Hocking Hills: Where Ohio Stops Being Flat

Two and a half hours south of Cleveland. Six hiking areas carved into Black Hand sandstone by creeks with 350 million years of patience. Old Man's Cave: gorge trail past waterfalls, through a rock shelter that housed a hermit named Richard Rowe, along a slot canyon so narrow and deep the light at the bottom is green. Ash Cave: horseshoe-shaped recess 700 feet long, 100 feet deep, 90 feet high, waterfall over the lip. The largest recess cave in Ohio. Standing inside while water falls before you, the acoustics turn the cave into a natural cathedral.

Free. Trails range from accessible (Ash Cave) to moderate (Old Man's Cave loop). Weekends are crowded — weekday or early morning is the move. Shoes with grip mandatory; the sandstone is always wet somewhere. The drive from Cleveland passes through Amish Country — gorges and buggy-drawn farms on the same day trip. Ohio's flat reputation does not prepare you.