Natural Ohio Adventures

Sources: http://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/sheepskinhollow

Only a few parks east of the Mississippi are less developed than Sheepskin Hollow. Not a single trail goes through the park, and many people have called the park the “most wild” place in all of Ohio. The centerpiece of the park is a fantastic hemlock ravine known as Sheepskin Hollow. Over the course of about 1/2 of a mile, the ravine drops over 100 feet, and has dozens of beautiful small cascades. Two notable waterfalls are located on the ravine: Upper Sheepskin Falls and Lower Sheepskin Falls.

Trails:
Hiking up Sheepskin Hollow
Difficulty: Difficult
Length: ⅔ mile
Trail Description: This isn’t a trail, but it’s the route you would take if you wanted to see the hollow. After parking your car at the small gravel area, hike up to the old railroad bed. It’s obvious that there hasn’t been a track here for quite some time. Follow the rail bed upstream for about 3-5 minutes until you reach the first large stream valley on your left. This is Sheepskin Hollow. Descend into the gorge. Where the stream goes under the rail bed there should be a tunnel that has “1933” engraved on it. If not you went into the wrong stream valley. Hike up this stream for about 10 minutes. You'll pass by multiple cascades and hemlock groves and you'll feel as if you've been transported to the Pacific Northwest. Soon Lower Sheepskin Hollow Falls will come in to view. It’s about 15 feet tall and 5 feet wide and has very similar qualities to the Cuyahoga Valley’s Blue Hen Falls. You can actually go behind the waterfall if you don’t mind getting a little bit wet. You can either turn back here or continue on to Upper Sheepskin Hollow Falls. Be warned that the hike only gets harder from here. Find a safe way to the top of the falls then continue hiking. After getting up, you are rewarded with a beautiful 5 foot waterfall. Upper Sheepskin Falls is about 10-20 minutes farther upstream. Once you get close to the falls, the ravine will narrow, and you’ll have no choice but get your feet wet. Upper Sheepskin Falls is half cascade and half waterfall. The waterfall drops down a series of rapids totaling to around 5 feet then drops 10 more feet. It’s beautiful end to an amazing hike.

Sheepskin Hollow

Address: 51766 Pancake-Clarkson Rd. Negley, OH
Size: 453 Acres