Our Trip to Hocking Hills State Park Ohio.
Just a few pictures of our last camping trip of the year to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. I think this place is a true natural wonder. If you are interested in a much longer winded amateur review you can find that here.
This was the Last trip of the year but also the first trip out with friends. My very good friend and his girlfriend also bought their first camper earlier this year and finally on this last trip out we were able to camp right next to one another and it was a great time.
The size and slope of the campsites here are all over the place but there are several large and level sites. Yes - I have the camper backed up all the way into the woods as you can see but it was more of a matter of missing the power post with my rear slide than the size of the pad.
It's getting darker sooner now and so Friday was mainly about getting set up and cooking dinner for the crew and watching the radar for storms that had pop'd in the afternoon. Those storms made our friends late getting in but all was well, the Friday rains missed the campground completely and we had a great time after dinner sitting around the fire and catching up.
Saturday we went down to see Old Man's Cave. The park itself is a busy and wonderful place. If you like to hike, don't mind a lot of company, and enjoy nature. You have to take the time to visit here. Old Man's cave is very popular, and very busy, but for good reason. I wish pictures could do the place justice.
After a light lunch we went back to the campground. The DW has had foot issues and was done walking so DD, DS, and myself ventured back out to visit Rose Lake. I've been to this Park many times over the years on day visits but I've never made it to the Lake.
We were too early for the peak fall colors but *just* in time for the dropping of the Hickory nuts! Man! those things sounded almost like gunshot when they hit the top of a camper. LOL. I joked that we'd need a helmet to be outside if the wind really started blowing.
It's not a huge lake, just for fishing, but as the leaves were just starting to turn it was really pretty and not too much of a hike for little legs. We ventured along the trail for just awhile before heading back to camp to meet up with our friends for dinner (they had the Saturday chow duty) and to make sure we didn't get caught out in any bad weather. Cell service is nonexistent here for the most part so you have to be careful.
Dinner was great with good friends great food. We decided to watch the Buckeyes game outside. Luckily you can get plenty of Over the Air stations here so that wasn't an issue. The forecast was still calling for really heavy rains and maybe severe weather but so far we'd escaped with only a half-hour shower.
Sunday morning dawned with still none of the forecasted rain or storms. By this time I was convinced that they'd hold off till I really needed to have everything packed up, or while I was dumping tanks in a huge line, or while trying to get parked and unloaded at home.
Somehow none of that came to pass. The rains and wind didn't make it to central Ohio until three hours as after we were safely home and unpacked. It was a perfect weekend for the fall, Warm but cool enough to really get out and enjoy the outdoors and a campfire. It was a great way to end up our first season of Camping.
One last plug for the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. We've visited here many times over the years before this camping weekend and we've not scratched the surface. (Luckily we travel through often while we're on our way to and from the "farm" in farm_camp.) It's not the Rocky Mountains or Even the Smokys but it's beautiful and worth a visit.
One last very important tip: Do be VERY careful and stay on the marked trails when hiking. This is not a place to let young kids wonder in the woods or for adults for that matter to go alone or off the marked trails. There have been deaths here due to falling.
This was the Last trip of the year but also the first trip out with friends. My very good friend and his girlfriend also bought their first camper earlier this year and finally on this last trip out we were able to camp right next to one another and it was a great time.
The size and slope of the campsites here are all over the place but there are several large and level sites. Yes - I have the camper backed up all the way into the woods as you can see but it was more of a matter of missing the power post with my rear slide than the size of the pad.
It's getting darker sooner now and so Friday was mainly about getting set up and cooking dinner for the crew and watching the radar for storms that had pop'd in the afternoon. Those storms made our friends late getting in but all was well, the Friday rains missed the campground completely and we had a great time after dinner sitting around the fire and catching up.
Saturday we went down to see Old Man's Cave. The park itself is a busy and wonderful place. If you like to hike, don't mind a lot of company, and enjoy nature. You have to take the time to visit here. Old Man's cave is very popular, and very busy, but for good reason. I wish pictures could do the place justice.
After a light lunch we went back to the campground. The DW has had foot issues and was done walking so DD, DS, and myself ventured back out to visit Rose Lake. I've been to this Park many times over the years on day visits but I've never made it to the Lake.
We were too early for the peak fall colors but *just* in time for the dropping of the Hickory nuts! Man! those things sounded almost like gunshot when they hit the top of a camper. LOL. I joked that we'd need a helmet to be outside if the wind really started blowing.
It's not a huge lake, just for fishing, but as the leaves were just starting to turn it was really pretty and not too much of a hike for little legs. We ventured along the trail for just awhile before heading back to camp to meet up with our friends for dinner (they had the Saturday chow duty) and to make sure we didn't get caught out in any bad weather. Cell service is nonexistent here for the most part so you have to be careful.
Dinner was great with good friends great food. We decided to watch the Buckeyes game outside. Luckily you can get plenty of Over the Air stations here so that wasn't an issue. The forecast was still calling for really heavy rains and maybe severe weather but so far we'd escaped with only a half-hour shower.
Sunday morning dawned with still none of the forecasted rain or storms. By this time I was convinced that they'd hold off till I really needed to have everything packed up, or while I was dumping tanks in a huge line, or while trying to get parked and unloaded at home.
Somehow none of that came to pass. The rains and wind didn't make it to central Ohio until three hours as after we were safely home and unpacked. It was a perfect weekend for the fall, Warm but cool enough to really get out and enjoy the outdoors and a campfire. It was a great way to end up our first season of Camping.
One last plug for the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. We've visited here many times over the years before this camping weekend and we've not scratched the surface. (Luckily we travel through often while we're on our way to and from the "farm" in farm_camp.) It's not the Rocky Mountains or Even the Smokys but it's beautiful and worth a visit.
One last very important tip: Do be VERY careful and stay on the marked trails when hiking. This is not a place to let young kids wonder in the woods or for adults for that matter to go alone or off the marked trails. There have been deaths here due to falling.
