Take a virtual winter tour of a scenic corner of Ohio

Take a winter hike down wooded trails and past a natural rock bridge, or just relax in a cabin or bed & breakfast inn while watching the snow fall outside in Ohio's scenic Hocking Hills, southeast of Columbus.

If you can be there this month, check in at the Hocking Hills Tourism Association -- www.1800hocking.com/ -- and click on the "AAA Show Your Card and Save Weekend" for hiking, cooking demonstrations, winter photography workshops and discounts on lodging. For places to stay, "Accommodations" has an alphabetical directory, but "Lodging Available" lets you search by date or even for places that have hot tubs or allow pets.

Need to warm up after a hike? According to the tourism section of the Logan-Hocking Chamber of Commerce -- www.logan-hockingchamber.com/index.html -- this is the "Hot Tub" capital of the Midwest. If you don't feel like a hike, look for the section on the Dogwood Trail, a scenic drive through the area.

For variety, look for day trip suggestions such as Historic Lancaster or historic Robbins Crossing at the Hocking Hills Internet Guide -- www.hockinghills.com/ -- but don't click on "Day Trips," which misdirects you to the calendar of events. This Web site's photo gallery is definitely worth a look, especially for the region's waterfalls.

The scenic heart of the area is Hocking Hills State Park -- www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/hocking.htm -- where you can camp, rent a cottage and hike. If hiking isn't your thing, Hocking State Forest -- www.dnr.state.oh. us/forestry/Forests/stateforests/hocking.htm -- has bridle trails. There's more to see and do in the nearby Wayne National Forest -- www.fs.fed.us/r9/ wayne/ -- including 300 miles of trails.

North of Hocking Hills State Park, the city of Lancaster -- www.visitfairfieldcountyoh.org/ -- could serve as a central base for travel around the region. Visit the birthplace of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, learn about the area's covered bridges, or explore antique shops.

If Lancaster doesn't strike your fancy, head west of the park to Chillicothe -- www.visithistory.com/ -- which was Ohio's first state capital. Hold your cursor over "Visitors" to open a menu where you'll find the link to local attractions, including the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and the Seven Caves.

Visitors with more time for exploring can visit Ohio's official Web visitor's center -- www.discoverohio.com/ -- to pick out other towns to visit and scenic areas to explore.

And Ohio State Parks -- www.ohiodnr.com/parks/ -- will direct you to preserves all over the state where you can rent a cabin, take a hike or just enjoy the scenery. Look for the link to the Ohio State Parks magazine, and for "Licenses and Reservations," where you can get a fishing license or reserve a camping site or cottage.