Hocking Hills

The Hocking Hills is a deeply dissected area of the Allegheny Plateau in Ohio, primarily in Hocking County, that features cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls. The relatively extreme topography in this area is due to the Blackhand Sandstone (so named because of Native American graphics on the formation near Newark, Ohio), a particular formation that is thick, hard and weather-resistant, and so forms high cliffs and narrow, deep gorges.

Most of the more scenic areas of the region are under state ownership, including:

The core area also includes two privately owned preserves, Crane Hollow and Camp Oti-Okwa (owned by Big Brothers and Big Sisters).

The geological series that forms the Hocking Hills extends south and west, gradually diminishing but still forming impressive bluffs and gorges in:

The Buckeye Trail, along with the North Country Trail and the American Discovery Trail, passes through the Hocking Hills region.

Also nearby are:

The region has mild weather with an average rainfall of 40.3 inches per year and an average of about 175 sunny days per year. The average July high is 84.8 degrees Fahrenheit and the average January low is 19.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

The region was first settled by Christian Eby and was named from a shortened version of the Hockhocking River by the Shawnee Indian tribe. "Hockhocking", in the Delaware tongue, signifies a bottle. The Shawnee people thought that a very narrow and straight creek above the waterfall on the Hockhocking River resembled a bottle's neck.

Other notable settlers were George Starkey and Moses Dolson. The first election on county matters was held in Eby’s mill near Queer Creek. The first post office in the area was called the "Rockhouse" and was located in Herschel Badford’s home.

Hocking County was formed on March 1, 1818, from Ross, Athens, Fairfield and Logan. The county's boundaries and townships have not been altered since 1851. Due to its natural surroundings, it has become a tourist attraction.

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Wikipedia