How Difficult is Cantwell Cliffs in Hocking Hills State Park?

How Hard is it to Hike Hocking Hills? Cantwell Cliffs is by many the most difficult of the popular hikes in Hocking Hills. Don’t be discouraged by people who say Cantwell Cliffs is a difficult hike. You’re in the right place to learn whether the trail is actually difficult and we’ll share 6 things to make sure you and your brood are ready to hike the most underrated trail in Hocking Hills. Let’s Get Started!

Where is Cantwell Cliffs?

Cantwell Cliffs is northwest of the main park. It’s actually separated into its own section of property about 7 miles north on State Highway 374. The Ohio Scenic Byway, much of which is on 374 through Hocking Hills, shares some of the best views from your windshield. It is a vastly different experience than nearby Columbus just a short 40 minutes Northwest. The area is mostly referenced with nearby Logan Ohio. Our Brood stayed at Campbell Cove RV Park and Campground on Lake Logan. Most everything in the region is a 15 - 30 minutes short drive. We enjoyed staying at Campbell Cove and if you want to learn more check out our description for another video.

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Is the hike too difficult for dogs?
The hike starts at the parking lot and descends into the gorge. This part of the trail is called Fat Woman’s Squeeze. We got our first look of the steps and were very happy to have left our labs back at the RV. Dogs are allowed, well behaved, and on a 6 foot leash. We would not recommend dogs on this trail for two reasons.

How high are Cantwell cliffs?
Cantwell cliffs are hiding Buck Run creek deep in the gorge. The gorge walls are over 150 feet tall.

Cantwell Cliffs is named after Josiah Cantwell, an early settler to the region. The Civilian conservation corps improved much of the Hocking Hills trails.

How long does it take to hike the Cantwell Cliffs?
We chose to hike the gorge trail and then proceed up to the rim trail and finish that loop back to the parking lot. This path took us about an hour from start to finish. So plan about 1.5 hours from the time you pull into the parking lot to the time you leave.

What is the hardest hike in Hocking Hills?
Of the top 6 hikes in Hocking Hills Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, and Rock House are short and easier to complete. Old Man’s Cave which is undeniably the most popular is just a little more difficult. Conkle’s Hollow which may be our favorite for it’s surprise at the end of the gorge trail is longer and although the gorge has an accessible paved trail, the rim trail takes effort and technical ability. Watch our other videos to learn more about these hikes. Cantwell Cliffs is the most difficult of these six trails partly due to its length.

As we hiked the trail the steps were uneven. Some of the steps were loose and the wood used to support the steps were oriented like diamonds with the corner of the wood in the air instead of flat on the ground. Significant general maintenance of this trail is required for casual hikers to feel comfortable in Cantwell Cliffs.

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Timecodes

0:00 Hocking Hills Cantwell Cliffs
0:15 Where do you Park for Cantwell Cliffs?
1:29 Cantwell Cliffs Trailhead
2:01 Are Dogs Allowed in Hocking Hills?
2:44 Cantwell Cliffs Overview
3:32 Cantwell Cliffs Packing List
4:23 Cantwell Cliff History
5:12 Dad Joke
5:28 How Long Does It Take to Hike Cantwell Cliffs?
6:36 What is the Hardest Hike in Hocking Hills?
7:03 How Hard is the Cantwell Cliffs Trail?

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