Metal Ford

• A short loop walk of roughly 0.2 mile, about 5 to 10 minutes, with benches and interpretive signs along the way.
• A segment of the original Natchez Trace you can walk, plus an exhibit related to the McLish stand.
• The millrace, a man-made channel that once directed river current to power Steele's Iron Works, which produced primitive pig iron in the 1820s. The channel is dry and no mill building or furnace survives.
• A slag pile and other physical evidence of the iron-making operation.
• Wide river views over the rocky ford, which make this a good photo stop.

Most parkway stops mark where history happened. Here you can stand at the actual crossing point, then walk a few hundred feet to the leftovers of a frontier industry that used the same river. The pairing of a travel route and an early ironworks in one small area is what sets this stop apart.

• Parking is free and roomy, with space for autos as well as buses and RVs.
• Picnic setup: four tables and two grills near the parking area, with another table and grill farther along the original Trace beside the river.
• The trail surface is mostly flat and smooth, with rougher, rocky footing near the millrace. Wear shoes with decent grip.
• The 0.2-mile loop takes only about 5 to 10 minutes, so this works well as a quick leg-stretch, though the tables and grills make it easy to linger over a picnic.

The river level changes a lot. After heavy rain the ford is not passable and the low ground near the trail can flood or stay muddy, and parts of the path may feel poorly maintained in wet seasons. Keep well back from fast or high water. Note too that the ironworks is visible only as traces on the ground rather than a standing structure, so bring some imagination along with your camera.