Buckeye Trail - Old Man's Cave

Old Man's Cave Section

Trail Alerts   •    Map Updates   •    Trail Towns   •    Section Blog

Trail Description


Cedar Falls.
Roseann Zuehl

Supervisor: Byron and Jamie Guy
• 614-306-6603

52.5 Total Miles / 18.1 Off Road Miles (34.5%)
Map Publication Date: October 2018

This section begins north of Logan at the exit from Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve onto SR 664. The trail meanders generally southwest throughout the section. It leaves the section from SR 327 south of Laurelville near Tar Hollow State Forest in Vinton County. The exit is 181’ lower than its entry. Along the way, it undulates over 10,000’. In order, you will visit footpath on private land in Marion Township (Hocking County), Lake Logan State Park, Hocking State Forest , Hocking Hills State Park, including the Old Man‘s Cave, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave units and, finally, various private lands in Jackson and Eagle Townships (Vinton County.) One of the private lands in Jackson Township is BTA‘s Pretty Run parcel purchased with help from the Clean Ohio Fund.

Within Lake Logan State Park, we honor one of the Buckeye Trail‘s founders, William (Bill) Miller, by naming a short section after him. In the Old Man‘s Cave area, we honor our most famous founder, Grandma Gatewood, by naming a portion of the trail after her. The State of Ohio has added a granite monument in her honor at the entrance to the gorge for which it is named.

Old Man‘s Cave area offers many amenities, including cabins, camping, ice cream, parking, tables, toilets, water, and dining lodge. Stop, rest and view 350 million years of geology as well as thousands of years of human history.

Click Here for a Key to Services

Trail Alerts

  • There are no trail alerts at this time.

Map Updates

  • (1/3/24)This map update is to inform hikers of the closure of Big Sycamore Campground which was located between Points 9 and 10 in the Old Man's Cave Section. On the 2018 map, the only reference to this campground is the camping symbol on the map portion of the section map. There is no text reference to the campground in the description of Point 9 or in the Camping Along the Trail portion of the section map.


  • (9/12/23)This map update corrects several directional instructions in the Pt. 18 (Bridle Trail at Unger Rd (T59A)) description. Pt. 18 had been Pt. 17 on the 2018 Old Mans Cave map edition, but was renamed in the map update of 6/12/2023 below this update notice.

    The corrections are noted in bold print:

    Pt. 18 Bridle Trail at Unger Rd (T59A)

    Enter woods on the bridle path that begins S but gradually turns W. After 0.11 mi, turn sharply SE and continue a gradual descent. After 0.22 mi, ford a stream and ascend E across a major ridge. After 0.28 mi, ford a stream and begin a steep ascent E. Near the ridge summit, turn S to SE and begin a gradual descent. After 0.5 mi, reach a utility line. In the next 400', leave the utility line, ford a stream and cross Culp Rd. Continue E on the bridle path over a low hill. Soon (0.1 mi), ford Old Man’s Cave Creek. Go E. After 0.1 mi, turn S at the entrance to the archery range parking area and cross SR 374/664.


  • (6/12/23)Byron Guy, Old Man’s Cave co-Section Supervisor, has announced a major reroute of the BT between Point 14 and 17 which now takes the trail back into restricted access areas in two State Nature Preserves, Little Rocky Hollow and Scheik Hollow. The effort to gain trail back in this area has taken 10 years to accomplish. Please respect this privilege – Leave No Trace and stay on the trail. This update applies to the 2018 map.

    This reroute moves Point 15 to 0.2 mi north of its former location on Kreshbaum Rd, inserts Point 16 to a location on Hockman Rd (T238), adds 1.5 mi between new Point 16 to newly designated Point 17, and increases the remaining Point numbers by 1. The section now has 29 Points and a total of 52.5 mi. In the Point descriptions, the CW miles increase from Points 17 to 29 by 1.5 mi. The CCW miles increase by 1.5 mi from Points 16 to 1. See the new information below:
    • Pt. 14 Rocky Fork Rd (T232) at Hocking State Forest HSF) — Reroute starts here at the end of Pt. 14 with this text rewrite: After 1.9 mi, ford Big Rocky Fork and climb S, then generally W past trailhead parking sign (white blazes) on steep skid road. After .5 mi cross Kreshbaum Rd (C9) through horse styles.
    • Pt. 15 Footpath w/horse styles at Kreshbaum Rd. (C9) CW 22.6 W, CCW 29.9 E
      CW UNAUTHORIZED TRAIL USE STRICTLY ENFORCED ODNR and DNAP have allowed the BT to reestablish the trail across two State Nature Preserves, Little Rocky Hollow and Scheik Hollow. Please follow Leave No Trace principles closely and stay on trail in this fragile environment.

      BT continues SW and soon enters Little Rocky Hollow SNP. STAY ON TRAIL. In 1000' the BT turns SE, and after switchback descends NW then SW into the creek valley. Continue across small intermittent stream and passing through hollow valley generally NW before ford of Little Rocky Branch. BT ascends from branch and turns NW below massive sandstone cliffs before crossing small stream and turning W ascending steeply. Crossing small foot bridge BT leaves SNP and enters HSF. BT turns S, then W before crossing unmaintained Extine Rd (T229) and passing through remnants of hilltop farmstead before entering Scheik Hollow SNP. STAY ON TRAIL. BT descends into lush hemlock valley before small intermittent creek crossing and soon after above large waterfall through (name of the creek/branch?). BT soon leaves SNP into HSF and ascends steeply through wooded valleyside before passing through horse styles onto Hockman Rd (T238).
    • Pt. 16 Hockman Rd (T238) at horse styles (P) CW 24.6 S CCW 27.9 NE
      CCW UNAUTHORIZED TRAIL USE STRICTLY ENFORCED ODNR and DNAP have allowed the BT to reestablish the trail across two State Nature Preserves, Little Rocky Hollow and Scheik Hollow. Please follow Leave No Trace principles closely and stay on trail in this fragile environment.

      BT turns S on Hockman Rd past styles and soon after (0.2 mi) turns W into Airplane Rock Parking Lot. Past service gate BT follows gravel road to orange blaze bridle trail and turns S into HSF on bridle trail. Bridle Trail follows gorge rim of Long Hollow, past view of Chapel Cave (2250' facing N) before descending into creek valley. Bridle trail meanders through creek valley for 0.5 miles past HSF trail kiosk before entering into HSF Climbing Area Parking Lot and crossing Big Pine Rd (C11).
    • Pt. 17 Big Pine Rd (C11) at Entrance to Hocking State Forest Climbing Area (P) CW 26.1 S CCW 26.4 E
    • Pt. 18 Bridle Trail at Unger Rd (T59A) CW 28.3 S CCW 24.2 NE

Trail Towns

  • There are no Trailtowns in this Section at the present time.

Section Blogs

  • (5/22/23) Old Man's Cave Section Blog - Provided by Victoria Livingston, BTA hiker. Join Victoria and her husband Dave as they hiked from Point 9 to 15 in the Old Man's cave Section. They had several stream crossings, saw large rock formations, and enjoyed the dusting of snow. Follow their adventure here .
  • (11/6/23) Old Man's Cave Section Blog - Provided by Victoria Livingston, BTA hiker. Because a thunderstorm was predicted, Victoria and her husband Dave decided to hike on Saturday instead of Sunday. They needed someone to carpool with and got lucky enough to arrive at the trailhead at the same time as four other hikers. They all carpooled, and one of the hikers taught them new tricks for dealing with dogs along the trail. Follow their adventure - Sometimes You Get Lucky and New Trail Friends.