Natchez Trace Parkway

[tburnand]

We understand the Natchez Trace Parkway is beautiful. We are going in June when its busy, is it worthwhile to drive all 450 miles of it, or can we appreciate it by just driving part of it. We will be starting outside of Nashville.

[Protagonist]

It's all beautiful, but you can appreciate it in small bites if you like. You can always see the rest later; it's not going anywhere.

When I do the Trace, I'll be making the trip south to North, stopping to check out all of the attractions on the east side on the way up. Then when I return north to south after a stay in the Nashville area, I'll stop to see all of the attractions on the west side.

[Sphere Guy]

We plan on "Doing" the parkway in later this month. We will travel the whole route to Nashville, then continue North. We may try staying overnight in the stops along the way and see what we can. we did part of it many years ago without a TT. We think that with the leisurely drive and no semi's, it fits out itinerary just fine.

[dkottum]

It's a beautiful drive, and with no semi's and reduced speed limits perhaps one of the most relaxing drives in America. Many pulloffs, much history. Wouldn't it be nice if all driving was this pleasant, and that really is part of the experience.

At the end is the city of Natchez, that's a great historical destination in itself and worth a day or two.

We're headed that direction next week, if timing and weather works out we may be touring it again. Hopefully we'll see some signs of Spring.

[gatorboy]

You could plan an entire vacation around the Trace. Be sure to stop at the Merriwether Lewis Monument and the Choctaw burial mounds on the Trace. If you like Civil War sites you're not far from the battlefields of Shiloh, Corinth and Vicksburg. If you like music, be sure to detour to Muscle Shoals, AL, and Tupelo, MS. Also be sure to take in an Ante Bellum Mansion tour in Natchez. There are countless stops where you can hoke segments of the Old Trace. The Cypress Swamp is one of my favorites. This is the Centennial Year for the NPS. Be sure to stop at one of the Visitors Centers for up-to-the-minuite news as to the goings-on. https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

Ranger Pete

[ARF]

Stop for lunch at The Old Country Store in Lorman, MS. My wife and I ate there last year while bicycling the Trace. Don.t make plans for dinner that night!

[twobikes]

The café at French Camp is another must stop. Plenty of parking for the trailer. Visit the combination visitors information and bakery "downtown" and buy some bread. It's so good they mail it all around the country. We especially like trace in the spring. It's cooler, and, before the first mowing, wild flowers along the edge are a plus.


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