HOCKING HILLS

Starry Skies

Looking up at Ohio’s night sky encouraged astronaut John Glenn to reach for the stars. The John Glenn Astronomy Park, named after the Ohio native and first American to orbit the Earth, is the perfect spot to find that same inspiration. Away from the glow of artificial light, the Hocking Hills State Park locale offers a glimpse of the Milky Way, constellations and planets like Jupiter and Venus. Late spring is what director Brad Hoehne, an amateur astronomer who helped establish the park with Friends of the Hocking Hills, refers to as galaxy season: when it’s possible to see individual galaxy spirals. “There are a lot of beautiful, edge-on galaxies that look like a thin javelin of light in the sky,” he says. These galaxies can be seen through one of the park’s powerful telescopes during weekend programs, while visitors can see our home galaxy, the Milky Way, overhead on moonless nights from July through November. “When the moon is not in the sky, the Milky Way arches kind of like a ghostly cloud overhead,” Hoehne says. “It’s actually quite lovely.”

Lodge Life

Opened in fall 2022, the Hocking Hills Lodge & Conference Center greets travelers with a sweeping lobby featuring two towering stone fireplaces embedded with fossils. Ohio Department of Natural Resources director Mary Mertz was looking for a specific reaction from lodge visitors. “I wanted people to be able to drive up and say, ‘Wow,’ because that’s what you say when you see Old Man’s Cave and all the spectacular geologic drama in Hocking Hills,” she says. “In front of each fireplace, we have a guide so people can use it and try to find every fossil.” In the lodge’s 81 guest rooms, the headboards on each bed draw inspiration from Hocking Hills’ tree line. Rock House Restaurant and Cafe 22 are great ways to fuel up for adventure, and the Rock House Pub is a cozy spot for a nightcap. The lodge is also the perfect jumping-off point to check out some of the area’s most famous features. “You walk out the back and that puts you right on the Whispering Cave to Old Man’s Cave loop trail,” Mertz says.

Glamping Getaways

The charm of camping and the comforts of a luxury hotel room come together in the Hocking Hills to create a glamping experience for families and adventurers alike. Among the Trees Lodging, located about 17 miles north of popular adventure spots such as Old Man’s Cave, is home to three treehouse stays including the Buckeye Barn Tree House. Overnight guests take a cable bridge from a hilltop to the front door of this treehouse, which is set 20 feet off the ground and has space to sleep up to four. Made of repurposed barnwood, it’s loaded with rustic allure and amenities like a full kitchen. Closer to the ground, Pine Creek Villas’ four recreational vehicles offer guests the chance to experience RV glamping. Live Oak, which sleeps four people, is a cozy camper with a gas fireplace, private deck and view of Pine Creek’s pond. The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls’ three Pacific-style yurts are a glamper’s dream, featuring a king-size bed, a full bathroom, rocking chairs and Wi-Fi. “If you wanted to check in and not do anything but stay here and relax and eat and get spa treatments here, you can walk to everything,” says assistant general manager Amy Rapposelli.

Wellness Wonders

Hocking Hills’ hikes, activities and fresh air are good for mind and body, but for those who want to double down on wellness, the region has a host of invigorating experiences. Hocking Hills Serenity Salt Cave of- fers soothing halotherapy, which involves inhaling diffused salt particles meant to improve the respiratory and immune systems. The 18-by-18-foot artificial cave, built from imported Himalayan salt boulders, is bathed in a relaxing red glow and calming music. Then, turn up the heat at Hocking Hills Sauna Pods. The barrel-shaped pods are located at Chalets Hocking Hills, but you don’t need to book an overnight stay to enjoy them. Each of the three pods are perched on the crest of a hill and feature a large window overlooking the surrounding