I like to rake only so I can jump in the leaves. Well, that and so I can leave the pile behind for a nice park trail...where the sound of crunch, crrrunch, crrrrrunnnnnnch doesn't remind me that it's time to winterize the yard.
Thanks to its climate, the one we love to hate, Ohio has the natural ability to put on a spectacular annual show. The brilliance and variety of colors here is like nowhere else. Why wouldn't you want to get out and enjoy it? (Before or after the football game, of course.)
Here are a few places to hit the trail and enjoy our free fall show:
Old Man's Cave
Take a hike through one of Ohio's most popular spots. You'll find Old Man's Cave on State Route 664 in the beautiful Hocking Hills. The six-mile Grandma Gatewood hiking trail leads you from Upper Falls to Old Man's Cave, to Cedar Falls, and into Ash Cave. The trail is popular locally and is nationally recognized as part of the North Country Scenic Trail and America's Discovery Trail. It also comprises part of our own Buckeye Trail, so you'll see blue blazes on the tree trunks--a welcome spot of color any time of year. Find out more about the trails at http://www.discoverytrail.org/states/ohi... and http://www.buckeyetrail.org/
Did an Old Man Really Live Here?
Yes. Local storytellers say a hermit named Richard Rowe lived in the large recess cave of the gorge after his family moved to the Ohio River Valley around 1796. He is said to have found the Hocking Hills when he and his two dogs were traveling along the Scioto River in search of game. He found the gorge inviting (don't we all) and the cave cozy (remember, he was a hermit) and so he made the area his home. He is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave. Even before Rowe caved in (heh, heh) two brothers, Nathaniel and Pat Rayon, called the cave home. The Rayons built a permanent cabin just north of the cave entrance. The cabin was later dismantled and relocated on a nearby farm, but both brothers are buried in or near the cave.
The Old Man's Cave area, along the valley of Old Man's Creek, runs through Upper Falls, Upper Gorge, Middle Falls, Lower Falls and Lower Gorge. Visit http://www.hockinghills.com/ for a guide to Hocking Hills area, State parks, trail maps, etc. There are even opportunities to enjoy the view from the saddle--one of several farms that offer trail riding is online at http://www.hthorsebackrides.com/
Thanks to its climate, the one we love to hate, Ohio has the natural ability to put on a spectacular annual show. The brilliance and variety of colors here is like nowhere else. Why wouldn't you want to get out and enjoy it? (Before or after the football game, of course.)
Here are a few places to hit the trail and enjoy our free fall show:
Old Man's Cave
Take a hike through one of Ohio's most popular spots. You'll find Old Man's Cave on State Route 664 in the beautiful Hocking Hills. The six-mile Grandma Gatewood hiking trail leads you from Upper Falls to Old Man's Cave, to Cedar Falls, and into Ash Cave. The trail is popular locally and is nationally recognized as part of the North Country Scenic Trail and America's Discovery Trail. It also comprises part of our own Buckeye Trail, so you'll see blue blazes on the tree trunks--a welcome spot of color any time of year. Find out more about the trails at http://www.discoverytrail.org/states/ohi... and http://www.buckeyetrail.org/
Did an Old Man Really Live Here?
Yes. Local storytellers say a hermit named Richard Rowe lived in the large recess cave of the gorge after his family moved to the Ohio River Valley around 1796. He is said to have found the Hocking Hills when he and his two dogs were traveling along the Scioto River in search of game. He found the gorge inviting (don't we all) and the cave cozy (remember, he was a hermit) and so he made the area his home. He is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave. Even before Rowe caved in (heh, heh) two brothers, Nathaniel and Pat Rayon, called the cave home. The Rayons built a permanent cabin just north of the cave entrance. The cabin was later dismantled and relocated on a nearby farm, but both brothers are buried in or near the cave.
The Old Man's Cave area, along the valley of Old Man's Creek, runs through Upper Falls, Upper Gorge, Middle Falls, Lower Falls and Lower Gorge. Visit http://www.hockinghills.com/ for a guide to Hocking Hills area, State parks, trail maps, etc. There are even opportunities to enjoy the view from the saddle--one of several farms that offer trail riding is online at http://www.hthorsebackrides.com/
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