobic. The barrel-shaped pods have a big bubble window on one end that offers forested views to up the tranquil vibes. Find three friends (the pods hold up to four people), turn up the heat and soak up the soothing sensations.

Hocking Hills Serenity Salt Cave offers an invigorating alternative to the caves for which the region is known. Imported Himalayan salt boulders make up the 18-by-18-foot artificial cave, infusing the space with a red glow and diffused particles that are said to improve your breathing, reduce inflammation and more.



For a more traditional health and wellness experience, the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls offers close to two dozen spa services. The satin scrub and body mud wrap treatment, facial massage, warm bamboo massage and reiki set your mind and body at ease. Amy Rapposelli, operations manager, says the sampler service is popular for people who aren’t sure what they want. The 75-minute spa package combines shorter versions of the three most popular services: a massage, facial and hand and foot treatment.

“When people come down to Hocking Hills, the main draw is the hiking,” Rapposelli says. “The thought of combining that with some relaxing massages that relieves that sore, achy muscle tension that builds up is a big appeal.” 


Outdoor Adventure

Open-air escapades might be the first things that come to mind for Hocking Hills fun, but the natural wonderland has more to offer beyond the stunning waterfalls, impressive rock formations and inspiring hikes (though those are really fun too).

Get some elevation at Hocking Hills Canopy Tours, which opened in 2008. Home to four zip line-based and two non-zip-line adventures, the spot offers something for everyone — from thrill seekers to kids.

While the original Canopy Tour features two-and-a-half to three hours of zipping through treetops on a network of cables and skybridges, the X-Tour kicks thing up a notch. Spanning 11 zip lines, two trips across the Hocking River and a visit to a natural recess cave, it’s a more adrenaline-fueled version of the original tour.

“I’m a thrill seeker,” says Hocking Hills Canopy Tours owner Juliann Burroughs. “I can go higher and faster and longer; that’s my jam. For people that are looking for something more exhilarating. It’s just so cool, because you’re going so fast.”

For kids as young as 5 years old, The Dragonfly Tour encompasses eight zip lines, three bridges and a sky tunnel all with an added safety system.

If you want to get a little closer to the rocky facades of the Hocking Hills, High Rock Adventures can be your guide. Offering rappelling, rock climbing and more on its 165 acres, the operation provides opportunities to see a different side of the area. And while scaling (up or down) the 35- to 75-foot cliffs is remarkable enough during the day, High Rock Adventures offers nighttime rappelling as well. The evening quest starts with a mile-long hike and includes at least two rappels down 60- to 75-foot cliffs.


Golf, Mini Golf and More Golf

Practice those swings and putts because there is a golf scene in the Hocking Hills. Adventure Golf at Rempel’s Grove was designed to mimic the outdoor splendor of the area with trees, flowers, rocks, a cave and a waterfall built into its 18-hole mini golf course. (You can even walk through the cave and peer out from behind the waterfall.) Pro-tip: Making a hole-in-one on the 18th hole gets you a free milkshake from the nearby ice cream shop.

Capturing the casual nature of mini golf on a larger scale, Wormburner Park Golf at Campbell Cove Campground needs to be played to be believed. Popularized in Japan, Korea and Brazil, park golf is a simplified version of the full-sized game. You only need one club and a large plastic ball, and the holes are anywhere from 100 to 200 feet long. Just like regular golf, each hole has a specific par to make based on length. Wormburner’s 18-hole course features a mix of par 3 and 4 holes, and two par 5 holes. It is open to the public, so you don’t need to be a campground guest, and if you score a hole-in-one here, you’re immortalized on Wormburner’s Facebook page.

Opened in 1938 and originally designed by Jack Kidwell, who designed dozens of golf courses in Ohio and beyond, Hocking Hills Golf Club is a perfect spot to tee off if you want 18 holes of real links action. The course has been undergoing some rehabilitation since the owners of the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls took ownership in 2021. The entire course has been re-seeded, the pro shop has been upgraded and more. The 5,861-yard course’s fairways and greens roll much like the hills that are found throughout the region.

“It’s a whole different experience as far as golf goes,” says Kaiti Starr, the course’s operations manager, “especially with the views from some of the tee boxes.”

For fans of the 19th hole, the on-site restaurant features a full bar and a menu of salads, sandwiches and burgers.


Lake Logan State Park

While Lake Logan State Park might not get all the hype that neighboring Hocking Hills State Park does, its 400-acre lake offers plenty of water for those looking for a change from the area’s otherwise rocky terrain. The lake provides opportunities for fishing, boating and swimming.

Boats with motors up to 10 horsepower are permitted, and the speed limit is 10 mph. While there are two boat ramps if you’re bringing your own watercraft, Lake Logan Marina on the eastern end of the lake offers rentals for kayaks, pontoon boats, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats shaped like ducks, swans or dragons.

New for 2024, the marina is adding a slide to its 16-person rentable pontoon boat — perfect for lake lovers who like to make a splashy entrance. District manager Mike Jarvis says the lake’s beach is also a popular attraction, as it and the lake provide a relaxing respite from the active adventures visitors find in other parts of Hocking Hills.

“Hocking Hills is primarily rugged terrain,” he says. “You’re getting your workout, and then you come back to Lake Logan, get on the water on a pontoon and just relax.”

But Jarvis adds that fishing is one of the most popular reasons to get out onto Lake Logan, which is stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish.

“It’s a great fishery,” says Jarvis, who is an avid fisherman. “I don’t think it’s uncommon at all to see 3- and 4-pound bass in there.” 

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WHEN YOU GO 
For more information about these and other destinations throughout the Hocking Hills, visit explorehockinghills.com.

Adventure Golf at Rempel’s Grove
golfinthegrove.com

High Rock Adventures
highrockadventures.com

Hocking Hills Canopy Tours
hockinghillscanopytours.com

Hocking Hills Golf Club & Urban Grille
innatcedarfalls.com/golf

Hocking Hills Sauna Pods 
saunapodshh.com

Hocking Hills Serenity Salt Cave
hhserenitysaltcave.com

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls
innatcedarfalls.com

Lake Logan Marina 
lakeloganmarina.com

Lake Logan State Park
odnr.gov

Wormburner Park Golf 
wormburnerparkgolf.com