Heaven for Hounds in Hocking Hills, Ohio
- Luie Boone
- 12 minutes ago
- 8 min read
This travel spot is featured in our fourth blog series, Hounds Honored.
Hocking Hills, Ohio, is like heaven for hounds!
Located about an hour southeast of Columbus, Hocking Hills is a part of the Allegheny Plateau in Appalachian Ohio. It features gorgeous and exciting topography—including cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls! And do you want to know how this extreme topography came to be? Well, it's because of something called Blackhand Sandstone, which got its name from Native American graphics found on the cave walls nearby! This type of sandstone has a thick and hard formation.
The main gateway to Hocking Hills is the town of Logan. This is the most paw-some place to begin your dog-friendly vacation. It offers a warm, small-town atmosphere. The M&M Family Diner is a local gem, with its outdoor seating welcoming in pups and its delicious classic menu. Interestingly, the diner just moved into a new location: Hocking Hills Moonshine. That means, you can grab a tasty bite at the M&M Family Diner and then pick up a bottle of moonshine after! Plus, you can explore the historic downtown with its charming stores. Please always check pet-policies. And if you're looking for an outdoors adventure, the nearby Lake Logan State Park features lakeside trails and picnic spots. It is also home to the 400-acre Lake Logan, which is paw-some for boating and fishing!
Just a few minutes north of Logan, you will find the town of Rockbridge. Here, you can find the Hocking State Forest, which spans over 9,800-acres and boasts dog-friendly hiking trails, scenic rock formations, and a fire tower. Its unique blend of northern and southern vegetation creates a diverse habitat for native plant and wildlife species. Please keep your pup on a leash (or have good recall), in order to preserve the plants and wildlife. If you're looking for something different, check out Hocking Hills Canopy Tours! Dogs are allowed on the grounds, while their hoomans zip across the zipline courses above. Luie Boone is perfectly fine with that. Him and ziplines? Nah-uh, he'd like to keep his four paws on the ground. After his hoomans are done ziplining, he'll drag them to Rockbridge's natural bridge. It is more than 100 feet long and 10-20 feet wide, stretching across a ravine!
North of Hocking Hills sits the town of Nelsonville. This spot can add a touch of art and charm to your vacation. Its historic downtown square features boutiques and coffee shops. There is also some paw-some place called Adventure Pro Outdoors, which is a premier, dog-friendly canoe, kayaking, and tubing rental business on the Hocking River. Hoomans can bring along their pups and enjoy a relaxing (or not so relaxing) day on the river. Yeah, that's a dig towards Luie Boone, who'll probably slip right through his tube or tip the kayak right over!
About thirty minutes northwest, there is the small town of Lancaster. Luie Boone suggests checking out the Alley Park here. Why? Because it offers more than 300 acres of wooded trails. Just imagine all the things to sniff! There is also the downtown to explore, with cool places like the Ale House 1890. This spot features a pet-friendly patio, serves made-from-scratch food, and offers eighteen different beers on tap! Luie Boone will never be able to get his hooman dad, Randy, to leave!
No visit to Hocking Hills is complete without exploring the Hocking Hills State Park! This park welcomes leashed dogs on nearly all of its trails, which gives you countless opportunities to experience the region's famous scenery together. There are a few caves to check out here. One is the Old Man's Cave, which winds through bridges, rock formations, and waterfalls! The other is Ash Cave. This cave proves a short, paved trail—paw-some for the older dogs—and leads you to an impressive, natural amphitheater. There's also the Cedar Falls! This offers a quieter, wooded path.
For the foodies, don't worry! Many local restaurants around the Hocking Hills area welcome dogs on their patios. Jack’s Steak House and Millstone BBQ in Logan are two popular options. For a more refined dining option, Luie Boone suggests Kindred Spirits at The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls. The Hocking Hills Winery is another must-visit, where you can sip a glass of local wine while your dog relaxes beside you.
Evenings in Hocking Hills are peaceful and beautiful, especially under the region’s dark, star-filled skies. Whether you’re sitting by a fire pit at your cabin or sipping wine outdoors, it’s the perfect way to end the day with your dog curled up by your side.
A trip to Hocking Hills with your dog is more than just a getaway. It’s a shared experience filled with discovery, relaxation, and connection. With pet-friendly trails, welcoming towns, and cozy places to stay, it’s a destination that both you and your furry companion will love!
Paws Rest Here
Luie Boone paw-selected this perfect vacation rental for your stay in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Check it out below!
Rental Name: Touch of Grey
This rental has 4 bedrooms with 5 beds and 2 bathrooms.
Photos by hockinghillsescapes.com
It features the following amenities:
Overlooks ravine
Tranquil creek runs through the ravine
Deck with large gas grill (propane provided)
Sauna
7-person hot tub
Dogs get their own bed, food bowl, water bowl, treats, crate, and towels
Backyard is very spacious and fenced-in, backing up to a big, wooded hill
What does Luie Boone think of this rental? He woofed:
My hoomans keep talking about a rustic cabin called Touch of Grey in Hocking Hills, Ohio. I can already tell it’s going to be a dream come true for dogs like me. It’s a luxury, dog-friendly cabin surrounded by woods, trails, and wide-open space—paw-some for running, sniffing, and napping all day. Dogs stay for free and get treated like family, with our own bed, bowls, treats, towels, and even a crate. There is even a fenced yard and gated deck, so I can play safely while my humans relax by the fire or soak in the hot tub. Inside, there’s a cozy stone hearth wood burning fireplace, a fun game room, and 5 soft beds perfect for snuggling! My hoomans rave about the coffee bar and retro kitchen. I’m bringing one of my favorite pals—my stuffed otter named Roger—so he can join the adventure, too! Best of all, there’s a new activity nearby at Paws and Claws Animal Encounters called Swimming with Otters, in their climate-controlled Encounter Barn. I can already picture Roger and me watching the otters splash around and plotting secret otter adventures while my hoomans laugh and take pictures. Touch of Grey already sounds perfect for humans and pups to unwind. I can’t wait to explore the trails, stretch out on the deck, and curl up by the fire with Roger.
