Cabins by the Caves

We stayed in the Wildflower cabin last weekend for my birthday/​anniversary, and it was GREAT! Nice and secluded. The cabin was clean and cozy, and was fully stocked with about any kitchen hardware (dishes, utensils, cookware, blender, mixer, etc.) you could need. The couches were comfortable. The bed in the master bedroom was nice and firm. As it was just the two of us, we didn’t need the upstairs (loft) bedroom. And the hot tub was, well, HOT (and clean).
The main driveway is gravel and quite steep — hence the requirement for 4WD. It was dry throughout our stay, so my Jeep had no problem climbing to the top. There was also a secondary drive that is not published that leads past several other cabins, and isn’t quite as steep. We only used this one once, just to see where it went, and didn’t want to disturb the other cabin guests.
Only a few small issues kept this from 5-​stars:
1) When we arrived, the Satellite TV in the living room had no sound. Tinkered and messed around with settings — nothing. Originally connected to TV via coax, so I bought an AV at Wally World that evening and reconnected it — didn’t help — still no sound from the satellite box. So I swapped the receiver in the living room with the one in the downstairs area — Reconnected them both — and they BOTH worked fine. I think the problem may have been that there had been a power outage at some point, and maybe the original living room box may have needed a hard reset (unplugged) to get the sound working again… I left the AV cable attached so you’re welcome future visitors for the clearer picture and sound :)
2) Awesome cabinet video game in the downstairs area! Free play and 60 old-​school games in one machine! However there was something going on with the monitor that made it nearly unplayable :(Sucks because I’m a fan of those games…
3) We stayed over into Monday morning. Right about 9AM we got a robo-​call waking us up. About 30 minutes later, another one… The cabin’s phone number may have gotten on a list. So if you want to be left undisturbed, and don’t need the phone, take it off the hook!
4) DVD player (built into the TV) would start giving fits about ¾ of the way through a disc. We were able to finish one movie, but couldn’t get it to finish the second.
A few tips for people that may want this cabin:
1) We couldn’t get any cell reception there (T-​Mobile or AT&T). Looks like the cabin is equipped with a Sprint hotspot (no public access) for it’s telephone, so maybe Sprint users could get a signal.
2) Would have to be well-​water there, and has a strong sulfur smell and taste. It’s probably already filtered and softened. Nothing wrong with it. Just is what it is — be ready.
3) Plan your need accordingly. The cabin is in a great location for the parks and hiking, but it is a haul to get over to Logan, where the stores (Walmart, Krogers), some activities (like canoeing) and restaurants (fast food, chains, and we LOVED the Millstone BBQ!) are. NOTE: Redbox at both Walmart and Krogers :)
Overall a great time in a great location at a great price. We are already planning a return visit next year!
E

Deep Breath. I think I’ve calmed down enough to write this review with a certain amount of objectivity. My initial review would have been negative stars, but that isn’t fair. There is plenty to like about Cabins by the Caves…
It’s time for another edition of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
First, the good: The cabins are pretty nice, the amenities are mostly good. The staff is very pleasant to deal with on the phone. Air conditioning was great, as was the hot tub. There are many good things to like about these cabins. If you plan to visit by car/​4WD truck, I would even recommend them.
The Neutral: If you have a cabin at the top of the Hill, you have cell service. If not, you’re off the grid. This can go both ways, I suppose.
The Bad: The Amenities are inconsistent. Some of the cabins have dishwashers, some don’t. Some have hairdryers, some don’t. If it’s important to you, be sure to ask in advance. The toilets are the smallest I have ever seen. I think they were designed for Japanese schoolchildren. The usual issues you might see with cabins: Old Plumbing, weird electrical issues, etc. Honestly, most of this stuff is forgivable, if not for…
The Ugly: OK, here we go!
Our Motorcycle group chose this place based on it’s reviews, without actually visiting it first. We rented multiple cabins, and we asked many questions during the lead-​up to our rally. We made it very clear that the group would be on motorcycles, and we asked many pointed questions about parking, driveway quality, access, etc. We were assured that the property was great for motorcycles. We were even told they were re-​doing the driveway in June.
Allow me to be blunt. This property is NOT SAFE for motorcyclists. To say anything else would be irresponsible, and could lead to someone getting badly hurt, if not killed.
While not the fault of the owners, the road coming to/​from the property is one lane wide, and consists of loosely packed gravel. You’re concentrating on staying upright, and a car comes around a blind curve. There is almost nowhere for you to go. There is no real shoulder, so you end up with your bike in a drainage ditch while the car has to squeak past you. That said, the road is the least of your worries.
The driveway into and out of the cabins is dirt, loose bits of gravel, and ancient pavement covered in loose rocks, filled with potholes. There is a giant pile of gravel off to the side of the road in one spot, I think this was what they meant about re-​doing the driveway. The gravel pile is right near the mud bog section of the road.
We had one couple staying at the top of the hill, and how the rider managed to get up and down that hill (once) is a miracle. He only rode the hill once, because it was far too dangerous to do again. Honestly, it was dangerous to walk that hill without slipping and falling. Thankfully, the group had 3 cars, so there were people around to run shuttle service to the top. The 4WD Toyota pickup had a tough time climbing the hill without spinning tires.
Over 3 days, 4 out of 8 Bikes dumped in various parts of the driveway. It was so bad that by the second day, we instituted a buddy rule, you couldn’t go anywhere on a bike without someone else. There is no cell service at the road, so if you get hurt, you’re done. Incidentally, have you ever tried picking up a 950# bike while standing in mud on the side of a hill?
Now, when I say that 4 out of 8 bikes dumped, I need to make clear: There are no chuckleheads or newbies in this group. We are all very experienced riders, on state of the art high end bikes. One of the guys teaches the MSF class. We have ridden some truly crazy roads in our time together, but never anything like this. Half of our group ended up with horizontal bikes. It’s amazing nobody was seriously injured. This is the first time my Motorcycle has ever engaged the anti-​lock brakes. Also the first time it’s been down. This property is NOT SAFE for motorcyclists.
In Summary: Going by car? Go for it. On a motorcycle? STAY FAR, FAR AWAY.

We stayed in the Jackson cabin, and it was amazing. We are already planning this same trip for next spring. The cabin was so clean, and well set up. It made for a perfectly relaxing time. The cabin is nicely secluded, but also located a short drive from the caves/​park. Best of both worlds. Cabins by the Caves is doing a great job. They were easy to work with to schedule.

Stayed in Sugar Bear for a weekend getaway. It was even nicer than the pictures! I called the owner twice with various questions and she was really nice and helpful. The cabin was very clean. The price was a steal compared to the other cabins we saw, and we pretty much got the pick of the litter by booking 2 months in advance. I will definitely keep them in mind next time we venture to Logan. Just FYI about Sugar Bear specifically — the tap water is good so you don’t need to bring bottled, there is cell phone service, the driveway could be treacherous after snow; if we had gone a few days earlier right after a snowstorm my honda would’ve had a terrible time making it to the cabin… this is not unusual for most of the cabins we’ve stayed in near Hocking Hills.