One last set of yammering notes and photos from our recent getaway to Hocking Hills for you...
Our last stop on the day of three sight stops was to Cedar Falls. I honestly can't pick a favorite thing we did or saw on this trip, but this was certainly near the top!
Cedar Falls is not far from Old Man's Cave - I think there's actually a walking trail connecting the two, so not more than a couple of miles. Cedar Falls is another valley type formation carved amazingly in the sandstone - with, yes, a fantastic water fall. The trail to the falls was beautiful, and I especially enjoyed the
informational markers on this trail. There was a lot of information about the Hocking Hills region, the geographical features there, and "how it happened." There also apparently was a very large flood in the area about 10 years ago that especially decimated the Cedar Falls area. The valley was changed dramatically, and evidence of that recent change is everywhere. The informational bits said the sort of flood that happened 10 years ago isn't unusual - just not common. I believe it said it was the kind of flood that happens in the area about every 100 years.
The falls themselves are beautiful. The "Rock Man" seen at the end of this post is actually a stone pedestal thing with an informational sign perched on top. I don't know that it's supposed to look like a man made of stone wearing a hat, but it sure did to me!
The trail we chose away from the falls (there are two ways to approach and/or leave, and we took the "loop" pattern that took us in by one and out by the other) was interesting at the least! The picture here is me heading into a dramatically narrowing path. I wasn't certain it was going to take me anywhere other than into a corner, but eventually we came through. I should mention that there are no cedar trees at Cedar Falls. Settlers to the area who named the falls mistook the hemlock trees that surround the falls for cedars.
All in all, of course - our escape to the Hocking Hills area south of Columbus was great fun and we will likely return!