> The Natchez Trace Parkway crosses 3 states and 25 counties, and passes by 20 communities and numerous tribal government jurisdictions. The Parkway is 444 miles long and averages 825 feet in easement width and totals 52,000 acres. The meandering two-lane twentieth-century road starts just southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, and heads diagonally southwest across Tennessee, through thirty miles of northwestern Alabama, and from the northeast corner of Mississippi to Natchez. The route roughly follows the historic Old Trace. About 97 miles of Old Trace are contained and preserved in the parkway’s right-of-way. **This Road Leads to Leisure, Recreation, Learning & Inspiration** The [Natchez Trace Parkway](https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm) was meant to be experienced in the open air. The slower you can go, the better you will come to know it, and the better for it your experience will be. Meandering through the heart of the Southwest Tennessee Valley, The Natchez Trace is both a [National Scenic Byway as well as an All-American Road](https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp). > National Scenic Byways contain one of six "intrinsic qualities" -- archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic -- considered regionally significant. All-American Roads must be nationally significant and exhibit "one-of-a-kind features that do not exist elsewhere." An All-American Roads is a "destination unto itself" -- meaning that it must offer the public "an exceptional traveling experience so recognized by travelers that they would make a drive along the highway a primary reason for their trip." "It's not like any other road in America," [said Emily Davie](https://youtu.be/je0FbnrJcF8), a Natchez Trace guide for the National Park Service. "There are a lot of scenic roads in America -- most of which are never going to be national parks." “The Natchez Trace parkway has something special in the amount of history tied up into it," she said. "This was the old Southwest, and this was the road that kind if opened it up. This trail was how so many people traveled.” The [Natchez Trace](https://www.scenictrace.com/) is comparable in length to the roughly 470-mile [Blue Ridge Parkway](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/blue-ridge-parkway/125900c8-9b3d-4946-a530-5c260739c26e), which wends along the eastern edge of the Tennessee River Basin. For those familiar with the region, it probably won't come as a surprise that the TRV boasts portions of two of the most unforgettable drives in the United States. The speed limit on the parkway is 50 mph, which is monitored and enforced by rangers. Keep an eye out for wildlife and humans enjoying life in the wilds -- bike peddlers and bi-pedal pedestrians are common along the Trace. Relaxed, respectful and alert is the wisest approach for enjoying the Trace. The object isn’t how fast you can go, but how much you can experience and enjoy. The Park Service estimates the full 444 miles of the parkway takes more than 10 hours to drive from end to end -- although countless detours and endless curiosities make breaking it up over more than a single day preferable to trying to cram this much magnificence and magic in at once. The Nashville Tennessean described the parkway in 2018 as “a jewel of the National Park Service located right in (Middle Tennessee’s) own backyard.” The parkway "serves as a living history lesson," [the article continued](https://www.tennessean.com/story/exploretennessee/2018/05/22/exploring-natchez-trace-parkway/619456002/) -- "a drive-through history lesson perhaps." However, for those who want to "truly appreciate all it has to offer, you need to get out of your car." "You can drive, hike, bike, camp and more along the way," the Tennessean noted. "But be careful to plan ahead and pace yourself as there are many interesting sights and stops along the way.” **Two Wheels Are Better Than Four** The Natchez Trace Parkway isn’t a heavenly stretch of American roadway lain out just for placid auto-touring – not by a long stretch. Commercial vehicles are prohibited on the parkway – so if ya wanna be where the 18-wheelers won't be, then go be on the Natchez Trace. The lack of big rigs coupled with the puttering-along speed limit make it ideal for both motorcycles and road bicycling. From Natchez to Nashville, the National Park Service has designated the entirety of the parkway a protected bicycle route. The parkway welcomes auto-travelers and bikers alike to “relax and