The Hocking Hills keeps a full calendar all year — glass pumpkins and county fairs in the autumn, a six-mile winter hike in January, Bigfoot in August.
Bear Run sits about twelve minutes from downtown Logan, so most of this is an easy evening out and back. Dates were checked against the organisers’ own listings on 1 September 2026 — festivals do move, so it is worth a quick check before you set out. Drive times are approximate, door to door from the cabins.
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, 33 W Canal Street, Nelsonville28 min from Bear Run
Thursday to Sunday through October, a vintage train runs out through the Hocking Valley at the height of the colour. The least effort for the best view in the region, and the one outing that suits everybody from a toddler to a grandparent.
Downtown Circleville, around Court & Main Streets48 min from Bear Run
Ohio's oldest and largest harvest festival, always the third Wednesday to Saturday of October. Giant pumpkins, seven parades, and free to attend.
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, 33 W Canal Street, Nelsonville28 min from Bear Run
6 PM departures, with a stop at Robbins Crossing and a haunted train car; children get treats back at the depot. Costumes encouraged, as long as they suit all ages. Two weekends only and they go early.
Worthington Park, Main & Market Streets, Logan12 min from Bear Run
Trick-or-treating, a costume contest, a scavenger hunt and a treat walk around the park, 6 to 8 PM. Free. The exact evening is set closer to the time.
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, 33 W Canal Street, Nelsonville28 min from Bear Run
Two days of steam-hauled runs rather than the usual diesel — worth planning around if anyone in the party cares about engines.
Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E Fair Ave, Lancaster38 min from Bear Run
Lights at the fairgrounds on evenings from Thanksgiving to Christmas, with Santa and concessions, listed at ten dollars a car. The organiser posts only on Facebook, so check before you go.
Nelsonville Depot, 33 W Canal Street, Nelsonville28 min from Bear Run
A fully decorated, heated train with a visit from Santa for every child — a tradition more than forty years old. Thursday to Sunday from 28 November through 20 December, with 11 AM and 2 PM departures at weekends and a 6 PM evening run on selected days. They sell out, so book early.
Square 13 Historic District, Lancaster38 min from Bear Run
Lit windows around the historic district, a new one each evening, on a self-guided walk with a map. In 2025 there were 24, lit 6 to 10 PM every night of December; 2026 details will be at adventwindowwalk.com. Best after dark.
Sets off from Hocking County Fairgrounds, 100 N Homer Ave, Logan12 min from Bear Run
Logan's hometown Christmas parade, free to watch and thoroughly family friendly. It sets off at 12 noon and runs through to the West Hunter Street and State Route 664 intersection. Santa rides it, and the shops and town square are in full holiday dress.
Jack Pine Studio, 21397 State Route 180, Laurelville30 min from Bear Run
Hot cider, live glassblowing and one-of-a-kind glass gifts at the studio, with a toy drive and a visit from Santa. It has run the first weekend of December in past years but the 2026 dates are not yet published — call (740) 332-2223 to check before you drive out.
Charles Alley Memorial Park, 2805 Old Logan Road SE, Lancaster35 min from Bear Run
Four nights of an illuminated walk-through trail in the woods. 6 to 8 PM, free, with bonfires and hot chocolate. No pets; park in the field across the road. (740) 687-6651.
Ash Cave, State Route 56, South Bloomingville42 min from Bear Run
3 to 5 PM, and free. Holiday music, crafts, cookies and hot cocoa, and a visit with Santa, inside Ohio's largest recess cave. One of the loveliest afternoons in the Hills — and all of it outdoors, so wrap up. It finishes at five, so come early rather than after dinner.
Downtown Logan, around the town square12 min from Bear Run
Live music, a DJ, local vendors, carriage rides, Polar Express train rides and the ball drop at midnight. The railway also runs a New Year's Eve Fireworks Express.
Dates change. The Hocking Hills Welcome Center on (740) 385-9706 keeps the full, current calendar — worth a call before you travel. Last checked 19 October 2026.
Where a festival has published its 2027 date we give it in full. Where it has not, we show the window it has kept for years, marked "expected" — near enough to book around, but worth confirming first.
Hocking Hills State Park, State Route 664 S, Logan30 min from Bear Run
The region's signature winter event, running since the 1960s — some 5,600 hikers last January. Rolling start any time between 9 and 11 AM; the assembly point has been given as both the visitor center and the campground in different years, so confirm it on the park's own listing in the week before you go. Small groups are led on an interpretive walk as far as the Upper Falls, then you finish the six miles at your own pace. Free, as are the activities before and after; donations are welcome for the refreshments and the ride back. Commemorative patches and hiking-stick medallions are on sale.
Various trailheads, Hocking Hills State Park, State Route 664 S30 min from Bear Run
Free naturalist-led hikes, run every weekday for a week in late April as the spring ephemerals appear — trillium, hepatica and Dutchman's breeches. Moderate to difficult. The park confirms the week in early spring.
