Autumn Leaf Report - October beginning
Estimated Peak Arrival: Mid October . .
.
September 21 - Warm days, cool nights
and not much rain this September. But the deep greens
are beginning to fade to a smoky gray-green. Although not yet the deep
maroons, pumpkin oranges and golden yellows of mid-October, the changes
are just a month away!
View from fire tower - Hocking Hills State Forest September 15,
2008
View from fire tower - Hocking Hills State Forest
October 1,
2008
View from fire tower - Hocking Hills State Forest
October 8, 2008
View from fire tower - Hocking Hills State Forest
October 11, 2008
Not sure when the colors might change? Take a look below for last
year's show. Each year is a little different - rain, temperature and
other factors play a part in the change, so it may be a little earlier
or a little later each year.
October
Granny Gatewood Fall Color Tour
Exceeding the January Winter Hike in more
than just the spectacular color, this hike is a must for those who want
an inside look-see of the magnificent beauty of the fall color change in
the Hocking Hills!
Bring along a cool drink and celebrate the season’s
colors. Meet with the naturalist at the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center
for a strenuous hike that spans roughly 6 miles of the Grandma Gatewood
trail. We will be traversing the section that runs from Old Man’s Cave
to Cedar Falls and back while enjoying
the scenic beauty and cultural personality. This hike does include
several hills and steps and is not recommended for the easily winded
individual. (Approx. 3 to 4 hrs)
Autumn Leaf Report: Are worth bringing your
camera to take a few shots.
 Rose
Lake-Peak Color |
Cantwell Cliffs Peak Color |
 A
hillside-October |
So you're coming to the Hocking Hills for the Autumn changeover,
but don't know where to go? Here's a few ideas from the locals!
Autumn. It is here in the Hocking Hills with bright yellows, deep oranges and
brilliant maroons. And there is alot of it. You don't even have to get our of
your car to catch an entire horizon of fall colors. But if you've come to hike,
take pictures, relax and catch a few colors before Winter comes crashing down on
us with snow, here's a few places you can drive to see some greens, oranges,
yellows and maroons.
Start out at
Ash Cave (See the map below) on
State Route 56. Make a left out of the parking lot and turn on the first
road to the left-State Route 374. You'll pass places like
Hocking Hills Maple Farm
and Cedar Falls Hiking
Trail. If
you're not in a hurry, stop at the Rose Lake Fishing gravel parking area not far
after Cedar Falls on the right hand side. You can hike down to Rose Lake and get
a bit of color there, too.
Continue on until you get to the stop sign on State Route 664 and turn
left. This road will take you past
Old Man's Cave. Continue along 664 until you get to State Route 374
on the right-This will lead you toward the Rock Climbing Area past
Conkle's Hollow,
Cantwell Cliffs and
Rock House.
Cool Places to Stop:
Ravenwood Castle:
The Little Shops at
Ravenwood are open to the public May
through October
Thursday - Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The
shops are always open for Ravenwood lodging guests.
The Little Shops at
Ravenwood offer unique items from near and far like gargoyles, dragons,
unicorns, fairies, puppets, children's books, traditional games and
other delights. About three
miles past Ash Cave, turn south (right) on St. Rt. 93 and go 2.5 miles
to Bethel Road (purple Castle sign). Turn left on Bethel Road and
follow the signs to the top of the hill.
Forestry
Area past Conkle's Hollow
Take State Route 374 and turn on Big Pine Road. On
the left, you'll pass the parking lot into Conkle's Hollow. Follow the road
about 2 miles until you see a gravel lot designated as the rock climbing and
rappelling area lot. Just across the street, there is a trail that crosses over
a small foot bridge. Follow the trail across the bridge to where the trail
forks. Take the fork to the right and follow the dirt trail about 1/4 mile to
the waterfall.
Cool Places to Stop:
Conkle's Hollow:
Conkle's Hollow has two trails-one meanders along the forest floor, and
the second trail takes you above the tree canopy for some awesome
photos.
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 Don't
forget to wear your nice, worn-in old boots. Trails can be muddy and
slippery this time of year. |
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Cantwell
Cliffs
Take
State Route 374 15 miles north of Old Man's Cave.
Cantwell Cliffs is one of the most remote and the least visited of the six
park areas. The trail overlaps itself so look at the map carefully if you want
to avoid going in circles. There is a 2 mile gorge trail and approximately a
mile of rim trail.
Cool Places to Stop:If
you keep following State Route 374, it will take you to State Route 33. The
Hocking Hills Flea Market is right outside the town of Rockbridge. Also, one of
the best stops for a cup of coffee and deli sandwiches after hiking the day away
is at Great Expectations in the parking lot of the flea market.
