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Reviews for Hocking State Forest
(click on name for more information)
Lancaster, OH

Overall TRAIL RATING with 24 votes:
Overall CAMP RATING with 19 votes:
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Individual Reviews

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DNR has been making several improvements to the camping area as time permits. Realignment of camps sites is underway. This will allow for the larger rigs that are camping today compared to when the park was built many years ago. This should be complete sometime this summer. New toilet facilities and additional manure boxes are on the way and again should be instulled sometime this summer. Most of the trails are in great shape. The couple minor exceptions are on the list of things to do by DNR. Hocking is one of the prettiest places you will ride in Ohio. Unique rock formations, beautiful woods and enough open areas to let your horse move out if you wish to do so. If you have not been to Hocking in resent years, you need to schedule a trip.
Reviewed by: Chris Streitenberger on 8/10/2015 2:51:20 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 8/10/2015 Hometown: ,

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The state run campground was nicer than I expected, and free. The new highlines are nice and safe, but many are on hill sides and turned into a slippery muddy mess after a day of rain. The campground had a lot of shade trees and had pretty views over the hills. There weren't many people there so it seemed spacious and quiet. However, some of the sites are really close together and it could get crowded on a busy weekend. The bathrooms were dirty, but acceptable for free primitive camping. The water pump was not working, so bring your own water. There are no dumpsters, so plan to pack your trash out. We only got to ride one day, but we really enjoyed the trails that we did see, especially the white trails. We didn't encounter any challenging terrain, but a lot of pretty scenery, rock formations and a cave.
Reviewed by: KN on 5/11/2013 6:57:45 PM
More reviews by KN 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/3/2013 Hometown: Crestwood, KY

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We have been to all three horse camps at hocking, the state primitive is my favorite, free but primitive. Hocking is our favorite place to ride and camp, we go at least twice a year!
Reviewed by: Northernohio farrier on 12/29/2012 7:29:23 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/4/2012 Hometown: Northcentral, OH

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This is spectacular scenery and great riding. Shoes are a must. The white trails are amazing, but not for beginners or out of shape horses. They can be downright scary if muddy. My favorite riding in terms of trails, but always busy so it is not as quiet as some other parks. The campground is adequate, but lacks water and the bathroom was poorly maintained. We rode several times this fall and the trails were well marked and easy to follow. On some loops you do have to cross roads.
Reviewed by: Jo on 2/10/2011 1:55:16 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/15/2010 Hometown: Athens, OH

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We stayed at Three Reasons Lodge over Memorial Day Weekend. It was worth every penny. We are leaving today to go back. Lynne and her husband were some of the nicest people we've met. When our truck broke down, they came to the rescue and pulled our horses into camp for us. Everything was clean, well maintained and our horses had a nice piece of pasture. We are looking forward to going back this weekend. I'm sure the experience will be equally enjoyable.
Reviewed by: Joyce on 9/3/2010 4:34:49 AM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 9/3/2010 Hometown: Akron, OH

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i love it at hocking hills. Trails were great we stayed for a week. I did not think the trails were to difficult. We stayedfor a week and rode almost every trail. i was on my cldesdale and my friend was on her belgain. this year we plan to go a few times we do not live that far away and will defintly be back
Reviewed by: Brian on 12/29/2009 12:06:35 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 7/26/2009 Hometown: Rushville, OH

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There is water for the horses but not to attach a hose as to fill up a motor home. The Place was filthy,trash of all sorts was put in the manure bins, muddy where the ties for the horses were,which were all down hill so when it rained the horses were standing in a mud pit. Very slippery when trying to take care of the horses. Very embarrasing for an Ohio State Park. Ended up going to Palmerosa but hard to get level with a motor home. But they had water and electricity. Grounds keeper was very friendly and helpful. Very clean there.Trails rode were surrounding Palmerosa and were fun but only about a 2-3 hour ride without hiking on up to the state campground.
Reviewed by: Rita on 8/28/2009 11:00:01 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 8/20/2009 Hometown: middlefield, OH

