Hocking HillsWhere all the best roads lead . . .HIKE. STAY. PLAY. YOUR HOCKING HILLS ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!

Hocking Hills State  Park - Upper Falls

Tinker's Cave

One of the sections of Wayne National Forest steeped in local history and lore is Tinker’s Cave, a rockshelter between ridges. Its story goes like this: Hocking Hills Hiking Trails - A Guide to the Hiking Trails of the Hocking Hills-The Book
In the mid-1800s, Shep Tinker was a horse thief, hooligan, and cattle rustler. He secreted stolen livestock in the region’s caves until he could move them to northern Ohio to sell. He was always up to some shenanigans. One time, Tinker was riding through the country on a Sunday morning. As he passed a church one morning, he was mistaken for the circuit-riding preacher who traveled from church to church to deliver sermons to remote parishioners in small communities with no ministers. He was given a warm welcome, brought into the church, preached, and was on his way soon after without anyone knowing the better!

Once, he stole a black horse belonging to a local doctor. Upon seeing Tinker sneak off with his horse, the doctor took off after the thief and nearly caught up. Realizing he would be overtaken, Tinker bound the horse’s muzzle with a white cloth and turned the horse around until he was heading toward the doctor. In the darkness, the man called out to Tinker and asked if he had seen a rider with a black horse. Tinker said, “Yes, I did! He went thataway!” He pointed the poor physician in the direction he had come. The doctor took off again after his horse, not realizing until later that the horse thief had tricked him!
Shepherd Tinker disappeared after the Civil War. Locals always said that Shep stole horses from the wrong farmer and ended up on the short end of a noose right in the cave where he hid most of his stolen animals and the large rock shelter that bears his name, Tinker’s Cave. Nowadays, some say Tinker and his stolen horses haunt it as you can hear voices and soft horse whinnies inside!

Parking/Trailhead: For parking, watch for the small gravel pull-of on Burton Hill
Road. Hikers take the rugged trail on the same side as the pull-off.
down the hillside to the cave.
Wayne National Forest
12318 Burton Hill Road
New Straitsville, Ohio 43766
39.545483, -82.226367

Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest

Tinker's Cave. Just a short, but rugged hike at Wayne National Forest.


Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest Trail

The trail before it dips down to the shelter of Tinker's Cave.


Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest

The Pull-off is small.

Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest

 Fire Tower - Wayne National Forest

Just a short walk from the parking pull-off and across Sand Run Road on to Jacob's Road is a small trail to the right leading to the historical fire tower. Called Shawnee Lookout, it is the last fire lookout tower in Wayne National Forest. It was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

 

Tinker's Cave

 

Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest near Nelsonville Ohio

On the Fringe of the Hocking Hills outside Nelsonville, Ohio


 

 

Tinkers Cave Wayne National Forest near Nelsonville Ohio

OPEN ALL YEAR-ROUND FROM DAWN TO DUSK

There are seven major hiking areas in Hocking Hills State Park - All are one-way trail systems.  

Ash CaveOld Man's CaveRock House, Conkle's HollowCedar FallsCantwell Cliffs, and Whispering Cave Trail. These park areas offer a unique experience for those who walk its paths no matter what season (the park is open year-round from dawn to dusk)—located on the southern edge of Hocking County. But those are just a handful. There are many hiking trails in the Hocking Hills include those at Wayne National Forest, Clear Creek Metro Parks, Lake Hope State Park, Vinton County Park District's Moonville Tunnel, and Hocking College's Robbins Crossing (with park programs) and the Athens Hock-Hocking Adena Rail Trail bikeway.