Hocking Hills State Park
State park · Ohio
Ohio's first state land purchase in 1924 has grown into 2,356 acres of sandstone gorges, recess caves, and waterfalls around Old Man's Cave. Hemlock and hardwood ridges turn mid-to-late October, drawing hikers along trails linking Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 22–October 26
Color builds from October 9 · mostly bare by November 15
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Hocking Hills State Park’s own coordinates and elevation (318 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Hocking Hills State Park on the map
More things to do in Ohio
Circleville Pumpkin Show
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 24
Circleville has run this four-day October festival since 1903, drawing 300,000-plus visitors downtown for giant-pumpkin weigh-offs and Lindsey's Bakery's roughly 400-pound pumpkin pie. Billed as 'The Greatest Free Show on Earth,' it's one of the country's largest pumpkin festivals.
Don’t miss: Running since 1903 · giant pumpkin weigh-offs · world's largest pumpkin pie
Cedar Point HalloWeekends
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 23
One of America's oldest amusement parks, open in Sandusky since 1870, turns its midway into haunted mazes and zombie-themed shows on fall weekends through early November, alongside a daytime trick-or-treat trail for kids. Roller coasters run by day; the scares take over after dark.
Don’t miss: Haunted mazes and scare shows · kid-friendly trick-or-treat trail · weekends through early November
Holmes County Amish Country
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 21
Berlin anchors the largest Amish settlement in the world, a patchwork of Holmes County farmland where buggies share the road with cars past cheese houses and furniture shops. The Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center's 'Behalt' cyclorama mural tells the community's story against turning farmland.
Don’t miss: Largest Amish settlement in the world · buggy-lined country roads · 'Behalt' cyclorama mural
Mohican State Park
State parkPeak October 21
A 300-foot-deep gorge cut by the Clear Fork River anchors this park near Loudonville, crossed by a covered bridge built in 1968 from hemlock and hardwood milled in the adjacent state forest. Canoeing the river and hiking the gorge rim are the fall rituals here.
Don’t miss: 300-ft river gorge · 1968 covered bridge · canoeing the Clear Fork/Mohican River
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Hocking Hills State Park peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 22–October 26 (best estimate October 24). Color starts around October 9 and is mostly bare by November 15.
- What is Hocking Hills State Park best for?
- Gorge and waterfall hiking.
- How do I get to Hocking Hills State Park?
- The closest city is Columbus, about 44 mi away. It's part of Ohio's fall lineup.
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