Have you been to Southeaster Ohio’s Scenic Hiking Wonderland? It’s better known as Hocking Hills! In this article we share three dog friendly day hikes we love in Hocking Hills PLUS one non-dog friendly hiking trail that we love in the nearby Conkles Hollow Nature Preserve! We highly recommend staying at Paws and Unwind if you are looking for a dog friendly Airbnb near these hikes! We loved staying there.

Three Dog Friendly Day Hikes in Hocking Hills Ohio:

Gorge Overlook Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls, Grandma Gatewood/Buckeye Trail back to Old Man’s Cave.
This is a super friendly 6 mile dog friendly loop. Several of this loop’s highlights include Old Man’s Cave Lower Falls, Rose Lake, and Cedar Falls.
There are a few spots you might want your pooch to be good on their feet on the Grandma Gatewood portion, if you can’t pick your dog up or you are concerned about them navigating some narrow rocks for a small amount of trail we recommend taking the Gorge Overlook trail both ways!
You can leave from the Old Man’s Cave Parking Lot and walk over the bridge to begin the Gorge Overlook Trail or start from the Cedar Falls Parking Lot.

Buckeye Trail from Paws and Unwind to the left.

From our Airbnb you would walk .4 miles down the road and turn left onto the Buckeye Trail.
You can hike to Balanced Rock, Airplane Rock, a 50 foot waterfall, and more in just a few miles. It’s a super beautiful portion of the National Scenic Trail that encompasses 1,400 miles in Ohio!

Buckeye Trail from Paws and Unwind to the right.

Once again walking down Unger Road and coming to the Buckeye Trail intersection, only this time you will turn right.
The trail meanders through the forest and you will eventually come to a crossing right across the street from Old Man’s Cave parking lots. You can continue on the Buckeye Trail or for a good 4 mile loop out and back head back to Paws and Unwind!

We promised one hiking trail for you that is great for when your dog is ready for a snooze!

Conkles Hollow Nature Preserve is not Pet Friendly but only a one mile drive from Paws and Unwind’s Airbnb.
You can combine the Gorge out and back with the Rim Loop for 3.5 miles of the finest hiking trails in Ohio in my opinion. I actually rated it as the 2nd best hiking trail in Ohio behind Clear Creek Metro Park’s Cemetery Ridge/Hemlock Trail Loop when I did a “Top 50 US Day Hikes” list on TikTok.

Conkles Hollow does have about 200 feet of initial elevation gain and several spots that require you to be close to the edge. If you have a fear of heights this might be one to skip. Consider wearing micro spikes if ice and snow are present during the winter!

Hocking Hills is a VERY dog friendly spot if your pooch loves to hike with you. It’s also a great destination in all four seasons (though summer and weekends year round can be CROWDED.) Plan accordingly. And if you are wanting to stay in your own house near these trails definitely check out our friends from Paws and Unwind! Tell them Cotopaxi sent ya!

Thanks for reading and share your comments or questions below about hiking in Hocking Hills.

Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R