Sometime around 2008 I found a forum thread in which people were discussing a location in Macon they called "The Grotto." They claimed it was an old monastery, complete with statues of saints and the remains of a swimming pool or outdoor bath. This thread had me intrigued, but I just didn't get around to seeing it at that time.

Then, in early 2010, after browsing more forum posts and reading as much as I could about it, I decided to go take a look. The grotto is located in the woods behind the Highland Park apartment complex off Forest Hill Road in Macon, GA. After locating the trail, you enter the woods and follow a path that winds around a creek, which sits at the bottom of a ravine. The main attraction is a stone structure featuring a fireplace with chimney, a little side room, and an elevated alcove that looks to have accommodated a statue at one time (pictured in the header photo above).

On the opposite side of the ravine from the main grotto structure—the side closest to the apartment buildings—a large pedestal and fallen statue are of interest. I did not see any other pedestals or statues during my four visits to the site. On my first visit, I was unable to find the pool, but a week later I was out there trying again. I didn't have clear directions, so a friend and I trekked through the woods searching what we thought were the most likely spots. After some time we stopped to look around, and I suddenly realized a large hole in the ground was directly to our right. There was so much plant growth inside that it was difficult to see; however, once we saw it we couldn't understand how we had missed it. It is a large pool constructed of brick walls with a layer of concrete inside. Sets of double-sided staircases are positioned in at least four locations leading from the surface down to the bottom. Trees have fallen across in several places, and many smaller ones are growing up from the pool floor. It was fascinating to imagine that perhaps 100 years earlier people were swimming there. To me, the pool is probably the most interesting of the structures we found in those woods.

On my third visit, I climbed down to the bottom of the ravine to see what I could find. Besides a lot of junk—bottles, a shopping cart, tires and buckets—a moss-covered stone wall juts out from the side of the cliff into the creek bed. It looks to have been part of some sort of landscaping, but exactly why it was built is beyond me. I would love to know how all these structures fit together.

The photos below were taken over the course of several visits to this site at various times of year. I have organized the gallery to act as a sort of photo tour without regard to the dates on which the photos were taken; therefore, the seasons may not be consistent from picture to picture. Also, if you have anything to add about this location—whether it be historical facts you have researched, memories from your past while visiting out here, or questions you would like answered—please submit those in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Homer Scarborough

2/14/2012 10:47:55 AM EDT

I hiked there last year, but you found so much more than I did. You did a beautiful job! Thanks for sharing your photos and story of your visits to this interesting part of Macon.

ashley

2/14/2012 1:29:05 PM EDT

My friends and I camped out in those woods many times during the mid 60s. The statues were still standing and the pool was not as grown up as your pictures show it now. We had always referred to the Grotto as the Monk Cave. That is what we had always heard it called. It was all part of the Winship estate. At that time the woods stretched to Rosa Taylor school, Northminster sub division and Stinsonville. This is also where "rock hill" was located. It was a popular parking and drinking area at the time.