Adventures abound after dark in Hocking Hills, Ohio

A fish-eye window gives an expansive view of the woods from a barrel-shaped sauna pod that seats four.

Think there’s nothing to do in Hocking Hills after dark?

Think again!

The region does have a great craft distillery, brewery, wineries and local watering holes – many with live music and outdoor seating – but it’s the fireflies and constellations that really light up the night in this remarkable destination.

A close-up interaction with moths, hosted by Butterfly Ridge Butterfly Conservation Center, starts with a lantern hike deep into the woodland lush with pollinator-attracting plants. A husband-wife naturalist team, Chris and Kris Cline, takes their Saturday Night Lights group to a clearing where a white vertical sheet illuminated with blue tungsten lighting draws hundreds of gorgeous multicolored and patterned moths up to 8 inches across. Meanwhile, the Clines educate and entertain with nocturnal tales.

A night kayaking expedition with Touch the Earth Adventures begins at sunset on Lake Hope in search of the North American Beaver. Guide Mimi Morrison teaches paddlers how to identify signs of shoreline activity as she leads them to beaver lodges. Visit touchtheearthadventures.com.

Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Hocking Hills with a sunset chill-out in a barrel-shaped cedar wood sauna with a fish-eye window. Sauna Pods, which seat up to four, are equipped with Bluetooth speakers and adjustable mood lighting. Visit saunapodshh.com.

Fearless folks can zip through the night as they experience the sights, sounds and spells of the forest and as talented canopy guides share natural history, folklore and tree and wildlife biology. Hocking Hills Canopy Tours has a number of options. Visit hockinghillscanopytours.com.

And thanks to Hocking Hills’ dark skies, the John Glenn Astronomy Park offers up starry nights, constellations and planets. The Aug. 11-12 Perseid meteor shower should be especially spectacular as will the Venus show starting in mid-September through the end of the year. Visit jgap.info.

A stunning view of the night sky is seen from the John Glenn Astronomy Park in the Hocking Hills area.