HOCKING HILLS

natural beauty. The pods hold four people, and a Bluetooth speaker is ready for the playlist of your choice. “When you’re inside, you feel like you are sitting at the top of the trees kind of looking out over the forest,” says Dannie Devol III, vice president of Chalets Hocking Hills. “It’s a really good thing to do to relax after a hike.”

Beautiful Butterflies

Humans and nature have more in common than meets the eye, and that’s one of the lessons along the 14-stop Hocking Hills Butterfly Trail. “The draw to this region is the rock formations, caves and the incredible geology,” says Andrea Jones, an Ohio certified volunteer naturalist who helped create the trail. “But that geology has an effect on the plants that grow here and the animals that live here. Those butterflies are a reflection of the health of our region.” Along the trail, which takes about four hours to complete, explorers learn about the regal monarch, the mysterious pipevine swal- lowtail, the lemon-yellow clouded sulphur and 11 other types of butterflies that call the region home. Each species has its own stop, including at Rockbridge State Nature Preserve and downtown Logan. Where to spot a type of butterfly depends on the food source and habitat it prefers. “The butterflies are picky eaters and they’ve got to find some shelter,” says Jones. The great spangled fritillary highlights this, feeding on violets that grow near the Capital University Primmer Outdoor Learning Center and favoring a garden environment. Download a map and passport (or pick up a printed copy at the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center) to visit all 14 trail stops.

When You Go

For more information about these and other destinations throughout the Hocking Hills, visit explorehockinghills.com.

John Glenn Astronomy Park jgap.info

Hocking Hills Lodge & Conference Center hockinghillsparklodge.com

Among the Trees Lodging amongthetreeslodging.com

Pine Creek Villas hockinghillspinecreekvillas.com

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls innatcedarfalls.com

Hocking Hills Serenity Salt Cave hhserenitysaltcave.com

Hocking Hills Sauna Pods saunapodshh.com

Hocking Hills Butterfly Trail explorehockinghills.com