Downtown McArthur42 min from Bear Run
The first full weekend of May, Thursday to Sunday — a parade, a queen, rides and turkey-calling, in a county seat that gives itself over to it completely.
Jack Pine Studio, 21397 State Route 180, Laurelville30 min from Bear Run
The spring counterpart to the pumpkin festival — hand-blown glass garden art, live demonstrations, artisan vendors, music and food trucks.
Downtown Logan12 min from Bear Run
Confirmed by the festival — three days, Thursday to Saturday. Logan celebrates the washboard as a real musical instrument — jazz, jug band and zydeco — with dozens of musicians playing free all weekend. Logan is home to the last washboard factory in the country.
Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E Fair Ave, Lancaster38 min from Bear Run
Sixty-plus years running — classic cars, a large swap meet and the Old Car Club's vintage gas station. First weekend of June.
Snow Fork Event Center, 5685 Happy Hollow Road, Nelsonville30 min from Bear Run
A long-running independent music festival drawing national names to a wooded site about half an hour away.
Bishop Educational Gardens, 13200 Little Cola Road, Rockbridge22 min from Bear Run
Three acres of gardens, ponds and sculpture, always the second full weekend of July. Free to enter, with more than seventy artists and makers, plant sales, OSU Master Gardeners on hand, and a Viking village for children. Running since 1992.
Downtown Lancaster38 min from Bear Run
Ten days of music and art, opening with the Artwalk. The Lancaster Festival Orchestra under Gary Sheldon has won the American Prize for conducting and orchestral performance, and most events are free. About half an hour north.
Ohio Expo Center, 717 E 17th Avenue, Columbus50 min from Bear Run
Confirmed by the fair. Twelve days of livestock, midway and grandstand acts in Columbus — far enough to be a long day out, big enough that people plan trips around it.
Vinton County Fairgrounds, 31471 State Route 93, McArthur42 min from Bear Run
Free, over two days — speakers, vendors, live music, a howling contest and a Squatchiest Beard competition. A straight run south on SR 93. The festival has run as both a two-day weekend and a four-day event, so check the shape of it before booking.
Vinton County Park District land & Zaleski State Forest
Booked separately alongside the festival. A naturalist leads one group into Vinton County Park District land; a folklorist leads another into Bear Hollow in the Zaleski State Forest with ghost and Bigfoot stories, ending at the haunted Moonville Tunnel.
Hocking County Fairgrounds, 100 N Homer Ave, Logan12 min from Bear Run
Music, makers, vintage clothing and tie-dye on the fairgrounds in town. Ticketed, and it has sold out before, so watch for tickets going on sale.
Public Square, Nelsonville28 min from Bear Run
Nelsonville’s own week — a parade, rides, food and live music filling the square and the streets around it.
Brewery 33, 12684 College Prospect Drive, Logan15 min from Bear Run
A day given over to mead, with new meads, ciders and beers released alongside vendors and food, and live music through the afternoon. Free to attend. Brewery 33 has kept it to the last weekend of August.
Hocking County Fairgrounds, 100 N Homer Ave, Logan12 min from Bear Run
Combat demonstrations, artisans, and period music and food. The 2026 fest ran the last weekend of August, but the organisers have moved the weekend before now, so check before you count on it.
These run regardless of when you visit, and most of them are free.
Hocking Hills State Park Visitor Center, 19852 State Route 664 S, Logan30 min from Bear Run
Rangers lead guided walks, evening talks, owl prowls after dark and seasonal hikes — wildflowers, gorge geology, local history — plus beginner archery and raptor presentations. Free. Ask at the visitor center or call (740) 279-1177.
John Glenn Astronomy Park — use 20531 OH-664, Logan for satnav32 min from Bear Run
Free programs on clear Friday and Saturday nights, early March to late November, starting about half an hour after sunset. Volunteers work a 28-inch telescope. A free parking pass is required in advance — capacity is seventy cars.
Hocking Hills Winery, 30402 Freeman Road (20 min) & Brewery 33, 12684 College Prospect Drive, Logan (15 min)
Hocking Hills Winery has live music every weekend on the patio; Brewery 33 runs live music and food trucks through the warmer months. Both post line-ups on Facebook a week or two ahead.
Moonville Tunnel, off Hope-Moonville Road, McArthur
Guided night hunts at the haunted Moonville Tunnel — a walk along the old rail trail with ghost stories, then ghost hunting inside the tunnel. The tunnel is on public land off Hope-Moonville Road and free to visit in daylight. Parking is limited, so the hunts are by registration only — dates and sign-up at 21crows.com.
Hocking State Forest climbing & rappelling area
Local outfitters run guided hikes, and Hocking State Forest has a dedicated climbing and rappelling area with guide services available.
Hocking County Courthouse lot, 1 E Main Street, Logan12 min from Bear Run
Produce, baked goods and local makers, 9 AM to noon.
Looking for trails, waterfalls and the rest of the area? The Things to Do page covers what is close to the cabins day to day.
Fall color and festival weekends go first, and the holiday dates not long after. Check live availability and reserve securely.
