Ocmulgee Mounds Day Hike (Bibb County, Georgia)

Today, I've decided to drive a couple of hours south towards Macon, GA to join the Georgia Conservancy and the staff of the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative (ONPPI) for a day hike and interpretive tour of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Site. While I've visited the site before, the chance to tour it with a member a of the Muskogee Creek Nation, who's ancestors built the great earthen works seemed just to great an opportunity to pass up.

Meeting with the group just outside the visitor's center, we did some introductions and were soon joined by Tracie Revis, CEO of ONPPI and a member of the Muskogee Creek Nation. We were treated to a tour of the museum, housed within the visitors center, as Tracie shared her vast knowledge and perspective on the history of the site and of her ancestors. She spoke from a place of authority and didn't hold back on painting what she believes to be an accurate picture of the atrocities of the past, but also sharing marvelous examples of the greatness of her nation's accomplishments both before and after their removal from these ancestral lands. It was an enlightening experience.

After the tour, her colleague, Matt Chalfa, continued leading the tour around the park facilities and sharing information about the geography, topography, and ecology of the region and how all of that relates to the capital city that once surrounded these great mounds. During the hike, we climbed up the Great Temple Mound, the largest on the site. Atop the mound and with a dramatic view of the landscape in all directions, we had lunch and chatted. 

Once everyone had finished their snack, we headed back down the steps of the mound and walked into the woods along some well maintained trails. While these trails normally pass through wetlands, a recent dry spell and a lack of release by the upstream dam has caused these marshes alongside the Ocmulgee River to dry out to a large degree. It's still a very nice hike though and we discuss many features of the land around us both past and present. 

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. We only hiked about 2.2 miles, but it was well worth it for the perspective on this ancient city. I'm thankful for the opportunity. Now, the long drive home.