OHIO

You never have to go far in Ohio to find a tail-friendly trail - every state park in the Buckeye State welcomes dogs on the trail and in the campground. You also don’t have to travel far to find a “No Dogs Allowed” sign in Ohio - the state operates 140 nature preserves that all ban dogs. The latest Ice Age around 7,000 years ago did a number on today’s Ohio, cracking the limestone bedrock into enormous slabs known as Ledges that your dog can experience in several parks between Cleveland and Akron. Further south the glacial ice plugged the Hocking River, creating the state’s star canine hiking attraction in Hocking Hills State Park. Cuyahoga Valley, America’s first national park of the 21st century cobbled from farmland and woods along the historic Ohio and Erie Canal, is another standout. Dogs looking to romp on the sand along Lake Erie will - for the most part - be disappointed. But tails will wag at Holden Arboretum, one of America’s largest tree museums. Most formal gardens leave dogs outside the gate but here even the brochure gushes, “We Love Dogs.”

The Best Day Hike You Can Take With Your Dog In Ohio

Old Man’s Cave Trail
Hocking Hills State Park • Logan

The tribes of the Wyandot, Delaware and Shawnee knew this valley as “Hockhocking” for its bottle shape, created when glacial ice plugged the Hocking River. When the first settlers sought shelter in these recesses more than 7,000 years ago they found vegetation deep in the gorges that still harkened back to the last ice age - stately eastern hemlocks and Canadian yew and birches thriving in the moist, cool environment.

Hocking Hills State Park is a superb destination for any dog, but is especially delightful for the canine hiker who is a few hikes beyond those days of the 10-mile treks. There are six destination areas in the park - five for canine exploring: no dogs are permitted in the Conkles Hollow state na- ture preserve. Each has its own distinct pleasures accessed by short trails.

But if you can do only one - unluckySeaman - make it the hike to Old Man’sCave tucked into a heavily wooded,twisting ravine. The Old Man was Rich-ard Rowe who moved to Hocking Hills some time around 1796 and lived out his life in the massive rockhouse here, traveling with his two dogs in search of game. Rowe is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave. No word about the dogs.

An easy, one-mile trail works its way into and around the ancient gorge; wooden steps and bridges smooth the way. Seaman will marvel at the Devil’s Bathtub and enjoy a dip in Old Man’s Creek, especially in the pool beneath the Upper Falls.

HIKING TIME: 1-2 hours

(from the book 300 Day Hikes To Take With Your Dog Before He Tires You Out: Trails where you won’t be able to wipe the wag off your dog’s tail)