The geologic features here are due to the weathering of the
Black Hand Sandstone, part of the Cuyahoga Formation that was
deposited early in the Mississippian Period (359-318 million years
ago). Once thought to have been formed by a river delta, this
sandstone has since been shown to be more consistent with incised
valley fill. The area was near a coast at that time, with much of
Michigan and Ohio inundated with a shallow inland sea. The ancient
Appalachian Mountains to the east fed rivers which flowed into the
basin. This location was situated in one such river valley, where
sand and gravel were deposited by the ancient river flow. Long
after being deposited by the action of moving water, the sandstone
is now being worn down by it.
As the name Big Spring Hollow suggests, a steady stream of water
cascades from the deeply concaved face of Big Spring. The name is
actually a fallacy in that it is not feed by a spring. I’ve
been bringing my Boy Scout Troop here since 1980 for the thrill of
climbing, rappelling and ascending this awesome rock out cropping.
Amazingly, one of my Scouts (Mike Burge) used ascenders to climb
from bottom to top in 90 seconds. However, even if you aren’t
the rope totin’ type, it’s also a lovely place to just
sit and hang out. During heavy rains we’ve witnessed a
thirty-foot wide waterfall and in winter viewed a twenty-foot ice
tower.
Reaching this waterfall takes a little bit of effort. The
trailhead for the falls is located off Big Pine Road east of route
374. There is a parking lot for the climbing and rappelling area of
Hocking Hills on the north side of the road. The trail to Big
Spring Hollow Falls is on the south side of the road. Head straight
towards the hills, cross the metal footbridge and take the trail to
the right. The trail basically follows the base of the cliffs, with
a few up and downs towards the end. After about a half mile, you
will reach the falls. You’ll find a trail map
here.
Two Scouts doing an inverted rappel
Trivia: Did you know that as many as 900 climbers a month log
into the self-registration area?
Congratulations to S&BGeo for being First to
Find!
To claim a find, please email me the answers to the following
questions:
1. Many large boulders can be found at the end of the hollow. Where
do you think they came from?
2. In what compass direction (N, E, S or W) is the opening
facing?
Optional requirement: Post a photo of Big Spring Hollow taken
during your visit.
Important notes:
1. This EarthCache was
developed under special permit from the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources. (It took 10 months!)
2. This cache is open during daylight hours only.
3. Please obey all park rules including leaving no trace.