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I've been to Hocking Hills a couple of times now. The first time I stayed at Palmerosa, which was nice to have access to a shower house and electric, but no real benefit aside from that. On my latest trip we stayed at the state campground and were perfectly happy there. There are no dumpsters at the state campground, though, so be prepared to "pack out" all of your garbage. Trails are great, scenery is spectacular. I've been warned by others, though, to pay close attention and be sure you are on a "legal" trail; many of the older trails that long-time users may be familiar with are not considered legal trails anymore, and the rangers can and will fine you for being there.
Reviewed by: Audrey on 7/9/2009 11:42:40 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/1/2009 Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

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Enjoyed the very well maintained trails and senic views. Had my two children on their second trail ride and they were in heaven and did quite well on the white and part of the orange trail. We stayed at three reasons and loved it as it is well maintained and quite accomadating. For those who are complaining about the rates well it is obvious you have'nt been to other campgrounds lately that don't evan accomadate horse's. Come on folks, do you still pay $1.89 for gas. Water and Electric cost money and the price of it goes up each day. Water and electric lines just don't grow in the ground. For those who say they will go stay where it is free, go ahead, stay where you get all those free benefit's. No water (campsite and horsesite) no electric no stalls no easily accessible gravel pads that don't turn to mud every time it rains all ya enjoy those nice horse stalls while your there too. Last I checked it cost money to build barns,put down gravel each year and maintain water and electric lines. And go ahead and take that generator the gas for it I,m sure is free too. I enjoy my hot showers and willing to pay for it not complain cause I don't have it. So go ahead enjoy that free trip because that just ensure,s lynn will have room for us who understands that maintaining and offering such nice facilities cost money.
Reviewed by: james on 9/23/2008 11:03:39 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 7/25/2008 Hometown: ashville, OH

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I've been to Hocking Hills many times on "horseless" trips, just to hike and enjoy the more popular sites. So in 2007, when I had the opportunity to spend a weekend camping there with my horse, I jumped at the chance. We stayed at Palmerosa, and although it could stand some "curb appeal" the sites themselves were well cared for and the staff were friendly and accomodating as long as you go with the understanding that it's a campground and makes no promises of being a five-star resort. If you're expecting to have your every whim catered to at the drop of a hat, horse camping probably isn't the right activity for you. The trails in Hocking are beautiful and Palmerosa provided an excellent map, complete with highlighted points of interest and color-coded trails. It made it very easy for my friends and I to find our way around on our own (and, most important, to find our way back to camp at the end of the day!). If you just stick to the "main" trails (red, orange, etc), you're missing the best scenery. Having said that, if you are a novice or casual rider or your horse is young/inexperienced or a pasture ornament through most of the year, it's probably not the best place for to go riding. If you tend to daydream, or want to socialize with other riders while your horse does all the work, it's also probably not the best place for you to ride. There are some tricky spots with roots and rocks in the trail, descents and climbs on wet rocks, and places where the trail follows the edge of some significant drop-offs. But the scenery on those back trails is second-to-none. I am looking forward to a return trip.
Reviewed by: Audrey on 6/28/2008 6:08:44 AM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 1/1/2004 Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

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State Trails in excellent condition...can see alot of work went into them! :> Stayed at Spotted Horse Ranch...less than advertized or expected :<
Reviewed by: somerled on 6/17/2008 6:13:56 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/14/2008 Hometown: Fair Haven, MI

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Do not bring your horse here unless it is in top condition. Better yet, bring a horse you have no emotional connection to. We won't be back, there are safer places to ride. Only go if you like going straight down 150'then straight back up 150' on slippery clay, there is nothing else.
Reviewed by: Sue on 5/28/2008 10:23:09 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/18/2008 Hometown: Rockford, MI

