Hideout Hollow Trail

The Hideout Hollow Trail (HOH) begins at the Schermerhorn trailhead in the Compton area. The trail was once in inhabited by a group of draft dodgers called The Slacker Gang during World War I. The Slacker Gang was made up of 9 young men from the Cecil Cove area that refused to join the army and decided to go into hiding in the dense wilderness area to avoid the draft. The 9 young men remained in hiding for months before surrendering to the draft in 1918. The trail was named in reference to this act once the National Park was established in 1972. The trail is a considered an easy hike with a moderate 400ft in elevation gain for the entire length of trail. The trail is situated along the rugged cliffs that cradle Cecil Creek Valley. The trail offers panoramic views of the Cecil Cove valley and surrounding mountains when standing atop the 75ft tall cliffs. The gem of the trail is a 50ft tall waterfall surround by a picturesque box canyon that is covered in colorful dog wood trees and azalea during spring months. During wet season, multiple small cascading falls are visible, before reaching the larger waterfall. The trail follows the park boundary closely on two sides; visitors should be aware of their surroundings and respect private property owners that join the park.