Natchez Trace Ride

[DOKK]

Planning a trip on the Trace at the end of September/beginning of October. It will be my uncle, aunt and myself/wife on bikes. My brother, his wife and at least one of my nephews will be following in his truck. (He doesn't ride). The first day is from my house to Leiper's Fork then down the trace to Tupelo. The next day will be from Tupelo to Vicksburg MS. That's where my wife is from and we will all be visiting the military park. We will be there for 2 days and family from Baton Rouge will be joining us there as well. Then we will be heading back home via I-20, I-65 and I-565. My brother lives in Huntsville. It will be a 5 day trip total as we will take 2 days to get home after leaving Vicksburg.

I have put together a tentative itinerary with our daily miles, hotel stays and will work out fuel stop planning with my uncle. My aunt has a 1200T Sportster so fuel stops will be based on her tank not mine or my uncles and our 6 gal. touring bikes.

What I am having trouble with and want to ask the collective minds here- What are some good sightseeing spots along the trace, historical and otherwise? Trying to look at everything on a map is daunting as most Trace maps show every little thing. My wife and aunt will have their cameras and I will have my Go-pros.

So if anybody could list some good spots to stop and the mile post on the trace, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank y'all in advance.

Edit- Yes, I have looked through many of the Trace posts but haven't found anything called out, just how nice it is to ride.

 

[pwhoever]

I traveled it solo a few years back and did like you, stopped in Tupelo for the night. I pretty much just rode the parkway and that was it. Now a buddy of mine just recently took it and stopped at Cypress Swamp which is just North East of the Ross R Barnett Reservoir towards the bottom and said it was pretty cool. That was the only thing he mentioned about the Trace.

I will say the Trace was pretty cool and little to no traffic. What was interesting was that it goes through and by several towns but you wouldn't know it because the trees and brush hid it very well. You also notice the different parts from north to south and the landscape changed from forest to swampland. It has nice sweeping curves and some up and downs so it's not a boring straight ride from top to bottom. The roads seemed to be maintained fairly well also.

I had heard that the NPS Police patrol it regularly and that it's important to observe the speed limits. On my trip however, I never saw one on the actual Trace. I did see one fueling up at a gas station I stopped at in Tupelo but he was the only one for the entire length.

My thoughts are that I'm glad I did it but honestly don't see a reason to go back. It was a one and done for me.

 

[DOKK]

I traveled it solo a few years back and did like you, stopped in Tupelo for the night. I pretty much just rode the parkway and that was it. Now a buddy of mine just recently took it and stopped at Cypress Swamp which is just North East of the Ross R Barnett Reservoir towards the bottom and said it was pretty cool. That was the only thing he mentioned about the Trace.

I will say the Trace was pretty cool and little to no traffic. What was interesting was that it goes through and by several towns but you wouldn't know it because the trees and brush hid it very well. You also notice the different parts from north to south and the landscape changed from forest to swampland. It has nice sweeping curves and some up and downs so it's not a boring straight ride from top to bottom. The roads seemed to be maintained fairly well also.

I had heard that the NPS Police patrol it regularly and that it's important to observe the speed limits. On my trip however, I never saw one on the actual Trace. I did see one fueling up at a gas station I stopped at in Tupelo but he was the only one for the entire length.

My thoughts are that I'm glad I did it but honestly don't see a reason to go back. It was a one and done for me.

Yeah, It's just kind of a bucket list for us, especially to be able to take a trip with my uncle and aunt while they can still ride. We are also planning Blue Ridge and Cherahola Skyway this year too along with the Dragon and Moonshiner 28. I didn't know they haven't ridden those either. Gotta make the memories while we can.

 

[pwhoever]

You might have trouble with the Blue Ridge. There are many sections that have been closed off or at least there were after all the hurricane damage. Here is a link that reports all the closures.

Road Status and Closures - Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service)

Road Closures

www.nps.gov

 

[pwhoever]

Cherahola is always a sweet road to ride as well as Moonshine 28. The Dragon at least for me was another like the Trace. I actually did it twice, first time was with my then 8 year old son as a passenger and again on my way down to a gathering at the Copperhead Lodge near Blairsville GA. I will probably not go back there again. There are lots of great roads in the area that you can relax on.

If you haven't ridden it, a couple tips are to stay away on the weekends as it gets a little nuts with the volume of guys wanting to show off and prove their skills. Also try to get out there early to mid morning in the middle of the week as that will probably be the least crowded time.

 

[DOKK]

There’s actually a map you can get over there that has a loop laid out that hits them all in one day. Its a good day of riding but it can be done.

 

[pwhoever]

Yes, you can start in Tellico Plains on the Cherahola to Robbinsville, go past to Stecoah, jump on 28 there up to the start of the Dragon/129, and go all the way up to Vonore and side roads back to Tellico Plains. Only downside is that doesn't give you the full Moonshiner run but still gives you a nice taste .

 

[geol]

Missus is an Elvis fanatic fan. A few years ago we decided to ride the Natchez Trace up to Tupelo to see Elvis birthplace and then on to Memphis. Not much traffic and it was summer and hot. The Natchez Trace is straight line driving and SLLLLLOW. (40 or 45 mph as I recall) and the bugs were there is force. It was a miserable ride and there is NOTHING to see except big trees along the trace. Never again.

