13 Spooky Things to Do in Hocking Hills This October

Hocking Hills was built for October. Mist pools in the gorges at dawn, hemlock shadows swallow the trails by 4 p.m., and a region carved from 350-million-year-old rock has collected enough ghost stories to fill the caves. Here are thirteen ways to lean into it.

1. Hike Old Man's Cave at dusk

The park closes at dark, which means a late-afternoon arrival puts you in the gorge as the light drops through the hemlocks and the crowds drain away. Old Man's Cave is named for Richard Rowe, a hermit who lived (and died) in the recess cave in the 1800s — his grave sits at the upper falls. On an October evening with mist rising off the creek, the name earns itself.

2. Walk the Moonville Tunnel

Thirty minutes south in Vinton County, the abandoned 1856 Moonville Tunnel sits inside Zaleski State Forest — a 535-foot brick passage through a ridge, built for the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad. The town of Moonville is gone; the ghost stories aren't. Locals report the Lavender Lady, a woman struck by a train whose scent lingers at the western portal, and a brakeman with a lantern who still tries to flag down trains that stopped running in 1987. Jannette Quackenbush leads guided night hikes and ghost hunts here in October — she's a folklorist who's spent years separating the documented from the embellished, and the hikes sell out.

3. Stand under Ash Cave at night (in your mind)

You can't — the park closes at dusk. But arriving at Ash Cave right at opening on a foggy October morning comes close. Ohio's largest recess cave, 700 feet of horseshoe-shaped overhang, amplifies every drip and footstep. The paved quarter-mile trail means even the least adventurous member of your group gets the full effect.

4. Rock House — the only true cave

Every other "cave" in the park is an open recess. Rock House is a genuine tunnel through a cliff — 200 feet long, 25 feet high, lit by Gothic window openings. It was used as a hideout by horse thieves and bootleggers (nicknamed "Robbers' Roost"), and on a grey October afternoon the columns between the windows throw shadows that move with the clouds. The climb to reach it adds to the mood.

5. Conkle's Hollow Rim Trail in peak foliage

Not spooky — just dramatic enough to earn the list. The 2.5-mile rim loop traces unfenced 200-foot cliff edges above one of Ohio's deepest gorges. In mid-October, you're walking above a sea of crimson sugar maples. The hidden waterfall at the head of the hollow runs after rain. Peak foliage window: roughly October 10–25, with ridges turning before gorges.

6. Halloween Campout at the state park

The annual campground Halloween event — trick-or-treating through decorated campsites, hayrides, pumpkin carving, costume contests, and ghost stories around the fire. Free to registered campers. The campground books fast; reserve your site on ReserveOhio well ahead.

7. Pine Creek Trick or Treat Bash

October 23–25, 2026 at Pine Creek Cabin & Camping Resort in South Bloomingville. Decorate your site or cabin, trick-or-treat through the resort, haunted games, and live music by Jamie Bright at the pavilion. A family-friendly alternative to the state park campout.

8. Haunted Hocking night hikes

The park itself doesn't run official haunted hikes, but private operators and folklorists do — Jannette Quackenbush's Moonville tunnel walks are the gold standard. Check Explore Hocking Hills' events calendar and the Vinton County CVB for October programming. Robbins Crossing at Hocking College has hosted a Haunted Village in past years.

9. Brewery 33 Oktoberfest

Logan's craft brewery hosts an annual Oktoberfest celebration — German-style lagers, live music, and a venue space above the brewery that holds 100. It's also home to the Bury the Axe throwing range next door at Hungry Buffalo, which pairs well with a beer flight on a cold October evening.

10. Hocking Valley Scenic Railway fall foliage trains

The historic railway out of Nelsonville runs special fall foliage excursions on select October dates — some pulled by the 1920 coal-fired steam locomotive. The route follows the Hocking River through a canopy that peaks mid-month. Reservations fill quickly during foliage weekends.

11. John Glenn Astronomy Park after dark

The park closes at dusk, but JGAP stays open. October's clear skies, low humidity, and early darkness make it the best month for stargazing here. Free public programs run Friday and Saturday nights through November. Register for a parking pass at registration.jgap.org — capacity is 70 cars.

12. A cabin bonfire with ghost stories

The simplest October play and often the best. Order seasoned firewood delivered to your cabin, settle around the pit after dark, and trade the local legends: the hermit of Old Man's Cave, the Moonville brakeman, the pale lady of Ash Cave. The fire crackles; the forest listens.

13. Plan a Halloween event at a Hocking Hills venue

The region's event venues host Halloween-themed corporate retreats, birthday parties, and costume galas in barns, lodges, and chapels surrounded by October forest. Some venues — like Nature Mystique's hobbit homes and Ravenwood Castle — don't need any decoration to feel like a different world. Get a venue quote if you're planning something for next October.