New marker highlights the natural and cultural legacy of Ohio’s largest recessed cave
LOGAN, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has unveiled a new historical marker at Ash Cave in Hocking Hills State Park, celebrating the natural and human history that make this site one of Ohio’s most iconic landmarks.
Ash Cave, the largest recessed cave in the state, stretches nearly 700 feet wide, 100 feet deep, and 100 feet high. Visitors can reach the horseshoe-shaped cavern via a scenic quarter-mile gorge trail, lined with towering trees and seasonal wildflowers. In winter, waterfalls freezing over the rim create stunning natural ice formations, adding to the site’s year-round appeal.
“Ash Cave is a place where Ohio’s natural beauty and human history come together in an extraordinary way,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “This marker ensures that the stories of both the land and the people who found refuge here will be remembered for generations to come.”
The marker details Ash Cave’s geological origins, dating back more than 300 million years when Ohio was covered by shallow seas. Sediments deposited by ancient currents formed the Black Hand Sandstone, which erosion later sculpted into the massive cave visitors see today.
Ash Cave has also served as a shelter and gathering place for centuries. Early Indigenous peoples, including the Adena culture (500 BCE–100 CE), left behind tools, pottery, corn cobs, and animal bones. The cave later received its name from settlers who discovered a 100-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, and 3-foot-deep pile of ashes beneath the overhang, likely the remnants of campfires, ceremonial use, or saltpeter production.
In the 19th century, Ash Cave’s natural amphitheater and excellent acoustics made it a hub for community events and church services. Pulpit Rock at the cave’s entrance once served as the preacher’s stand during Sunday sermons.
The new marker is part of ODNR’s ongoing historical marker program, which recognizes and preserves the stories of significant places, events, and people across Ohio’s state parks. Visitors can find the marker at the Ash Cave trailhead, serving as a permanent tribute to both the natural splendor and hidden human history of the site.
ODNR, recently recognized as the No. 1 state park system in America with the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, manages Ohio’s 76 state parks and waterways while balancing recreation, education, and conservation.
For more information, visit ohiodnr.gov.
