Ohio

Hocking Hills is the state's gorge-and-waterfall standout, while Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Brandywine Falls is an easy classic. Gorge trails look their…

Hocking Hills is the state's gorge-and-waterfall standout, while Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Brandywine Falls is an easy classic. Gorge trails look their best after rain, but wet steps demand traction.

Why Ohio surprises hikers

Ohio is not flat farmland on foot — its best trails drop into sandstone gorges, pass under waterfalls, and wind through hemlock shade that feels far from the Midwest stereotype. That beauty comes with slick stone steps, muddy approaches, and crowded weekends at the famous spots. The original note above says it well: gorge trails look best after rain, but wet steps demand traction. Prepare for both halves of that sentence.

What to do, step by step

1. Pick your style: a gorge-and-waterfall loop in Hocking Hills or an easier classic in Cuyahoga Valley, and check park alerts and trail conditions first.
2. Wear footwear with aggressive tread. Sandstone, wooden steps, and creek-side rock stay slippery long after rain, especially in shaded gorges.
3. Go early on weekends or choose a weekday. Popular gorge trailheads fill fast, and a quieter trail is a safer, more enjoyable one.
4. Stay on marked trails and behind railings at overlooks and waterfall edges. Gorge walls are fragile, and shortcut paths cause real erosion damage.
5. Carry water and a headlamp even on short loops, and give yourself extra time — stairs, viewpoints, and photo stops stretch every gorge hike.