Rock House, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
© Kenneth Keifer/Getty Image
Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
The beautiful and cavernous Rock House is Hocking Hills State Park's only true cave and one of the Ohio park's seven main hiking paths. The cave is so named because it was used as a shelter by various dwellers in different periods. It also holds a fortified position, halfway up a cliff, thus making it look like a mighty stronghold. Long before European settlers arrived, the area's Native American occupants are believed to have used the Rock House as a refuge and for ceremonial purposes.
The walls of Rock House have seven openings that were formed by erosion. These 'windows' create an intriguing visual effect and allow sunlight to filter through, casting beautiful patterns inside the cave. Archaeological evidence indicates that the tiny recesses in the rock walls were used by the dwellers as baking ovens, while troughs gouged in the cave's floor helped them collect water.
Related Images
Mua Caves in the Ninh Bình province of Vietnam
The Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, made famous by the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter
The city of Bath, Somerset
A walkway through a mountain peak in Chamonix, France
The National Wallace Monument overlooking Stirling in Scotland
Wildflowers in bloom at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona, USA
The village of Aguerd Oudad and the larger town of Tafraout in Morocco
Firefall at Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Bing Today Images