enjoy an exceptionally scenic roadway, unspoiled by commercial signage or development, and offering up gorgeous vistas at every turn,” [extols ScenicTrace.com](https://www.scenictrace.com/what-to-do/bicycling/). Thousands of people ride bicycles the length of the parkway every year. And camping areas are even set aside solely and specifically for bicyclists. “There are thousands of shades of green, and thousands of textures of leaves and plants and different animals to see,” said adventure road bike Youtuber Brian Smith. He noted though that biking the entirety of the Trace can be a little daunting, “It’s easy on these trips to get too concerned with the number of miles per day, what needs to be done, the time of day, the things that need to get done when you get to the campsite. It takes a little bit of effort to slow down and remember you are there to enjoy yourself.” That’s where Randy Fought and his information-rich [NatchezTraceTravel.com](https://natcheztracetravel.com) website can help out . Not only does NatchezTraceTravel.com – which has been a work in progress and labor of love for Fought since he launched it in 2009 – open up the wonderment that the Trace offers, but it makes the Trace’s vastness more manageable. “Some people might want to bike the entire parkway, or they might just want to do an out-and-back,” said Fought. “I try to point them in the right direction, and help piece it all together.” Fought’s website -- which promotes and partners with family-owned and independent tourism-oriented businesses that serve the parkway -- contains a [handy portal](https://natcheztracetravel.com/contact-us.html) where anyone planning trips on the Trace can request a suggested itinerary that will help them plot out sight-seeing, lodging and re-supply stops along their adventure trek. “Some people want to stop at every site along the way, and others get on and want to bike a hundred miles a day,” Fought said. “Most people like to stop at least at some of the places — like to go down to Jackson Falls, or go see some of the many historic sites. But you can definitely see a lot more along the Trace when you are going that slow.” Fought says the best seasons for bicycling are, not surprisingly, spring and fall. But even though the legendary Southern heat and humidity can be quite oppressive from July through September, the tree-lined parkway does offer respite from the sun’s direct radiation. “One of the nice things about the parkway is that even in the middle of the day in the middle of summer, there is a good amount of shade on the road in a lot of places,” said Fought. “And if you are biking in the morning or later in the afternoon, there’s even more.” As for motor-biking the Trace, Fought said the following generally holds true: “Whenever the weather is nice, you’ll probably see more motorcycles on the parkway than cars.” **Bisecting the Tennessee Basin** [Almost 100 miles of the Natchez Trace is located within Tennessee](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/natchez-trace-parkway-tennessee/e1617b97-f00a-4243-ad28-97ff27d9d6ee), and all but about 20 miles just outside Nashville are within the Tennessee River Valley. The [Tennessee Valley Divide](https://www.nps.gov/places/tennessee-valley-divide.htm) -- which separates its drainage basin from that of the Tennessee's northern Appalachian sister, the Cumberland -- is located on the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 423.9. It marks a demarcation of the Natchez Trace’s mesmerizing 150-mile or so span through the Tennessee Valley. The divide was important to early European travelers of the Trace as well and native tribes, notes the National Park Service: “Moving on foot or on horseback, they noticed changes in elevation and stream direction. Going north toward Nashville, the Tennessee Valley Divide marked the edge of the frontier. This was the 1796 boundary between Tennessee and the Chickasaw Nation.” **Highland Ridge** The [Tennessee portion of the Natchez Trace](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/natchez-trace-parkway-tennessee/e1617b97-f00a-4243-ad28-97ff27d9d6ee) contains some of the most dramatic landforms along the parkway – like Devil's Backbone, located at milepost 394, which is about 50 miles from the parkway's Nashville entry/terminus. This [950-acre natural area in Lewis County offers an invigorating hike](https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/na-natural-areas/natural-areas-west-region/west-region/devil-s-backbone.html) that follows the ridges of