Larry A. Smail's Blog

Small barn spotted along way to Conkle’s Hollow.

The Conkle’s Hollow area of the Hocking Hills is considered to be one of the deepest gorges in Ohio. The slopes are rugged and steep with rocky outcrops jutting from high above the gorge’s sides. They are 200 feet high in places. The gorge, itself, is about half a mile long.            

The valley floor is thick with vegetation thus not allowing much sunlight to reach the bottom of the gorge.

  The width between sides at the end of the gorge is only about 300 feet.

Laurie and I hiked the rim trail that circles the gorge. The trail is usually made of smooth, sandy rocks. The length of this trail is over two miles. As it states at the trail’s beginning, the hike is potentially dangerous with injuries and even deaths occurring from mishaps or carelessness.

One of many breakages within the rocks.

At the gorge’s end a waterfall tricking down over the rim.  the rocks are all very high and impressive to behold. Breakages in the rocks in times past are evident and one can study these breakages and see how they once fit to the rocks above.                                          

Winter hikes could be even worse with snow and/or ice being on the rocky outcrops. Today was cool and sunny allowing for some photo opportunities.

The hollow became known as Conkle Hollow after a name and date was discovered carved onto the rocks. The carving was “W.J.Conkle 1797”.

Squawroot, a parasitic plant. It usually grows in clusters.

Some areas of our Hocking Hills adventure showed many wildflowers such as trilliums. We, unfortunately, were about two weeks late to witness their beauty for they had completed their annual blossoming time.  Jack-in-the-Pulpits and Golden Ragworts were in full blossom as were the Wild Geraniums.

  Turkey vultures were common throughout our hikes and journeys since they like to nest in rocky areas.

In times past the Shawnee and Wyandot Indians used the areas.