Rockbridge Preserve Trail
| Distance | 2.75 miles |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Elevation | Moderate changes, uneven terrain |
| Time | 90 minutes – 2 hours |
| Pets | ❌ Prohibited (State Nature Preserve) |
| Accessible | ❌ Not wheelchair accessible |
| Hours | Dawn to dusk, year-round |
| Fee | Free — no entry or parking fee |
The trail winds through mixed hardwood and hemlock forest, descending into a ravine before reaching the natural bridge viewpoint. The sandstone arch spans more than 100 feet and is best viewed from the trail below, where its full scale becomes apparent against the forest canopy. The trail loops back along the ravine rim with views down into the hollow.
Nearby Trails (5–20 Minutes from Rockbridge)
Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve
5 minutes from Rockbridge · Gorge Trail: 0.75 mi (Easy) · Rim Trail: 2.0–2.5 mi (Strenuous) · ❌ No pets
One of Ohio's deepest gorges with nearly 200-foot sandstone walls. The gorge trail is wheelchair accessible (two-way, out-and-back). The rim trail features exposed cliff edges and 70–100 foot drops — not for the faint-hearted.
Rock House
10 minutes from Rockbridge · 0.5–1.0 mi (Moderate-Difficult) · ~200 CCC-carved stone stairs · ✅ Dogs on leash
Ohio's only true cave — a 200-foot-long, 30-foot-wide corridor set midway up a 150-foot cliff with seven gothic-arch windows. Evidence of Native American habitation. Known as "Robbers' Roost."
Old Man's Cave
15 minutes from Rockbridge · 1.0–1.5 mi (Moderate) · ✅ Dogs on leash · Partial ADA access
The flagship trail: Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub, Sphinx Head, the recess cave of hermit Richard Rowe. Parking fills by 10 AM on weekends. One-way trail system.
Cantwell Cliffs
20 minutes from Rockbridge · 1.8–2.0 mi (Difficult) · 223 ft elevation · ✅ Dogs on leash
The most remote and challenging trail. Fat Woman's Squeeze, massive slump blocks, 150-foot gorge walls. The least crowded of all seven areas.
Whispering Cave & Hemlock Bridge Trail
15 minutes from Rockbridge · 1.2–5.0 mi (Moderate-Strenuous) · ✅ Dogs on leash
The park's second-largest recess cave (300 ft wide) with the tallest waterfall in Hocking Hills (100+ ft). Ranked #1 Best Hiking Trail in the US by USA Today 10Best in 2024.
Full trail guides with GPS coordinates, parking details, and seasonal conditions: HockingHikes.com →