This Southern All-American Road Is the Ultimate US Road Trip
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile-long All-American Road that passes through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. The northern part of the Natchez Trace Parkway stretches through 101 miles of central Tennessee, 33 miles through northwest Alabama, and 308 miles through Mississippi. The road is open and accessible year-round, passing through humid, subtropical states that experience hot summers and mild winters. It is best to take 2 days to drive the route, experiencing 10,000 years of history, the culture of the towns and cities along the way, and even getting outdoors with many recreational opportunities and natural features to stop and explore.
Nashville
As its starting point, Nashville is at the northern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway and is worth taking the time to explore. Known for its world-renowned music scene with over 180 live music venues, there are plenty of places in the city to experience different genres of music, such as Honky Tonk Central, the largest Honky Tonk in downtown Nashville.
This venue features three stories, each with its own stage for performances, as well as bars offering cold beverages and food. For more context of Nashville’s music scene, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which has varied exhibits about the history, importance, and traditions of country music.
Timberland Park
Timberland Park is adjacent to the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 437.2. The park comprises 72 acres and features a 2,000-square-foot interpretive center on site, which showcases informational and educational displays.
There are numerous opportunities to enjoy the outdoors within the park, including trails of varying lengths, difficulties, and ADA accessibility, picnic benches and pavilions, a viewpoint, and the chance to observe local wildlife such as deer, foxes, and squirrels. The park is accessible to RVs and features restrooms, making it a great pit stop for lunch or bathroom breaks while traveling along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Jackson Falls
Jackson Falls is located at milepost 404.7 and is one of only two waterfalls along the Natchez Trace Parkway; the second one is Fall Hollow, also located in Tennessee. The base of the falls is accessible from a 900-foot-long, steep, concrete-paved trail.
The site features a large parking area, bathroom facilities, three picnic tables, and grills. There is also a gentler trail, only a quarter mile in length, that leads to a viewpoint 300 feet above the Duck River, where Jackson Falls eventually flow into.
Rock Spring
Across the border in Alabama, at milepost 330.2 on the parkway, Rock Spring provides travelers the chance to explore a small natural spring. It is best known for the large stone blocks that span across the water.
The nature trail takes twenty minutes to complete and leads across Colbert Creek, past Rock Spring, and through the woodlands. In the fall, it is common to see hummingbirds as they pass through to feed on the nectar from seasonal wildflowers. Rock Spring is the perfect spot to take a break from driving and steep your feet in the water.
Tishomingo State Park
As the Natchez Trace Parkway crosses over into northeast Mississippi, travelers will come to what is regarded as Mississippi’s most scenic state park - Tishomingo State Park - in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
The parkway traverses through the middle of the park, exiting at milepost 304.5. Some of the park’s natural features include massive rock formations, crevices, and trails lined with wildflowers. Visitors to the park can enjoy various activities and facilities, including picnic areas, hiking trails, and multi-use game fields. The park also has multiple accommodation options, including RV sites, campsites, and cabins.
Chickssaw Village Site
The Chickasaw Village Site is located at milepost 261.8 in the town of Tupelo. It was once the site of a large Chickasaw village and a fort throughout the 1700s. Today, the sizes and shapes of their homes are marked on the ground, and interpretive signs detail the history of the site and the people who lived there, allowing visitors to imagine what life would have looked like for the Chickasaw People hundreds of years ago.
There are several trails accessible from the site, including an interpretive trail that identifies plants and their uses by American Indians, a hiking trail, and a horseback riding trail.
Mount Locust
Mount Locust is one of the oldest structures in Mississippi, likely constructed sometime around 1780. Out of over 50 inns that existed during the period of most excellent use of the Old Natchez Trace, Mount Locust is the only one that still stands today.
Over time, it has been used as both an inn and a plantation; open daily (with holiday exceptions) and free admission/interpretive programs. There are also a couple of cemeteries and other quarters on the property that visitors can explore.
Natchez
Natchez is located at the southern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Natchez is known for its pivotal role in the development of the Old Southwest, credited to its proximity to the Mississippi River. Today, Natchez has over 1,000 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has more antebellum homes than anywhere else in the United States.
Longwood is one of the most iconic historic properties in town, open and offering tours year-round. Unwind after a long drive on the trail at Under-the-Hill-Saloon, one of the oldest buildings in town, at over 200 years old, featuring original brickwork and decorated with historic memorabilia and black and white photographs. It is a great place to enjoy a cold beverage and tune into live music.
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a road trip that has it all: natural landmarks, scenic picnic spots, historical sites, and communities big and small to rest and recuperate before, after, or along the way on the drive. The Natchez Trace Parkway offers something for every traveler along the road, regardless of how long you are on the road for, whether that be a couple of hours or the whole duration of the trail from Nashville to Natchez. This Southern All-American Road is the ultimate US road trip for a reason.
