From the Old Stone Fort's Waterfalls to Rutledge Falls
A guided half-day hike from Nashville past Old Stone Fort's river falls and down to Rutledge Falls, ending at a brewery.
This is a guided day out of Nashville built around two stops. First comes Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park near Manchester, where the main trail follows the wall of an ancient ceremonial enclosure and passes falls on the Duck and Little Duck rivers. Then Rutledge Falls, where you can climb down to the pool at the bottom. Common John Brewing in Manchester closes the loop before the drive back.
There is one departure a day, at 8:00 AM, and the listing puts the whole outing at five to six hours.
The card below opens the Viator listing. Transport from Nashville and back, the guides, water, snacks, trekking poles on request and one drink at the brewery are part of the price.
Waterfall Wonders Hiking Tour with Brewery Stop from NashvilleGuided half-day: Old Stone Fort's falls, Rutledge Falls, then Common John Brewing. Transport from downtown Nashville and one drink included.www.viator.comA Fort That Was Never a Fort
Tennessee State Parks dates the walls to the Middle Woodland period, 1,500 to 2,000 years ago, and describes the enclosure as a ceremonial gathering place that Native Americans used for about 500 years. The settlers who found it later could not tell what it had been, which is how it ended up misnamed as a fort.
The park adds that the original entrance faces the spot on the horizon where the sun rises at the summer solstice. The main trail follows the wall past twelve interpretive panels.
The itinerary gives this stop 90 minutes on a 2.5-mile walk past four falls. Travelers describe it as shaded and not especially hard.
Rutledge Falls Is the Scramble, and the Swim
The second stop is shorter, 45 minutes on the itinerary, and rougher underfoot. Getting down to the bottom of Rutledge Falls is where travelers mention scrambling over rock, and where the trekking poles the operator lends on request earn their place.
A swim is allowed weather and season permitting, and the water is cold. If you plan to get in, bring water shoes, a swimsuit and a towel. Travelers from 2024 through 2026 keep repeating the water-shoe advice because the rocks are sharp. In peak summer this pool gets busy.
What the Brewery Stop Covers Now
The day ends with an hour at Common John Brewing in Manchester. Budget for lunch: the listing now includes one drink of your choice there, alcoholic or not, and its exclusions say food is not included but can be bought on site. The operator's own tour page says the same, and asks you to bring ID if that drink will be alcoholic and a card or cash for anything else.
In November 2025 the same list of inclusions read Lunch & Snacks, and one line of the current itinerary still says lunch is on us. Reviews from 2024 and 2025 that describe a free lunch were written while that earlier version was live.
Water and snacks are still part of the price, and the operator's page lists the snacks as served during the ride. One 2026 traveler found they were handed out only on request, so ask.
Calendar, Ages and Who This Suits
As of October 11, 2026, the booking calendar shows Friday and Saturday departures through November 21, with no open dates after that well into next year. The operator's own site also says its guided hikes run through November 21. Bookings close fifteen hours before the 8:00 AM start, which means 5:00 PM the day before.
The youngest age band on the listing is 9 to 11, and an adult has to make the booking. The operator explains that floor on its own page: its vehicles cannot fit the car or booster seats Tennessee law generally requires for children under 9. The listing asks for at least a moderate level of fitness and does not recommend the outing for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy, while the operator rates the tour beginner to moderate.
One booking covers up to twelve people, and the adult per-person price steps down for groups of four and again at eight. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. The listing also lets the operator call a date off for bad weather or too few travelers.
Meet on Rep. John Lewis Way South in front of Barlines at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Some maps still list the hotel at 250 5th Ave S, the street's name before the city renamed this stretch for John Lewis, and the pin above marks the Omni. The operator's own tour page expects you back in Nashville between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon, and its replies to travelers describe one downtown spot for both pickup and drop-off, so you finish back on the same block, next door to the Country Music Hall of Fame.