Best Places for Engagement Photos in the Hocking Hills
Hocking Hills is a region known for its stunning natural beauty. The most prominent feature are sandstone cliffs, reaching up to 300 feet in some areas. These dramatic rock outcroppings provide breathtaking views. Hidden beneath the cliffs are numerous caves, some large enough to walk through. Dotted throughout the region are cascading waterfalls. The area also has lakes, a river, and rocky creeks. With all these stunning features, the Hocking Hills region makes the perfect backdrop for an engagement session. But with hundreds of acres to explore, which spots are the best for photos?
ASH CAVE
Ash Cave offers iconic Hocking Hills scenery; the cave is epically big! The trail into the cave is short, paved, and easy to access. It leads through a scenic gorge with towering trees and a vibrant display of wildflowers in spring. There's a seasonal waterfall at the center of the cave recess, making for a truly awe-inspiring sight. The waterfall is most impressive during the spring snowmelt, but it can also freeze into a fantastic ice formation in winter. Ash Cave is the perfect rainy-day location because the overhang offers shelter from the weather. The slump rocks, erosion-carved rocks, and stone steps all provide options for seated portraits. Because it is family-friendly and one of the most popular visitor locations within Hocking Hills State Park, it does get super busy during peak times.
OLD MAN'S CAVE
It's not exactly a cave as the name suggests, but rather a large recess cave formed over millions of years by water erosion of the soft sandstone cliffs. The area is known for its beautiful, trickling waterfalls, especially the iconic Upper Falls with its stone bridge. The trail is considered moderately easy, with well-maintained pathways and some inclines. This makes it accessible to a broader range of visitors. The trail offers tall Hemlock trees, towering cliffs, lush moss and ferns, and a rocky creek flowing through the gorge. Old Man's Cave Gorge is the most popular area for visitors, so it's best to avoid the crowds that arrive during peak season.
LOWER FALLS
Surrounded by lush greenery and towering rock formations, Lower Falls offers iconic Hocking Hills scenery. The cascading waterfall tumbles down the rocks into a clear pool. Reaching Lower Falls requires a moderate hike along the Old Man's Cave gorge trail. This scenic trail takes you through a gorge with fascinating geological features like rock outcroppings, sandstone cliffs, and interesting tree roots on slump rocks.
ROCKBRIDGE NATURE TRAIL
The Rockbridge Nature Trail is a short, easy-access footpath that edges a field and is part of Hocking Hill's preserve system. Meadow grasses line the trail and are a great place to see wildflowers in the spring and summer. A long wooden footbridge offers an excellent feature for both seated and standing photos. Because the trail is in an area with many deciduous trees, it is a fantastic location for fall foliage. When winter snow and ice make cliffside trails unsafe, Rockbridge Nature Trail is a great alternative. It's also one of the best locations in the Hocking Hills for foggy or misty photos.
LAKE LOGAN
Wooded areas surround Lake Logan, providing one of the best spots for fall foliage. The Lake is also a favorite place to photograph rainbows and sunsets. The beach area can be busy during peak summer times, but the rest of the park has less overall traffic than other spots in the Hocking Hills. For folks looking to share an activity for their engagement photos, the Lake is great for swimming, splashing, fishing, picnicking, or renting a fun, themed pedal boat. The marina has Dragon, Duck, and Swan pedal boat options.
These five Hocking Hills locations are the best for engagement photos. Still, many other options exist, including secret waterfalls, hidden gems, and off-the-beaten-track spots with less visitor traffic.
