Discovering the Mysteries of the Past at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park in Tennessee

All it took for me to plan a trip was to find out there were abandoned ruins in the woods. I was fascinated when I first learned about Old Stone Fort in Tennessee, but what I discovered was far better than I originally expected. This park is an archaeological site where they are currently at work unwrapping the mysteries of the past. Very much like the Pinson Mounds in West Tennessee, these indigenous spots are still theorized and filled with puzzling unknowns. We explored the park by walking along the wall of the old enclosure, found abandoned stone ruins, and saw gorgeous waterfalls all before lunch. 

The best place to start when you visit this park is by going to the underground museum. It struck me as incredibly unique and interesting to have the structure built into the landscape as an inconspicuous part of the park. Inside, you will learn about the mysterious history of this site. The ancient enclosure makes up the biggest part of the area, which today looks like a large field with built-up mounds surrounding it. This was built by indigenous people around 1500 to 2000 years ago, was used for around 500 years, and then abandoned. When the settlers got to middle Tennessee, they mistook this area as an old fort, and that’s where the park gets its name.

The exact purpose of this area is still largely unknown although a few archaeological clues help us to narrow it down to a couple of theories. It is possible that this area was created for ceremonial usage but others have suggested that it may have been made for sport. Without a written account of the people who came before, it's hard to tell exactly what the indigenous tribes were doing here. Interestingly enough, if you get to the main entrance and turn around, it perfectly lines up with the rising of the sun in the summer.

I learned all of this, yet what drew me in were a few abandoned stones in the woods. I got way more than I bargained for! After the museum, we decided to take the enclosure trail, to which I found another great surprise awaiting me: a beautiful waterfall. There were many waterfalls on this trail as it follows the river, and each one is worthy of a hike to get to all on its own.

Not long after following the trail we came across the very sight I was the most excited to see, the abandoned ruins. I discovered the ruins were the remains of a small paper mill used on the property. We walked through what was presumably the old doorway into the structure. Standing in awe of the moss-covered rocks the tall stone walls were very impressive and felt ancient. Trees were even growing up in the middle of the ruins like they had been abandoned for years. The large opening overlooking the cliffside dropped off looking to the river below. I was not disappointed while exploring the ruins and something I would highly recommend seeing if you visit Old Stone Fort.

Not wanting to leave anything else out we continued the enclosure trail from the ruins. We walked beside the river, saw amazing waterfalls, got glimpses of the fields that the indigenous tribes had used, and traversed boardwalks along the way. The trail was fairly flat and easy to find. However, the park has many trails that all intersect and we found having an AllTrails Plus Membership to be very helpful to keep us on the right path. It would be very easy to get mixed up within the forest, so having a map was handy. 

Old Stone Fort in Tennessee ended up being way cooler than I originally thought when planning the trip. Seeing the ruins was a blast, but I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful waterfalls and mysterious history found on this site. If you want to make the trip yourself, check out the Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park website. I find it helps to know what what to expect while traveling to new places so I also made a new Adventuring in the Moment video to help showcase the park.

Speaking of state history did you know there is a Tennessee state artifact? Make sure to check out the story of this ancient statue and how it helped to unlock the secrets of the past.