Macon is a city with a deep, complicated past that stretches far back in history. Evidence suggests that there have been people inhabiting Macon for 17,000 years. However, not many people know very much about our rich history. One place of interest in Macon is the Ocmulgee National Monument.

“I know a little bit about them? Native Americans lived there, and they have burial mounds there, and there’s still a park there today”, says Brenna McNulty.

The purpose of the national parks service is to preserve the ecological and historical integrity in an area. The Ocmulgee National Monument was registered as a national park in the 1930’s, and over 120,000 people visited the park in 2011, according to the Parks Service’s data.

The park offers over six miles of hiking trails for the public to enjoy. Additionally, the visitor’s center houses a museum that displays more than 2,000 artifacts dated from 10,000 BCE to the 1800’s. The park’s 702 acres sit on the Fall Line in central Georgia, where the piedmont and coastal plain meet. You may have heard of the “gnat line?” That’s where the soil changes and gnats can’t grow anymore.

If you’re looking for a leisurely day spent in nature and learning a little, head on over to the Ocmulgee National Monument. If you decide to visit, make sure you bring plenty of water, since Macon can get well over 100 degrees in the summer. Dogs have to be kept on leashes at all times, and only service dogs are allowed in the visitor’s center. The visitor center is wheelchair accessible, and the park has a wheelchair it can loan out to visitors.