Tennessee's Highland Rim, dropping in and out of creek hollows along the way. Anticipate a "moderately strenuous" trek, with about 200 feet of elevation change. When coupled with its robust forested surroundings, Devil's Backbone is said to represent one of the largest and healthiest intact native woodland landscapes on the Western Highland Rim. **Follow Along to the Falls** Fittingly, the Tennessee Valley stretch of the parkway is home not only to a pair of the most the most awe-inspiring sites along the Natchez Trace that just happen to be representative of something the rest of the Valley has in great abundance -- and which many other parts of the world are in limited supply: [waterfalls](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hiking-to-waterfalls-on-the-natchez-trace.htm). Duck River tributary [Jackson Falls](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/tennessee/jackson-falls) (milepost 404.7) and [Fall Hollow](https://www.nps.gov/places/fall-hollow-waterfall.htm) (milepost 391.9) are both picturesque water features, but also offer opportunities to see wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife. >The Meriwether Lewis Monument at milepost 385.9 along the Tennessee portion of the Natchez Trace marks the burial site of famed explorer Meriwether Lewis near present day Hohenwald. Built in 1848 with funding provided by the Tennessee General Assembly, the monument serves “to preserve the place of internment, where the remains of General Meriwether Lewis were deposited.” The monument's broken shaft at the top signifies a life cut short by an untimely death. **Alabama Getaway Gateway** The Parkway is not long in Alabama, spanning only [33 miles from the Alabama-Tennessee state line through Colbert and Lauderdale Counties to where it enters Mississippi](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/natchez-trace-parkway-alabama/3b12a877-9c91-4f32-8d7c-2fb16e04c971). But the Natchez Trace runs through some of the the Yellowhammer State's most scenic rolling-hill landscapes, and offers "a unique blend of unexpected cultural and heritage stops to accent your trip," [according to the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association](https://www.northalabama.org/places-to-visit/trails/motorcycle-trail/natchez-trace/). During its short span [through Alabama](https://www.natcheztracetravel.com/natchez-trace-alabama.html), the meandering parkway offers [ample opportunities](https://www.alabama.travel/article/cruising-the-natchez-trace-parkway) for experiencing Alabama beauty and history, including natural springs, peaceful footpaths, strenuous hikes and the mighty Tennessee River itself. * Bear Creek, Milepost 313.0: Shady picnic area just a few miles from the Mississippi line. Fishing, hiking, enjoying a peaceful piece of Northwest Alabama nature. Bear Creek is within what is the homeland of the Chickasaw people, [according to the National Park Service](https://www.nps.gov/places/bear-creek-picnic-area.htm). A large creek that flows from Tishomingo County, Mississippi, northward to the Tennessee River, it was likely used as a travel route for centuries. * Freedom Hills Overlook, Milepost 317.0: If you are looking for a little moderate exertion, this [quarter-mile trail that leads Alabama’s highest overlook point](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alabama/freedom-hills-overlook) on the Parkway will provide it -- along with magnificent views, particularly in fall and winter, after the tree canopy has opened up. * Buzzard Roost Spring, Milepost 320.3: Once [a vital water source](https://www.nps.gov/places/buzzard-roost-springs.htm) for Trace travelers and formerly an inn or "stand" along the original path. * Colbert Ferry Park, Milepost 327.3: This spot on the Tennessee River's southern shore was once a welcome stop-off for travelers seeking a comfortable rest and hot food. George Colbert, the ferry owner of Chickasaw ancestry who lived atop this ridge overlooking the Tennessee River, [is said to have charged Andrew Jackson $100,000](https://www.alabamascenicrivertrail.com/rivers/tennessee-riverpickwick-lake-to-alabama-mississippi-state-line/) to transport his army across the Tennessee. Today this is a delightful place for enjoying the river's beauty and recreation, and a 20-minute stroll along the Old Trace puts you on a bluff overlooking Pickwick Reservoir. * Lauderdale, Milepost 328.7: The northern-shore landing point for Colbert Ferry isn't as developed for recreation as the park on the other side of the river, but