The Passing of Time (Ohio VIII)

The longest trail in Hocking Hills State Park is nicknamed Grandma’s Trail, and it’s an 11 mile roundtrip.

It leads to rather remote regions of the park, making it ideal for self-isolation. The six hours it takes to hike it is an opportunity to contemplate the passing of time, both our own, and the inherent time of the landscape.

Spatial and temporal distance merge in rare views like the one above (from a fire tower). 

Then there is an abundance of waterfalls and rock faces: Do we want change, or do we want permanence?

Spectacular views like the one below are rare, reminding us that there is not only passing time, but also meaning.

The trail ends at Ash Cave, another large recess cave with a waterfall.

The enormous overhang provides shelter, but is also an ominous threat: How long will it hold?