Tennessee got snow! For weeks we’ve been enviously seeing others get snow and looking up at the winter sky and wishing for the clouds to open up with flurries of snow for us. And finally, they obliged and sent a massive snow snow storm throughout the state. It is a pretty rare thing for us to get snow here and when we do the whole place seems to go a little crazy. There have been a run at the grocery stores and gas stations as everyone prepared to hole up at home for a few days until the snow passes us. But while others hunkered down inside, we happily bundled up and headed to a state park to enjoy the snowy day.
For our day in the snow we decided to visit the Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park. This park was where a community of Native Americans lived 2000 years ago. Archeologists believe that generations of people lived here for about 500 years before the area was abandoned. It is unclear if those communities moved on to a different area or if they died off. But remnants of the people can still be found here and the area continues to offer new insights into the people and their culture.
Because the river flows all around the mound of land, it created a perfect place for communities to live. Not only would animals come to drink at the water but it also provided a protective barrier to anything that would harm them. Because of this, when settlers arrived hundreds of years later they mistakenly assumed that the land was a sort of fort. They built their own fort and grain mill and other buildings along the river which today only remains of them still stand.
There are two main loops of trails through the park, the first staying up in the grassy field in the center while the other one goes down the ridge a little bit and follows the river all the way around. There are a series of small waterfalls as they go over the rocks on one side and a dam on the other side where the mill once stood. Either path offers a beautiful walk through the park.
We always love to take a walk through this park, but today with the added beauty of snow and ice it just made the whole place seems magical. And because there were so few people out because of the weather, we had the whole place mostly to ourselves. There’s just no better way to enjoy a snow day than at one of the state parks surrounded by the natural beauty.
When we started feeling the cold in our faces and toes, we decided it was time to head for home. We took one last look at the river from the visitor center before getting into the car and turning up the heat. If the snow continues, we may have to go enjoy a different state park on another day. But more than likely, the weather will warm up and within a few days we will be thinking to pull out the shorts instead of the snow boots. But we will enjoy it while it lasts!
Do you love state parks in the snow? Then here are some other Tennessee state parks in the winter:
Thank you for coming along on this snowy walk at the Old Stone Fort State Park. May your winter days be filled with long walks and blue skies.
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