does provide a small picnic area and is worth a stop for enjoying the sweeping waterfront view. * Rock Spring Nature Trail, Milepost 330.2: Deep pools in the placid woods along this small tributary are home to forest and aquatic species alike. In the spring and fall, the air here is whirring with the frenetic activities of Ruby-throated hummingbirds seeking nectar to sip from the area's wildflower sprays. "The Rock Spring Nature Trail will give you awesome views of a pond area created by the beaver dams on Colbert Creek, and also the woodlands of middle Lauderdale County," [reports NorthAlabamaHiking.com](http://northalabamahiking.com/rockspring.php). > Near Florence, Alabama just off the Natchez Trace Parkway (milepost 338) is the famed Te-lah-nay Wall. Built over the course of 30 years by Tom Hendrix before he died in 2017, the astonishing maze of hand-stacked stones is a monument to the memory of his great-great-grandmother, Te-lah-nay, a Yuchi Indian who in her teenage years was driven out of the area and forced along the [Trail of Tears](https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/trail-of-tears-on-the-natchez-trace.htm) into Oklahoma resettlement camps. Courageously and against odds far longer than the journey back itself, she set out just a year later on an arduous return to the "Singing River," which the Indians called the Tennessee ages before electricity was drawn from it to power studio recording equipment in nearby Muscle Shoals. As a child, Tom was [captivated by the heroic tales his grandmother told of Te-lah-nay](https://www.natcheztracetravel.com/natchez-trace-alabama/florence-tennessee-river/456-wichahpi-stone-wall.html), and he longed to honor her perseverance and love of homeland. But it wasn't until Tom heard a tribal elder speak the following words that a commemorative endeavor worthy of Te-lah-nay's bravery and endurance occurred to him: "All things shall pass. Only the stones will remain." **Mississippi's Can't-Miss TRV Corner** While the bulk of the parkway is contained in Mississippi, only the northeast corner of the state is part of the Tennessee River watershed -- and it is showcased by the Natchez Trace Parkway. The counties of Northern Mississippi share a distinct cultural history that differentiates them from the rest of the state -- and that is especially true of the Tennessee River sliver, which is considered the most southwesterly portion of the Appalachian mountain landscapes and is unlike any other place in the state. Tishomingo County in the northeast corner of the state is often called the "Gateway into Mississippi" due to its location as entry-point to the [Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area](https://www.nps.gov/places/mississippi-hills-national-heritage-area.htm) -- but it can just as reasonably be called a Gateway to the Tennessee Valley, as this is where the western edges of Appalachia's dizzying rock formations and mountainlands begin to rise and take shape. **Tishomingo State Park** As with Natchez Trace's Tennessee River Valley section in Alabama, the northeast corner snippet of Mississippi that forms the river's watershed is a scenic highlight for the entire state -- and [Tishomingo State Park](https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/tishomingo-state-park/c3800b1c-0332-4f94-a470-37fa849a5582) is widely recognized as Mississippi's most visually stunning state park. The parkway runs through the middle of the park and offers visitors "[the same timeless natural beauty that enchanted Native Americans centuries ago](https://www.natcheztracetravel.com/natchez-trace-mississippi/tishomingo-belmont-ms/131-tishomingo-state-park.html)," including the Appalachian foothills landscapes, grand rock formations and flora unique to the rest of the state. The park takes its name from the leader of the Chickasaw nation, Chief Tishomingo, and archaeological excavations confirm the presence of Paleo Indians in the area now encompassed by the park as early as 7000 B.C. "Located on the Trace, this park isn’t just a must-see, it’s a must-experience," [proclaims ScenicTrace.com](https://www.scenictrace.com/the-parkway-from-mississippi-to-alabama/). "Here, in Bear Creek Canyon, magnificent sandstone cliffs hang as tall as 60 feet and beautiful waterfalls fall gracefully into rocky streams. The Park’s 1530 acres not only has natural beauty, but also 13 miles of hiking trails (including a swinging bridge) and 8 miles of stream that make for great canoeing."

Natchez Trace Parkway -- Tennessee River Valley