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what a great place. so many beautiful sights to see and so much to do in this area. ive been here twice. stayed at the palmarosa both times but would stay in the primative camp ground if i go back. palmarosa is not the prettiet campground it does look kind of trashy but the people were very friendly. they hauled us to 21 horse cave which was great. we rode back from there. about a 7 hour ride with many stops to see the scenery. it is worth it. some trails not for the faint of heart. would not take a beginner. i have an older horse and would not take her back again. it was hard on her. this place should be on your list at least once. you won't be sorry that you went.
Reviewed by: patty on 5/12/2008 3:50:58 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/7/2007 Hometown: girard, OH

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My boyfriend and I had originally made reservations at Palmerosa but once we pulled up and saw what it looked like (trash), we IMMEDIATELY turned around and went back to the Primitive State campground and camped for free. A generator would have been IDEAL for camping here. The campground and ties were decent enough and water was readily available for the horses. The pit bathroom was a downer but whatever. The trails, on the other hand, were THE best I have ever been on! They are very rugged, always seeming to go gradually up or gradually down. A lot of the times, we were riding 10-12 feet away from a cliff that drops straight down. The scenery is amazing with plenty of attractions to ride to, my favorite was riding in a cave or to the artisian well. The best water I ever drank. Horses should definetly be in shape and surefooted b/c being injured would suck here. There was no DNR or anyone around if something would have happened. The trail map was really good once we got used to it and the trails are very well marked and maintained. My boyfriend and I will be back, this time with a generator!
Reviewed by: Blair on 11/7/2007 1:18:28 AM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 11/7/2007 Hometown: North Judson , IN

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HHSF is spectacular! Some of the best we've done in our 6 years of traveling. Palmerosa Campground however, is a different story. We had some issues. It is filling up with full-time campers and does look like a redneck village. We had our choice of spots but had to move twice because the camp spots are so un-level its difficult to level out a trailer and its difficult to access water! We actually borrowed a 'redneck's' hose to attach to our hose to get water to our site. Enter the out-houses only if you dare - dirtiest i've ever seen. The store was never open and only opened if we told them we needed something. We didn't dare try the showers. And although the campground advertises "trucking to 21 Horse Cave & ride back" it was like pulling teeth to get them to do it for us! And we gave them a 3 day advance notice! We ran out of hay and they WERE helpful in helping us get more so we appreciated that. Not sure if we'll return, however.
Reviewed by: Sandy & Suzanne on 10/18/2007 7:55:35 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 7/29/2007 Hometown: Fairfax, VT

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Hocking Hills trails are excellent for the experienced horse and rider. The area OHC groups have done some awesome work in conjunction with the State People. When I go to Hocking I will ALWAYS stay in the state campground. The people at both the private campgrounds (Palmerosa & Three Reasons) arent worth dealing with. You either get rude treatment or no return contact. Lynn at Three Reasons raised her rates from $25 to $45 without notifying us of this increase - even though we had made reservations and confirmations with her the year before (at the $25 rate). Palmerosa is filling up with perrmanent campers (who naturally take the spots that accomodate the bigger rigs). The last time I was at Palmerosa (in 2006) it took me 5 visits to the office to find Chris (her relatives where hanging around, but kept telling me I had to wait on Chris) before I could settle up with my fees. The State Campground is primitive, but it was clean and had non-potable water available - AND we didnt have to deal with rude or cantankerous owners.
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 9/14/2007 11:14:38 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 6/25/2007 Hometown: Germantown, OH

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We'd like to thank Lynn at Three Reasons. Because of her, we finally went to the State Campground and had a wonderful time! We have camped at Three Reasons several times before, and left $$ in 2006 to reserve our sites for this year. Several days before we were to arrive, we heard through the grapevine that Lynn had increased her price from $25 to $45. This was quite a surprise, as several of us had called recently to confirm our reservations, and no mention was made of the dramatic price increase! Efforts to contact Lynn were futile as she didn't return e-mails or phone calls. We felt that our deposit/reservations should have been honored at best, and that Lynn should have contacted us to let us know about the price increase at the least! Not willing to pay $45/night, we camped for free at the State Campgroud. We had heard that these campsites weren't up to par, but we found clean sites, friendly folks, clean outhouses and plenty of water. Trails leave right out of camp, and they were awesome as usual. Hocking is not a place for beginners or out-of-shape horses, but the riding is beautiful and there has been a lot of work done to improve the trails. Great job!
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 8/14/2007 8:37:32 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/22/2007 Hometown: Dayton, OH