 

[Woody]

Yeah, It's just kind of a bucket list for us, especially to be able to take a trip with my uncle and aunt while they can still ride. We are also planning Blue Ridge and Cherahola Skyway this year too along with the Dragon and Moonshiner 28. I didn't know they haven't ridden those either. Gotta make the memories while we can.

Some of that sounds like what we ride at Maggie Valley, maybe you could join us.

 

[RoadRunner18]

DOKK,

The Natches Trace Parkway is a National Park Service Parkway commemorating the historic Old Natches Trace. Its a two-lane, 444 mile parkway (in 2013 when I rode it no trucks allowed) from Natches, Mississippi to Nashville, TN.

I rode the Natches Trace Parkway from its beginning in Natches, MS to Its end at TN-199.
My itinerary South to North:

LANDMARK MILE POST POINT OF INTEREST
Natches State Park MP-10 Enter Parkway, 50 MPH Speed limit
MP-10.3 Emerald Mounds Burial Site
MP=41.5 Sunken Trace
Owens Creek Waterfall MP-52
Clinton MP-90 Gas and Food available off the parkway
Nation Park Service Information Cabin MP-102
MP-122 Cypress Swamp
River Bend MP-125
Myrick Creek MP-145
Kosciusko Information Center MP-160
French Camp MP-180 Gas and Food available on MS-413 W
Ballard Creek MP-200
Old Trace MP-222
Burial Mounds MP-232.4 Bynam Mounds
Tockshish MP-250
Tupelo MP-260 Tupelo National Battlefield; Food & Gas avail
MP-261.8 Chickasaw Village
Tupelo National Park Service visitor ctr MP-266 Gas, Food, Motel & Restaurant
Elvis Presley Birthplace - 306 Elviis Presley
Drive, Tupelo, MS
Tupelo Automotive Museum - 1 Otis Blvd
Confederate Gravesites & Old Trace MP-270
Bay Springs Lake Visitor Center MP-300
Bear Cave Mound MP-310 Mississippi - Alabama Border
Cherokee MP-320 Gas & Food Avail
Colbert Ferry Information Center MP-325 Tennessee River
Colbert Ferry MP-327.5
State Line MP-340 Alabama-Tennessee Border
Collingswood Visitor Center MP-355
MP-357.8 Old Natches Trace Road
Exhibit Center MP-370
MP-385.9 Meriwether Lewis Gravesite (Lewis & Clark)
MP-391.9 Fall Hallow Trail
Meriwether Lewis Visitor Center MP-395
MP-401.4 Tobacco Barn
MP-404.7 Jackson Falls
Tennessee Valley Divide MP-425
Birdsong Hollow MP-440
Tennessee Highway 100 MP-444 Gas & Food Avail; End of the Parkway

I hope this Helps!

Steve

 

[DOKK]

DOKK,

The Natches Trace Parkway is a National Park Service Parkway commemorating the historic Old Natches Trace. Its a two-lane, 444 mile parkway (in 2013 when I rode it no trucks allowed) from Natches, Mississippi to Nashville, TN.

I rode the Natches Trace Parkway from its beginning in Natches, MS to Its end at TN-199.
My itinerary South to North:

LANDMARK MILE POST POINT OF INTEREST
Natches State Park MP-10 Enter Parkway, 50 MPH Speed limit
MP-10.3 Emerald Mounds Burial Site
MP=41.5 Sunken Trace
Owens Creek Waterfall MP-52
Clinton MP-90 Gas and Food available off the parkway
Nation Park Service Information Cabin MP-102
MP-122 Cypress Swamp
River Bend MP-125
Myrick Creek MP-145
Kosciusko Information Center MP-160
French Camp MP-180 Gas and Food available on MS-413 W
Ballard Creek MP-200
Old Trace MP-222
Burial Mounds MP-232.4 Bynam Mounds
Tockshish MP-250
Tupelo MP-260 Tupelo National Battlefield; Food & Gas avail
MP-261.8 Chickasaw Village
Tupelo National Park Service visitor ctr MP-266 Gas, Food, Motel & Restaurant
Elvis Presley Birthplace - 306 Elviis Presley
Drive, Tupelo, MS
Tupelo Automotive Museum - 1 Otis Blvd
Confederate Gravesites & Old Trace MP-270
Bay Springs Lake Visitor Center MP-300
Bear Cave Mound MP-310 Mississippi - Alabama Border
Cherokee MP-320 Gas & Food Avail
Colbert Ferry Information Center MP-325 Tennessee River
Colbert Ferry MP-327.5
State Line MP-340 Alabama-Tennessee Border
Collingswood Visitor Center MP-355
MP-357.8 Old Natches Trace Road
Exhibit Center MP-370
MP-385.9 Meriwether Lewis Gravesite (Lewis & Clark)
MP-391.9 Fall Hallow Trail
Meriwether Lewis Visitor Center MP-395
MP-401.4 Tobacco Barn
MP-404.7 Jackson Falls
Tennessee Valley Divide MP-425
Birdsong Hollow MP-440
Tennessee Highway 100 MP-444 Gas & Food Avail; End of the Parkway

I hope this Helps!

Steve

That helps greatly. I really appreciate that information.