Ohio: Hocking Hills or Cuyahoga National Park

Hocking Hills is one of the most popular Ohio parks. It is located in the hilly part of the state. The state park is located near some of the trails. It is a popular park and fills up quickly. Usually reserved for the weekends through the reservation system, sometimes up to 6 months before. Rose Lake has some really good fishing. Do a search and you will find Old Man's Cave and some of the area attractions. There are some other local campgrounds and they are also close to Old Man's.

I think I read somewhere that Cuyahoga doesn't have camping in the park but there is some nearby. Don't know anything about it.

We live about an hour or so away from Hocking Hills and camped there for the first time back in October. We have a 6 and 8 year old and it was great being able to stay close and pace ourselves. Before the camper we'd go on day trips. It was really nice having a home base for the kids to come back to and relax or ride their bikes and the like.

The only caution I'd give you is that there are cliffs around the park that are dangerous. Heed the warning signs! Sadly every year it seems there is a death(s) due mostly to people leaving the marked trails and falling... If you stay on the marked trails you'll have no problems but don't allow the kids to wonder off. It is a stunningly beautiful place if you are just a little bit careful you'll really enjoy it. Rose lake is a great place to fish or just take a break. It's a easy walk from the campground in the park.

The campgrounds at the park fill up quickly - get reservations. There are also private campgrounds close by probably the best bet is Hocking Hills KOA. In the busy months they require a three night stay on weekends and they can also get booked up.

I'm sorry I've never had the chance to venture up to Cuyahoga - but it's on my list.

Another vote for Hocking Hills. Have made the 270 mile drive from Jackson, MI 2 years in a row for 4 day weekends. no less than 5 different places to see and hike within about 6 miles of the state campground. Here are a few links for you if you have not seen then yet.

Hocking Hills State Park
Conkles Hollow
Rock House
Ash Cave
Cedar Falls

Randu

One deciding factor may be that Cuyahoga National Park does not have any camping other than a few primitive camp sites for tents and no room for even parking RV's. It is however a very nice park.

Clicky
Here is where to reserve Ohio State Park sites

We stay at the Streetsboro KOA and ride the bike trails in the Cuyahoga NP and occasionally take the train to a stop and ride back.

Dick_B wrote:
We stay at the Streetsboro KOA and ride the bike trails in the Cuyahoga NP and occasionally take the train to a stop and ride back.

We have done the Cuyahoga NP three times with our 4 kids (now 12, 10, 7, 6). Do you have a "tag-a-long" or a bike trailer? We started out with the trailer (when the youngest was 2) and now the youngest rides a tag-a-long on these types of trips.

As Dick mentioned, there is the scenic railway that runs through the park and along the river and tow path. They have had a program called Bike-a-Board. You ride the trail and then when you get tired you find a station. Flag the train down and it will take you back to where you came from (as long as it's headed that direction). It is like $3 per person for the ride and is well worth it. If the little ones are riding we ride north as it is more downhill.

If you aren't into biking you can hike the tow path trail and there are several county park paths that spur off of the NP trail.

We have not camped but have stayed at a hotel in Twinsburg. I have however been eyeing campgrounds in the area in anticipation of making this a camping trip next year. Dick, how is that KoA?

ktosv wrote:

Dick_B wrote:
We stay at the Streetsboro KOA and ride the bike trails in the Cuyahoga NP and occasionally take the train to a stop and ride back.

We have done the Cuyahoga NP three times with our 4 kids (now 12, 10, 7, 6). Do you have a "tag-a-long" or a bike trailer? We started out with the trailer (when the youngest was 2) and now the youngest rides a tag-a-long on these types of trips.

As Dick mentioned, there is the scenic railway that runs through the park and along the river and tow path. They have had a program called Bike-a-Board. You ride the trail and then when you get tired you find a station. Flag the train down and it will take you back to where you came from (as long as it's headed that direction). It is like $3 per person for the ride and is well worth it. If the little ones are riding we ride north as it is more downhill.

If you aren't into biking you can hike the tow path trail and there are several county park paths that spur off of the NP trail.

We have not camped but have stayed at a hotel in Twinsburg. I have however been eyeing campgrounds in the area in anticipation of making this a camping trip next year. Dick, how is that KoA?

This sounds perfect. We actually prefer biking over hiking, but somehow I forgot to mention that in my original post. Yes we bought the tag along last summer while up at Ludington and our 5 year old absolutely loves the thing. We love to bike and the train sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for mentioning going north as a downhill sounds more enjoyable for little legs.
Do you ride right from the campground into the park, or do you drive in. I have no idea of the proximity between these two places. Thanks

There is a bike trail near Hocking Hills. It is about a 30 minute drive to the trail. It goes from Nelsonville to Athens. I can't remember but I think it is about 18 miles long. There is also canoeing nearby as well.

If it matters to you, there is very poor or non-existent cell coverage at the park but great coverage when you get back to the main highway.

camperforlife wrote:

...

If it matters to you, there is very poor or non-existent cell coverage at the park but great coverage when you get back to the main highway.

Agreed. I have AT&T and you should assume you'll have no signal in many or most areas of the park.