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Many brave souls bike through the
Hocking Hills. However,
the
Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, is a
great alternative. It's a 17 mile bikeway on the old Columbus
and Hocking Valley Railroad bed. The north entry point is at
Hocking College in Nelsonville and the south entry point is near Ohio
University in Athens. Nelsonville is about 45 minutes from Marsh
Hollow.
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There are several canoe liveries offering trips
down the Hocking River. The
Hocking
Hills Canoe Livery in Logan is closest to Marsh Hollow and several
of our guests have enjoyed their trips on the Hocking River. Canoe liveries do not operate during the winter.
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If you don't feel like cooking
during your entire stay at Marsh Hollow, there are plenty of great
places to eat in the Hocking Hills. Logan offers many of the
national chain restaurants, such as Bob Evans, McDonalds, Wendy's,
Subway, KFC and Dairy Queen (along with many local favorites).
Laurelville is home to both the Village Cafe and Old Town Diner,
classic small town eateries.
We would like to highlight a few of our
favorites for you:
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Brass Ring -
There is a very nice lounge and dining room associated with the
Brass Ring Golf Club. Try the sweet potato french fries!
Mary's brother Rob was VERY impressed with his steak dinner.
The lounge is quite casual, but you may want to dress a little
better for the dining room.
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Bush's Restaurant - Located at 428 E.
Front St. in Logan, Bush's is a great place for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Wednesday's special is beans and cornbread! Big variety of
pies.
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Coach House Tea Room - located at Ravenwood Castle in
neighboring Vinton county, just off of Route 93. Friends
Kathy, Beth, another Beth and I had lunch here last Friday and were
absolutely delighted. We'll go back and I'm going to have the Coach
House Cream Tea: scones with clotted cream & berry preserves, little
sandwiches, jam tart, shortbread biscuit and a pot of hot tea! It's
only open May through October. For directions and reservations, call
800-477-1541.
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Glenlaurel Inn -
An absolutely charming Scottish inn. Very fine dining. Reservations at
1-800-809-REST.
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Great Expectations Bookstore Cafe
- Now located at the Farmer's Flea Market on U.S. 33, this cafe has great
grilled or chilled sandwiches, your favorite expresso beverages,
books, gifts and art prints.
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Grouse Nest Restaurant - We
have celebrated New Year's Eve and several Christmas
Eve's here, and are always very impressed with
the food, the service and the overall ambience. And the drive up to
the top of the ridge is exhilarating! Reservations at
1-800-222-4655. Plus, the Grouse Nest
Traveling Chef
can visit Marsh Hollow to prepare a
fine dinner just for you in your cabin. In addition to the very fine
dining, the Grouse Nest also has a daily "Neighborhood" special
priced under $10, which is significantly less expensive than entrees
on the regular menu. Can't beat the value - we had meatloaf,
mashed potatoes, green beans and a large salad this summer.
Excellent!
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The Inn at Cedar Falls
- still one of Mary's favorite place to celebrate her birthday.
As the Inn's web page says "The dining is exquisite but the dress is
casual." Dinner served everyday at several seatings. Reservations (required) at 1-800-65-FALLS.
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Jack's Steak House - A Logan
landmark. Great steaks in a casual atmosphere.
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Jimbo's Bar & Diner - We couldn't find
a web page for Jimbo's, but you can find it at 23356 State Route 56,
South Bloomingville, OH. Yes, it is somewhat of a biker bar, but
it's also a place to get a great hamburger - big and juicy. Don't expect to order any imported beer and you'll be happy with the
selection. The jukebox is excellent and there are two pool
tables. Sometimes closed mid-January through mid-March.
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Julie's Cafe -
at 34 West Main Street, near the corner of Market and Main Street in Logan, opposite the
park next to the courthouse. We recently discovered Julie's and have
made several many return trips. Lunch is available Monday -
Saturday. Closed Sunday. Great dining for reasonable
prices.
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Olde Dutch Restaurant
- Lots of
real good homestyle food, with the emphasis on lots. The
buffet is a great value. Try not
to overeat but definitely try the fried chicken. It's the best
in the Hills. Located in Logan in
Rempel's Grove on
Route 664.
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Sandstone -
Located on Main Street in Logan. Very good quality.
We've visited here a lot this year and enjoyed outdoor dining on
their new patio. Call 740-385-9479 for
reservations, but we have yet to need them.
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Spotted Owl Cafe
- Located at 53 West Main Street in Logan. This cafe has great
breakfast, lunch and dinner selections, desserts, and coffee. Open 7-7
Monday-Saturday and 9-5 on Sunday. Very pleasant
and worth a stop. Local artists' work on display.
- Village Cafe - Open at 6 a.m. daily,
we like the Village Cafe in Laurelville for breakfast on Sunday, or
any day. Order the home fries. Located on State Route 56.
Here's a different way to dine (weather
permitting): Pack up some cold fried chicken, buttered bread, a couple
of apples and some brownies. Hike up the east rim trail at
Conkles
Hollow and find a comfortable (and safe) spot on the rim.
Watch the sun begin to set over the gorge while you nibble.
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Lake Logan,
Rose Lake on State Route 374 and
Clear
Creek Metro Park (in northern Hocking county) all offer
fishing. Boat rental is available at Lake Logan.
We rented a pontoon boat one year, took the dog too, and had
a great time. By the way Lake Logan has a nice little beach.
Nearby
Tar
Hollow State Park also features a small lake, with a beach,
and boat rental.
