Old Stone Fort Loop

The wall loop at Old Stone Fort follows the perimeter of a hilltop enclosure that Woodland-period people built over several centuries beginning almost 2,000 years ago, mounded earth and stone wrapping 50 acres between the converging forks of the Duck River. From the museum the trail passes through the original gateway complex and circles the enclosure on mostly level ground, with short side paths down to Step Falls and Big Falls, where the rivers pour over wide ledges that powered 19th-century mills — some ruins are still visible. The walking is easy and good for kids, but the bluff edges above the falls are unfenced and the river current below them is strong, so keep children and dogs close and stay off the wall itself, which is a protected archaeological feature. The park is free, the museum gives the loop its context, and summer weekends bring crowds to the falls overlooks.