One sunny day this summer we decided to visit Balanced Rock (also known as "Table Top Rock"). I'd seen pictures of it many times, but had never been there.
We parked at the gravel lot in Hocking State Forest, just up Big Pine Road from Conkle's Hollow. We'd parked here the previous week on our visit to Airplane Rock. We crossed the street and came to a footbridge across Big Pine Creek that consisted of an I-beam with boards across it. Then we took the wrong turn off and ended up in Read more ➜ Hocking State Forest: Balanced Rock
One sunny day this summer we decided to visit Balanced Rock (also known as "Table Top Rock"). I'd seen pictures of it many times, but had never been there.
We parked at the gravel lot in Hocking State Forest, just up Big Pine Road from Conkle's Hollow. We'd parked here the previous week on our visit to Airplane Rock. We crossed the street and came to a footbridge across Big Pine Creek that consisted of an I-beam with boards across it. Then we took the wrong turn off and ended up in Read more ➜ 
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. We stood on top of a rock outcropping shaped like an airplane overlooking Crane Hollow far below. From our vantage point, we had a magnificent view of the forest valley and hillsides miles away.
The outcropping is known as Airplane Rock. The trailhead leading to Airplane Rock is just up the road from Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve. The trail itself is a bridle trail which hikers are allowed to share. Surprisingly there is no signage that might 
Conkle's Hollow is a narrow gorge with breathtaking cliffs rising on either side; the cliffs are made of Blackhand sandstone and are quite sheer in places, the taller ones reaching up to 200 feet in height. Seasonal waterfalls flow from the cliffs at many sites, their streams joining to form Pine Creek on the valley floor.
Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve has two main trails. The Rim Trail is on the plateau above and leads you around the upper border of the gorge. 
Quite a few of the parks where I hike have structures or other vestiges of days gone by. During our hike to Clear Creek Metro Park, there was a log cabin and a barn made of hand-hewn timber. For a while I had been thinking, "Wouldn't it be fun to take my photos of these structures, and give them a vintage look?" So here is my first effort at doing just that.
I followed the instructions I found in this YouTube video to do the above photo-editing. The instructor in the video 
Cedar Falls is a scenic waterfall situated on the trail halfway between Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave. The falls was named by early settlers after the nearby cedar trees, of which there are none. The settlers misidentified the native hemlock trees as cedars.
Cedar Falls can be reached by car on SR 374, just a short drives from either Old Man's Cave or Ash Cave. Amenities include several parking lots, picnic shelters, rest rooms, and drinking water. Although there are several hiking 
Clear Creek Metro Park is part of the Columbus / Franklin Metro Park system, but is located an hours drive from Columbus in the Hocking Hills region.
The entrance to the park is off of route 33. You'll pass a cliff, a large slump block, and a log cabin and reach a parking area in a valley containing the Clear Creek that gave its name to the park. Numerous hiking trails are available in the combined 5,260 acre metro park and the adjacent 4,729 Clear Creek State Nature Preserve. Amenities 
Rockbridge is a small but scenic nature preserve in the Hocking Hills area containing a natural stone arch. It is longest arch of about a dozen stone arches in the state.
Getting to Rockbridge is relatively easy, but finding it the first time... not so much. A small brown "Rockbridge State Nature Preserve" sign on US Rt 33 directs you to a nondescript exit on to Dalton Rd. The road parallels 33 for a short ways and turns to the north. After about 3/4 mile there's a small parking lot 
Ash Cave is another popular attraction in Hocking Hills State Park. It is accessible by car on SR 56, a short drive from Old Man's Cave and Cedar Falls.
Ash Cave is Ohio's largest recess cavern. It is at the end of a roughly U-shaped valley surrounded by cliff walls. High above the recess cave a waterfall spills into a stream that traverses the valley floor.
There is a small parking area at the entrance to the short trail that leads to Ash Cave. Additional parking is just 
Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve is a scenic narrow gorge located in Hocking Hills State Park. Two trails are available to hikers. The upper trail is the Conkle's Hollow Rim Trail. This is a spectacular loop trail that follows along the rim of the cliff walls affording a view of the valley and the cliff on the other side. A word of caution: this trail is moderately strenuous and not at all suitable for small children. Enjoy the view, but stay away from the cliff edges! The overall hike is about 
Rose Lake is in the Hocking Hills State Park. The lake's also known as the Hocking Hills Reservoir. When hiking between Old Man's Cave and Cedar Falls, Rose Lake marks the halfway point. The annual Hocking Hills Winter Hike follows this very path every January, so depending on the weather it will be frozen or partly frozen then.
An earthen dam is responsible for this 17 acre man-made lake which has concrete spillway on one edge. Fishing is permitted with a valid Ohio fishing license.