Back view of the new Hocking Hills Lodge and Conference Center near Logan, Ohio.Courtesy Ohio Department of Natural Resources

LOGAN, Ohio – Ohio’s first new overnight park lodge in more than 30 years will open its doors this weekend – and the views are expected to be terrific.

The 81-room lodge at Hocking Hills State Park is set amid some of Ohio’s most spectacular scenery, with the park’s signature waterfalls, caves and intricate rock formations a short distance away.

“It’s truly a resort, right there in the heart of the park,” said Karen Raymore, executive director of the Hocking Hills Tourism Association. “Obviously, we are thrilled.”

The lodge replaces a smaller facility on the same site that was destroyed by fire in December 2016. The previous lodge had a restaurant and meeting rooms, but no overnight guest rooms.

Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said the new lodge will support the area’s growing tourism economy, which provides an important boost to Southeast Ohio, the poorest region in the state. An economic study several years ago suggested the region could support additional overnight options.

Individual cabins make up much of the existing lodging stock in the area, said Raymore. A more resort-oriented property should appeal to more visitors.

The park, the state’s flagship, draws as many as 5 million visitors a year, although most don’t stay overnight.

“It will provide yet another option for our visitors,” she said. “The attention that this lodge brings to the Hocking Hills area is good for everyone.”

The $40 million lodge is the first overnight park facility built by the state since 1991, when the lodge at Maumee Bay State Park near Toledo opened.

The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake, located within Geneva State Park in far northeast Ohio, opened in 2004 but is owned by Ashtabula County. The lodge at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County was rebuilt in 2012, also after a fire, but does not have overnight rooms.

Among the features at the Hocking Hills lodge:

* 81 guestrooms, including four suites, all with a balcony or patio, most with park views. Some rooms have king beds, others have two queens and some have bunk beds. Room rates vary based on the day, but run about $150-$250 per night.

* Two swimming pools, one indoor and one outside, plus two hot tubs. The outdoor hot tub will be open year-round and has heated sidewalks to melt snow during the winter months.

* A restaurant, Rock House, featuring chef Matt Rapposelli, a Cleveland native, who was the chef at the lodge in 2016 before it closed. Most recently, Rapposelli has been working at the nearby Inn at Cedar Falls, the highly acclaimed inn and restaurant on land adjacent to the park.

“We are thrilled that Matt will be there,” said Raymore. “It was a very smart move on the state’s part. He had such a huge local following before the fire.”

Mertz said her favorite feature of the new lodge is its three-story main lobby, with dramatic views of the surrounding parkland. “It’s a real show-stopper, the way it showcases the outside,” said Mertz, noting, “There’s nothing you can do to improve the outdoors.”

Soaring views inside the lobby area at the new Lodge at Hocking Hills.Ohio Department of Natural Resources

The new lodge features 81 overnight rooms, including four suites.Ohio Department of Natural Resources

The new lodge features two swimming pools, one inside and one outside, plus two hot tubs.Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Mertz said she is also excited about several pieces of Ohio artwork that will be featured at the lodge, as well as some features saved from the previous property, including the original flagpole.

The lodge is located off Ohio 664, just west of the park visitors center and Old Man’s Cave.

Hocking Hills is Ohio’s most popular state park, comprising 2,000 acres across Hocking County, about 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The park is famous for its dramatic rock formations, including Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs and Rock House.

The facility will be operated by South Dakota-based U.S. Hotel & Resort Management, which manages eight other overnight lodges in the Ohio state park system. For information: hockinghillsparklodge.com.

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