Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio: Sunrise In The Bottom, Old Man's Cave

Black and White Photos: Sunrise in the Bottom,
Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Old Man's Cave and Hocking Hills State Park are synonymous in the minds of many 'Buckeyes' (residents of Ohio), while in fact there are also five other units to the park. Old Man's Cave is the heart of the park, and its headquarters.

The specific location called Old Man's Cave is a large recess cave, or overhanging cliff, not a subterranean cave. It was named for Richard Rowe, a hermit who lived in the cave sometime after moving to the region from Tennessee in 1796. He lived out the remainder of his life in the area and is buried somewhere beneath the ledge of the main recess cave.

The gorge of Old Man's Creek is 150 feet deep and about one half mile long, having eroded through the Blackhand sandstone. It is very narrow, and the ledges and hills above are covered with tall hemlock and birch trees. The narrowness of the gorge and the heavy tree cover keep the bottom shady and cool, much more so than anything in the surrounding region. The relative coolness allows these tree species to thrive here as if they were much further north.

This photograph was made on 35mm film and optimized for Web display. It was taken at the foot of Old Man's Cave, looking across and up the stream. The main sunbeam appears to be illuminating the rock from which the young hemlock seedling lives, seemingly on nothing.

For another spectacular view of this immediate area, see the "Upper Middle Falls" photo.

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