Be sure to bring your Ohio fishing license.
Apply online at the
Ohio
Department of Natural Resources!
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We've had a GPS unit for years, but only
recently heard about the "sport" of geocaching. Basically,
geocaching is using your GPS to find something someone has hidden.
For more information, go to
Geocaching.com and use zip codes 43135 or 43138 to locate
geocaches close to Marsh Hollow.
Recommendations: The most clever hide is at
Infestation in Athens county. And best all round hike
and destination is
Moonville Tunnel which we finally found on our third try.
By the way, we are the HockingHunters at
Geocaching.com.
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Yes, there is golf, both miniature and the real
thing, in Hocking county. Try
Adventure Golf at Rempel's
Grove for challenging miniature golf.
Some of our summer guests enjoyed a round of
golf at Windy Hills Golf and would recommend it to others.
Call 740-385-7886 for more information.
The
Brass Ring Golf Club
is a very nice but more conventional golf course located south of
Logan. The restaurant and lounge offer excellent food. Open year
round.
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The
Hocking Hills State Park hiking trails
include six
separate natural areas, each with its own trails:
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Ash Cave - offers a very easy, short
trail into the cave (really a rock shelter) as well as a more
difficult rim trail. Ash Cave features a waterfall in season or anytime
there's been enough rain. Also connects to Cedar Falls via a
3 mile section of the
Buckeye Trail. Located on
Route 56.
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Cantwell Cliffs - a lot of
steps, but the cliffs are worth it. Located on Route 374.
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Cedar Falls - probably the
tallest waterfall in the Hocking Hills. Connects to Ash Cave
via a 3 mile section of the Buckeye Trail and to Old Man's Cave via
another 3 mile section of the
Buckeye
Trail. The 3 mile gorge trail to Old Man's Cave is
breathtaking. Located on Route 374.
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Lake Logan - although known
more for boating, swimming & fishing, the park includes the one-mile Pine Vista Hiking
Trail, located across Lake Logan Road from the beach. In
addition, the
Buckeye Trail runs through the
northwest end of the park toward the Hocking State Forest.
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Old Man's Cave - the
most popular and fun natural area, with lots of water running
through it. Highlights include the Devil's Bathtub, and the
Upper and Lower Falls. Connects to Cedar Falls via a 3 mile section
of the
Buckeye Trail. Also has a
Visitors Center. Located on Route 374/664 about 7 miles from Marsh
Hollow.
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Rock House - the only true
cave. Walking down into the area is easy, and the cave is
great, but the climb out is all uphill. Located on Route 374,
about 4 1/2 miles from Marsh Hollow.
While not a part of the Hocking Hills State
Park, Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve
is our favorite destination in the Hocking Hills. The gorge
trail is only about 1/2 mile long and ends at the base of a waterfall.
The 2 1/2 mile rim trail is spectacular but not suitable for small
children as it features high cliffs and no guard rails. We hike
this trail every
New Year's Day, unless closed
because of ice! Conkles Hollow is located on Big Pine Road, near
the intersection with Route 374, about 4 1/2 miles from Marsh Hollow.
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Spotted Horse Ranch and
Happy
Trails Horseback Rides (closed in winter) are closest to Marsh Hollow.
We have also enjoyed several trail rides at
Uncle
Buck's.
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There are lots of places to shop for antiques
and arts & crafts in the Hocking Hills. Contact the Hocking Hills
Tourism Association at 1-800-HOCKING and ask for the Visitors
Guide. Or visit their web site at
www.1800hocking.com. Here are just a few we enjoy browsing through (there are
many, many more great shops and galleries):
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Logan:
Hocking
River Emporium and Logan Art Gallery & Art Center on Main Street; and
Hocking Hills
Farmers Market on U.S. 33. You can also spend an entire
morning or afternoon at
Rempel's Grove: antiques, crafts, glassware outlet,
miniature golf & lunch or dinner at Olde Dutch.
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Laurelville: Laurelville Fruit Farm (the BEST apples & peaches in
season, plus Laurelville Cider; on Route 56 in the village.
Thornybrook Farms on Route 56 about 4 miles southeast of
Laurelville - garden store, baked goods, seasonal items.
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Nelsonville:
Rocky
Factory Outlet Store. 3 floors of great deals on shoes, boots,
clothing, home decorations and more. Worth the 45 minute
drive from Marsh Hollow and is a MUST visit. Nelsonville's
town square is surrounded by shops and art galleries, making this a
great day trip from Marsh Hollow. We recommend lunch at
The
Coffee Cup on U.S. 33 just northwest of Nelsonville. Much
better food than it would look like it had. Seriously, we love it.
- Check out the
Art of the Hocking Hills
web site for a guide to the artisans, galleries and cultural
centers of southeastern Ohio. Note that many artists are located
outside of Hocking county.
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Logan Art Gallery & Art Center, on West Main Street in Logan,
features juried artists, clay and painting classes. Very reasonable
prices for ceramic art, jewelry and much more. Schedule a class for
an hour or more, then take home your special memory from the Hocking
Hills. Call 740-385-9455
for more information.
The Old
Bear's Den offers 5 hour photography workshops by
appointment with as little as 12 hours notice. Call Eric
Hoffman at 740-380-2039 for more information.
Blue Valley Massage
offers in-cabin massage therapy and spa treatments. Our
guests have been very pleased with their services.
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Last updated
Saturday October 27, 2007
by
Mary Marsh
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