Things to Do in Mount Vernon

The rock bridge spans more than 100 feet in length, arching to a height of 50 feet as it connects to the opposing shores of the Hocking River. As kayakers glide beneath it, they look up at eons of natural history: a bridge carved out by centuries of glacial waters that eroded the sandstone away particle by particle. They gaze up at the awesome spectacle until a white-tailed deer dashes along the shore, stealing their focus.

Hocking Valley Canoe Livery and Fun Center's outdoor enthusiasts continue provide connections to moments such as these, just as they have for more than 30 years. The staff furnishes gear such as canoes and inner tubes for river trips, during which sportsmen may glimpse river dwellers such as leatherback turtles and kingfishers sneaking sandwiches from unsuspecting picnickers. Dedicated to keeping the river clean for future generations, Hocking Valley's staff also regularly engages in conservation efforts, including sponsorship of the annual Hocking River Cleanup

Back at the fun center, crews oversee amusements that range from go-kart rides to mini golf. With such a multiplicity of diversions, Hocking Valley's team often customizes recreational packages for its guests that combine several activities. To help visitors enjoy the area for more than a day, the grounds also affords outdoorsmen lodging, including riverside campgrounds and Amish camper cabins.

Boasting a course of 18 ziplines and a high-ropes course, Hocking Peaks Adventure Park immerses adventurers of all ages in a multitiered wilderness playground sprawling through the woods and fields of Hocking Hills. Surrounded by a sun-dappled tree canopy, the ropes course combines 60 midair challenges—including catwalks, suspended logs, and rope crossings—that visitors can surmount while strapped into safety harnesses that also help them blend in with current forest fashion trends. For kids, an alternative course and zipline hang a few feet above the ground. Within the same woods, ATV rides cover 15 miles of rambling ground trails, while paintball matches storm a separate wooded area with two levels of play and built-up cover.

As they emerge from the woodland playground, guests can take on the 42-foot high inflatable waterslide, or climb into one-, two-, or three-person transparent Ogo balls to roll down a hillside course more gracefully than a classically trained hamster. Additionally, an 18-hole disc-golf course—designed by professional disc-course planners Innova—sprawls through 6,000 feet of hills, beckoning players to aim for chain-fringed baskets.