Rock House

Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park near Laurelville, Ohio, is described as the park's only true cave; geologically it is a recess hollowed out by seeping water. The tunnel-like corridor sits roughly halfway up a cliff of Blackhand sandstone about 150 feet (46 m) tall and is about 200 feet (60 m) long and 25 feet (7.5 m) high. Seven Gothic-arched, window-like openings let in light, and sandstone pillars hold up the ceiling. Two short trails with stone steps lead from the parking lots on State Route 374 to the cave and the cliff edge: the Upper Rim Trail (about 0.6 mile, or 1 km, difficult, with cliff edges) and the Lower Gorge Trail (about 0.2 mile, or 300 m). Leashed dogs are allowed, and the area is open year-round from dawn to dusk.

The cave served as a shelter for a long time: according to showcaves, the Adena culture used it some 7,000 years ago, followed later by the Wyandot, Delaware and Shawnee. Small recesses in the back wall served as baking ovens, and troughs chiseled into the floor collected seep water. Legend has it that robbers, horse thieves and moonshiners hid here, hence the name “Robbers Roost.” In 1835 Colonel F. F. Rempel built a 16-room hotel nearby, and remnants of it can still be seen.