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Hocking Hills is one of the most scenic places to ride in Ohio. The trails can be very rugged and challenging. I have stayed at the State Camp, Palmerosa, and Three Reasons. I will NEVER go to either of the private campgrounds again. Palmerosa is looking like Litte Kentucky and the owners are rude and/or never available when you need them. Most of the campsites are now permanent. Lynn at Three Reasons has rasied her price from $25 to $45. We had made our reservations a year in advance and did not find out about the price increase until we were scheduled to arrive. This is bad business practice. She should have honored our original reserved price. I will go back to the State Campground when I ride in Hocking.
Reviewed by: Jerry Hall on 7/18/2007 11:21:04 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 7/18/2007 Hometown: Dayton, OH

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I have visited many areas in Ohio, and have finally realized thers is no other place of such unusual beauty in this state! The trails have erosion problems at wet areas, but the maintenance is always ongoing. Ride into caves, past lakes, narrow trails with plenty of rocks and trees. Trails are not all for the inexperienced rider. Campground only has 2 parking spots that can accomidate large rigs. Bring drinking water. Beautiful sites!!
Reviewed by: Anna Fowler on 11/6/2006 11:17:08 PM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 11/6/2006 Hometown: Coolville, OH

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We have been camping at Three Reasons many times. After this last trip we will not go back. Lynn was very rude with us. She has never showed any hospitality. She is usually not around. So if you were to have a problem and need a vet. or have any other emergency. There is no phone or list of emergency numbers. My cell had no service so who knows where you would find a phone. We will be staying at Palmerosa from now on. Chris and her staff are most hospitable folks.
Reviewed by: charlie whitt on 10/29/2006 10:14:49 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/27/2006 Hometown: scottown, OH

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These trails are nice if you aren't real concerned about maybe injuring your horse. I refuse to take my older mare there. Yes, it's all beautiful and maybe on a horse that I had no emotional attachment to, I could do it. There are much nicer places to ride that are safer for both horse and rider in my opinion.
Reviewed by: Jennifer on 6/12/2006 1:17:57 PM
More reviews by Jennifer 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 6/12/2006 Hometown: Pleasantville, OH

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We stayed at Three Reasons Farm, Lynn is the BEST!!, she really takes care of her guests,and the trails are the best we have seen in Ohio. We make it a point to go here at least twice a year once in the spring and once in the fall both are great times!A must for any time is the ride to "old mans cave" it is awesum.
Reviewed by: Mark & Regina Smith on 3/17/2006 11:28:29 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/5/2006 Hometown: Dundee, MI

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This is a fun place to ride. The trail marking sucks but the trails aren't bad. Haven't used the camping always go to private campgrounds.
Reviewed by: Lee on 10/24/2005 10:15:13 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: Hometown: Caledonia, OH

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Hocking is a great place to ride, but it is definately not for the beginner or out of shape horse. We also stayed at Three Reasons which has much closer access to the nicer trails than some of the camps. Really pretty in the fall when we went. A map is necessity.
Reviewed by: B Miller on 8/20/2005 3:53:32 PM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: Hometown: Sugarcreek, OH

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Love this place! Not for beginners.Strenuous for horses not in shape.I have been there 4 times.I always camp at the primitive camp.It's free and a nice campground.Trails not marked well.Beautiful scenery!
Reviewed by: Vivian on 5/25/2004 9:50:35 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 7/4/1999 Hometown: Johnsville, OH

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