The park’s northernmost and least-visited major area — which is exactly its appeal. The drive is a little longer, so Cantwell Cliffs almost always has parking even on a busy fall weekend, and you’ll often have its overlooks to yourself.
The payoff is dramatic: a deep, horseshoe valley rimmed with cliffs, plus the famous “Fat Woman’s Squeeze,” a narrow stone staircase that pinches between boulders on the way down into the gorge. Many regulars rank the scenery here above the headline stops.
Cantwell Cliffs is the park’s northernmost area and its least-visited major one — which is exactly why regulars love it. A deep, horseshoe-shaped valley is rimmed by tall cliffs, with trails along both the rim and the cool valley floor.
The signature moment is “Fat Woman’s Squeeze,” a narrow stone stairway that pinches between boulders on the way down into the gorge. Many visitors rank the scenery here — especially in peak fall color — above the headline stops, minus the crowds.
Pro tip: If you’re visiting on a peak-color Saturday and Old Man’s Cave is a zoo, drive north and start here instead. You’ll trade 20 minutes of driving for an hour of solitude.
Photo: Aaron Zhu · CC BY-SA 3.0
- • About 20 minutes north of Old Man’s Cave; the longer drive means it almost always has parking.
- • The best crowd-avoidance play in the park, especially on busy fall weekends.
- • Trails are moderate-to-strenuous with steep, narrow passages; the Squeeze is genuinely tight.
- • Leashed dogs are welcome.
- Is Cantwell Cliffs worth the drive?
- For many regulars, yes — it’s among the most scenic areas in Hocking Hills and the quietest of the major stops, since the extra 20-minute drive thins the crowds. It’s a top pick on busy fall weekends.
- What is Fat Woman’s Squeeze?
- It’s a famously narrow stone stairway at Cantwell Cliffs that squeezes between two large boulders as you descend into the gorge — a fun, tight passage that’s become the area’s signature feature.