Paws Venture Here
Luie Boone sniffed out and dug up these local gems for you to check out while vacationing in Hocking Hills, Ohio!
Hocking Hills Canoe Livery
Luie Boone says your hoomans better take you to the Hocking Hills Canoe Livery. This is a full-service canoe and kayak rental shop, which is located on the Hocking River in Logan, Ohio. Here, you can enjoy a dog-friendly paddle trip on the relaxing river. There are plenty of islands and sand bars to explore. Please check for seasonal hours and bring a life jacket along for your pooch. Luie Boone cannot wait to wear his green-camo life jacket and stand at the front of the canoe, just like that cool pooch pictured.
Old Man's Cave
The Old Man's Cave is one of Ohio's most popular natural attractions, and it allows dogs to explore the natural rock formation! You can wander the trails around the cavern, head inside to check it out, or just pause outside to watch the cascading waterfalls. Old Man's Cave derives its name from the hermit Richard Rowe, who lived in the large recess cave of the gorge. He and his two dogs traveled through Ohio along the Scioto River in search of game. And on one side trip up Salt Creek, he found the Hocking Region!
Queer Creek
The Queer Creek is a major stream that runs through Hocking Hills State Park. To see the Queer Creek join into the Salt Creek before plunging into a gorge, you will need to hike the Grandma Gatewood Trail. After the creek plunges down, you would expect the stream to continue west down the obvious valley. Instead, it goes the wrong way and turns left (south) instead—that's how the creek got its name!
Rock House
The Rock House is unique in the Hocking Hills region, as it's the only true cave in the park! It has a tunnel-like corridor, which is situated midway up a 150-foot cliff of Blackhand Sandstone! As one might imagine, Rock House was used for shelter by past visitors. It also served as a baking oven for Native Americans using the cave! By building a fire in the small recesses, the rock became heated on all sides and food could be baked. Not all visitors were nice. There were robbers, horse thieves, murderers and even bootleggers—which gave it its reputation as Robbers Roost.
Fat Woman’s Squeeze
This narrow, tight passageway at Cantwell Cliffs has been sarcastically named Fat Woman's Squeeze. The Squeeze is a narrow, tight passageway between two large rock walls. This narrow passage adds an element of adventure to the hiking experience at Cantwell Cliffs, making it a memorable and fun challenge for hoomans and their pups exploring the area. You can access the Squeeze via the Rim Trail on your way to the Gorge Trail.
Rock Stalls Natural Sanctuary
Tucked away in the lush expanse of the Hocking Hills region, you will find the Rock Stalls Natural Sanctuary. This is a place not found on every tourist’s map, but it’s every bit as enchanting as the famed state park nearby! Locally known as the Rock Stall Nature Preserve, this sanctuary offers a serene escape into nature’s embrace. The loop trail, which stretches 1.1 miles, beckons you and your canine pal with a call to adventure, which both accessible and inviting.
Whispering Cave Loop and the Hemlock Bridge
The Whispering Cave loop, which includes the “swinging” Hemlock Bridge, is a 5-mile dog friendly loop hiking trail in the Hocking Hills State Park. It’s well marked with signs. At the QQ waypoint there’s a short 0.2 mile out-and-back trail to experience the cave itself. The cave acoustics are noteworthy: whispers echo against the sandstone walls, giving the cave its name. While you’re exploring the cave, be sure to look for the turtle carved into one of the large rocks!
58 West
The 58 West is a popular restaurant, featuring a covered and heated patio. It serves up a menu of fine wine, craft beer, and premium spirits with casual, yet elevated food. The menu features tasty dishes—such as short rib poutine, steakhouse cobb salad, Appalachian Street corn, and scallop risotto. Luie Boone doesn't know what half of them words mean, but he already knows the food will be tasty. And guess what? They'll bring your pup out a bowl of water and maybe even grill up a piece of chicken and some apples for them.
Luie Boone's Pet Peeve about
Hocking Hills, Ohio
There's just so much to love about this vacation destination, but there's one thing that's got Luie Boone's leash in a twist. He woofed:
I am so excited for this vacation. There's going to be new forests, new smells, and new squirrels to intimidate! I can already picture myself trotting through the state park like an explorer. Then I heard the terrible news: “Dogs aren’t allowed to swim or wade in the creeks or waterfalls there.” My whole tail-wagging world stopped. Ever since, I’ve been doing dramatic sighs, hoping someone changes the rule just for me. The hoomans are still getting everything ready: hiking boots, snacks, my leash… but every time they talk about “beautiful waterfalls,” they follow it with, “but Luie can’t go in the water.” They say it like it isn’t breaking my heart. Still, I’ll make the best of it. I’ll sniff every plant, greet every dog, and strut down those trails like I own them—even if every sparkling pool of water tries to tempt me. And if I “accidentally” slip near a creek? Well, that’s between me and gravity.
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