Follow the beautiful Scioto Valley south out of Chillicothe to Waverly, with its historic district and Emmet House Restaurant, and to a string of mounds, geometric remains, and historic houses along Wakefield Mound Road south of Piketon. On the opposite side of the Scioto River, a few miles before Portsmouth, the irregular Tremper Mound lies on private land beneath the western bluff.

Portsmouth stands at the most dramatic river confluence in the region. Earthworks here once stretched for miles, across terraces on both sides of the Ohio River. Horseshoe Mounds Park now has the best preserved remains, while the whole complex is well portrayed in murals along the riverfront. Across in Kentucky, the Biggs Mound and the Old Fort Earthworks are well preserved on private land. Specialty shops and restaurants can be found in Portsmouth’s historic Boneyfiddle District, or in nearby downtown. For an overnight stay, try the Captain’s Quarters B&B. Scenic alternate routes could follow the Ohio River from here to Cincinnati (west) or to Marietta (east).