Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio is a natural wonder that offers breathtaking landscapes and outdoor adventures. For visitors with mobility challenges, the park has made significant efforts to ensure accessibility, providing wheelchair-friendly trails and facilities. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key details about Hocking Hills State Park Wheelchair Accessible, empowering you to plan an unforgettable and inclusive outdoor experience.
Wheelchair Accessible Trails
Hocking Hills State Park boasts several wheelchair-accessible trails, allowing visitors with mobility impairments to immerse themselves in the park’s stunning natural beauty.
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Ash Cave Gorge: This ¼-mile trail leads through a magnificent gorge and features a wheelchair-accessible path to the cave. While the trail is accessible, there is a section of deep sand that may pose a challenge for some wheelchairs.
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Conkles Hollow Gorge: The lower trail, which is ¾ mile long, is wheelchair accessible, allowing visitors to explore the hollowed gorge. However, the most beautiful part of the trail is not accessible, requiring visitors to carry or assist those in wheelchairs.
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Hockhocking Adena Bikeway: This 20.3-mile trail follows the Hocking River and is wheelchair accessible, with asphalt and crushed stone surfaces.
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Old Town Creek Trail: This 1-mile trail is wheelchair accessible and connects the Hocking County Fairgrounds to Aqueduct Park.
Accessible Facilities
In addition to the wheelchair-friendly trails, Hocking Hills State Park offers accessible facilities to ensure a comfortable and inclusive experience for all visitors.
Hocking Hills State Park Lodge
The park’s lodge has accessible guest rooms with mobility features, including entry or passage doors with 32″ of clear width. Additionally, the hotel restaurant, meeting rooms, parking, and public areas are all accessible.
Picnic Areas
While specific details on wheelchair-accessible picnic areas are not provided, the park’s accessible trails and facilities suggest that picnic areas may also be accessible, allowing visitors to enjoy a meal in the great outdoors.
Important Considerations
While Hocking Hills State Park has made significant efforts to improve accessibility, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:
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Ash Cave: As mentioned earlier, the trail to Ash Cave has a section of deep sand that may be challenging for some wheelchairs.
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Conkles Hollow: The most beautiful part of the Conkles Hollow trail is not accessible, requiring visitors to carry or assist those in wheelchairs.
Contact Information
For more information about accessibility at Hocking Hills State Park or to plan your visit, you can contact the park directly or visit their website.
References:
- TripAdvisor. (2016). Are any of the trails wheel chair friendly? – Hocking Hills State Park. Retrieved from https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers-g50566-d103467-t1983778.html
- This Little Miggy. (2021). An Accessible Spring Break in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Retrieved from https://thislittlemiggy.com/2021/05/an-accessible-spring-break-in-hocking-hills-ohio/
- Hocking Hills State Park Lodge. (n.d.). Accessibility. Retrieved from https://www.hockinghillsparklodge.com/accessibility
- Explore Hocking Hills. (2016). Hocking Hills Handicap and Stroller Accessible Trails. Retrieved from https://www.explorehockinghills.com/blog/outdoor-activity/hocking-hills-handicap-and-stroller-accessible-trails/
- Accessible Nature. (2015). Hocking Hills State Park – Accessible Nature. Retrieved from https://www.accessiblenature.info/?p=4427