In early September we visited and stayed overnight at a 60 acre private park in Pike County. According to legend we were just a few hundred feet away from the lair of a spectral wolf named Old Raridan.
The area is known as ‘Big Rock’ after the rocky peak that towers 200 feet above the surrounding country side. A small cave high on the side of the peak was also reputedly the home of the wolf Old Raridan who legend says was killed in an epic battle with local settlers at the end of the 18th century. His ghost is said to prowl the area and howl from the cliff edge during a full moon.
The owners of the park run Big Rock Cabins. We rented a cabin near the Big Rock which included access to the private trail system. We hiked to Big Rock in the late afternoon and visited two other knobs – Prophet Peak and Turkey Rock the next morning. Our sleep at the cabin was undisturbed by prowling wolf ghosts.
Hundreds of millions of years ago, Ohio was a shallow sea. Rounded stones of quartz were deposited by rivers in the sediment on the sea bottom. The sandstone cliffs of Big Rock are embedded with the quartz aggregate deposited long ago.
In the nineteenth century the area was home to a community of emancipated former slaves from Virginia. The community was centered around the Sharon Baptist Church near Big Rock. An annual summer celebration known as Big Rock Meeting Day brought together people of all races to meet, worship, and celebrate in the shadow of Big Rock. The celebration was held annually from post civil-war until 1962.
Additional information
- Big Rock Cabins Web Site
- Ghosts of Ohio: Legend of Old Raridan
- Big Rock Cabins: Ghostly sounds explained?
- Big Rock Cabins: Article about Big Rock Meeting Day by Ethel Weese
- Big Rock Cabins: Another Article about Big Rock Meeting Day by Robert Ervin
- TrekOhio: Pike County Parks & Nature Preserves
More on Southeastern Ohio
Rock Stalls Natural Sanctuary
Hocking Hills State Park: Whispering Cave
Great Seal State Park
Wayne National Forest (Ironton Unit): Lake Vesuvius
I was the first guest in the first cabin built and my stay was extraordinary. The hot tub on the deck and the fireplace inside plus the unique construction was so enjoyable. The peace and quiet is awesome and the hike to Big Rock is easy, even for an oldster like me. I recommend this destination to anyone seeking tranquility and spend more than one night if you can. I can hardly wait to return, hopefully very soon.
This place is GREAT! I stayed there in April, 2014. From Washington State so don’t get out there much. What a great find! Thank goodness the owners are such wonderful people and so welcoming. At the same time, though, they leave you alone and let you wander. Perfect mix of hospitality and privacy. Thanks for the pics.
Oh, wow, that’s a place I would surely love to around. I wonder if people are allowed to climb the Big Rock.
Since an individual owns the land, I think it would be a matter of asking his permission. During our stay he had us sign a liability waiver, so if we fell off a cliff or something, we couldn’t sue him.
What an interesting story of Old Raridan, along with great photos! 🙂
Thanks, Carol. I am relieved that no ghost wolves troubled our stay.