Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, March 17, 2014

An ICY Visit to Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Us at the base of ASH CAVE FALLS,  Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio 3/10/14
This past Friday I published photos from George's Birthday trip to Ohio.  If you missed that post,  click HERE.   Today I'll show you more photos from our wonderful trip to the Hocking Hills State Park,  near Logan,  Ohio  (from 3/9 - 3/12). 

The photo above was us standing in front of the HUGE ice mound at the base of Ash Cave Falls.  Below are more ---so be sure and click on the photos for enlargements.


ASH CAVE FALLS  (90 feet) at Hocking Hills State Park, 3/10/14
We love this waterfall.  Its setting in that huge cave is just AWESOME.  We had seen this waterfall twice before --but this is the most water we have ever seen coming over the falls.  Pretty,  isn't it??? (You can see how huge this area is when looking at the person (in the red shirt) standing there on the right.)



Here's another photo showing ASH CAVE. 




This girl LOVES sitting on a rock (Ash Cave)--while hubby takes more photos with his tripod.



Us at Ash Cave Falls,  Hocking Hills State Park, 3/10/14
Neither George nor I are 'tiny' people---but standing in front of that huge waterfall and cave certainly made us look tiny here...



Me---standing in front of LOWER FALLS,  Old Man's Cave, Hocking HIlls State Park, 3/10/14
On Friday,  I showed a photo of George and me in front of LOWER FALLS,  at Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills State Park.  At that time,  I mentioned what a hard time we had finding a way to get down to see this beautiful waterfall.

SO---today,  I will show you the way we had to come in order to get down here and back up!!!!!  Fun fun...



Tunnel where we went in order to get down to Lower Falls
Here is the tunnel we went through...  Luckily,  there was no ice inside here --but it was dark in there!!



George at the other end of that dark tunnel
The ICY trail in order to get down to Lower Falls




The cliffs around us---as we worked our way DOWN to the bottom of the gorge



The ICY stairs we had to take
This  was the scariest part of that climb down/up... The steps were icy ---but luckily,  we had some handrails to hang onto!!!!!! 



A neat photo I took showing the bottom of LOWER FALLS
We  did make it down (and back up) without falling!  We were lucky since there weren't many other ways one could take in order to get there.  (We needed cleats in order to manipulate most of the ice at Old Man's Cave.)




George near some huge icicles at Conkles Hallow,  Hocking Hills State Park, 2/11/14
The next day we went to the Conkles Hollow area---where we saw 3 waterfalls... I'll let George share the photos of the waterfalls we saw there.  I did post one of them (Lost Falls) in Friday's blog.



FINALLY,  some snow to stand on!!!!!   We didn't see much snow this trip--but when we did see snow or MUD,  I didn't complain at all.  Anything is better than ICE to walk on!!




More Rock-Sitting   (I can do that well!!!! ha)
While at Conkles Hollow,  I rested my aching knee (which I had hurt the day before)--while George hiked farther in order to get more great photos.



Lunch at a picnic table near the Conkles Hollow area
Give me a banana and some peanut butter --and I have a great lunch anyday!!!!!



Icicles and pretty rock colors at the ROCK HOUSE area,  Hocking Hills State Park, 3/11/14
Next we went to the ROCK HOUSE area of Hocking Hills State Park.  This is where there is another neat cave ---and where the rock colors are TERRIFIC.



Looking into the cave from outside (Rock House area)
Here's a photo showing the area where we could get inside the cave at the Rock House on 3/11/14.



Inside the ROCK HOUSE (cave) at Hocking Hills State Park, 3/11/14
Inside,  we thought we'd be able to get AWAY from the ice ---but there was ice inside also.   See it on the right?????



Me inside of the Rock House
We could hear the Pigeons 'cooing' above us in the cave--but couldn't see them.



Us at the ROCK HOUSE,  Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio, 3/11/14
I'll close with one more photo of the two of us taken at the ROCK HOUSE area.  Hocking Hills is a gorgeous state park and we enjoyed it despite the ICE.  IF you ever get to Ohio,  check out this park.  It is divided into several areas:  Old Man's Cave (the most popular area);  Cedar Falls;  Ash Cave;  Conkles Hollow; Rock House;  and Cantwell Cliffs.  Our favorite areas this trip were: Ash Cave,  Old Man's Cave,  Conkles Hollow and Rock House....

I'll try to post again on Friday,  the 21st IF I have time... Hope you have a great week. We are very busy beavers around here this month.  Happy St. Patrick's Day today!!!!  Wear your GREEN --so you won't get pinched!!!!!!

Hugs,