Tar Hollow State Park is a state park located in Laurelville, Ohio, United States. It is part of a larger protected complex with Tar Hollow State Forest. Surrounded by the rugged foothills of the Appalachian Plateau, Tar Hollow's twisting park and forest roads pass through deep ravines and dense woodlands. Scattered shortleaf and pitch pines growing on the ridges were once the source of pine tar for early settlers, hence the name Tar Hollow. Dogwoods, redbuds and a variety of wildflowers color the hillsides in the springtime. The Fall pageant of colors is spectacular.At one time, Ohio was covered by a warm, shallow sea. As land rose to the east, sand and gravel were washed westward into Ohio's waters. Southeastern Ohio's sandstone was formed from this sediment. These sandstone hills are covered with a rich, diverse forest. Oak and hickory prefer the dry ridge tops of the area, while sycamore, black willow, buckeye and silver maple line the stream valleys.