LOGAN, OH (WTOL) - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced Hocking Hills will soon have a new lodge to host overnight guests.
The new lodge will stand at the site of the former Hocking Hills Dining Lodge. The lodge burned down in 2016.
“It was disappointing to lose a building that meant a great deal to so many people when the dining lodge burned down,” said ODNR Director Jim Zehringer. “This is a new opportunity for more visitors to have the option to stay overnight at Hocking Hills State Park, and we are excited to help create a place that will provide more joy and relaxation to millions of visitors in the future.”
The new lodge will be an updated facility that will include overnight lodging, a conference center, dining and day-use accommodations. It will also feature a large parking lot and a new path to Old Man’s Cave and the newest Whispering Cave trail only feet away.
A large portion of funding for the lodge, which will cost $30 million, will come from the insurance settlement ODNR received following the fire of the original lodge.
ODNR is in the process of selecting and architecture and engineering firm to design the new facility., and a construction manager to complete construction.
This project is part of a statewide initiative ODNR has undertaken to repair and update recreational facilities across the state and welcome visitors from around the world to Hocking Hills.
