Natchez Trace Parkway

[SCraig]

Probably not a fun trip for those who like gravel and dust, but those of us who prefer asphalt might be interested.

According to the National Park Service's web site, The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail that connected southern portions of the Mississippi River to salt licks in today’s central Tennessee.

Notice that it says that it is a four hundred and forty four mile route! It runs through Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. I drove a short 20-odd mile strip of it this morning and it is absolutely gorgeous. I saw some White-Tailed Deer, some Wild Turkey, and some beautiful scenery.

One great thing about it is that (also from the NPS web site): All business vehicles are prohibited. Hauling is also prohibited unless for recreational use (campers, horse and boat trailers) and not exceeding 55 feet in total length. The speed limit is 50 mph. unless posted otherwise. (note that the speed limit in the section I drove was 40 mph). No semis blowing you around or anything like that. Just two lanes of well-maintained asphalt and not a lot of traffic at all.

Today was just an intro for me and I plan on trying out some more of it. It was a blast. The National Park Service has a good web site with maps and other information about the parkway. The URL is below:
http://www.nps.gov/natr/pphtml/planyourvisit.html

If anyone has ridden more of it I'd love to hear your thoughts. Like I said, I just rode a little piece of it and loved it.

[torqueman]

I road a couple of hundred miles down it last year on my Wing. It is a very beautiful ride. You mentioned the deer and there are a lot of them so keep your eyes open.

It is not as technically challenging as Deals Gap or the Blue Ridge Parkway. The curves are slow sweepers over gently rolling hills. For those who like history there is a lot along this route to see. For those who like knee dragging look east of Nashville.

[STROMETTE]

Whaddya say we ride some of the NTP when I get into town? Wow, it's less than a month away too.

[SCraig]

It is not as technically challenging as Deals Gap or the Blue Ridge Parkway. The curves are slow sweepers over gently rolling hills. For those who like history there is a lot along this route to see. For those who like knee dragging look east of Nashville.
That's what I noticed about the short section that I rode. It isn't a "Technical" ride, just a quiet, peaceful ride with some really nice scenery.

Whaddya say we ride some of the NTP when I get into town? Wow, it's less than a month away too.
Sounds good to me! Anything to get away from some of the Nashville traffic is always good. I've been meaning to get back over there and ride some more of it, so this will be a good excuse. The "Northern Terminus" is on the easet side of town and if I remember right that's where you said you would be staying. It runs from there all the way down to Natchez, MS so there should be plenty of riding without a semi truck in sight ;)

[SmkyMtnVStrom]

Scott, Thanks for the report. Sounds like a place I would be interested in riding. Get away from these twisties of East Tennessee far a while.

[Vball24]

I rode some of the Trace back in May. It was wonderful. We started out in Natchez and rode up to Tupelo by that night. My Mom and her husband both rode and it was great. I was riding it to read the signs and see some of the historical stuff so it was a nice easy trip. I hope to finish the rest of it in the fall. Quite a few motorcycles out also.

[SCraig]

I rode some of the Trace back in May. It was wonderful. We started out in Natchez and rode up to Tupelo by that night. My Mom and her husband both rode and it was great. I was riding it to read the signs and see some of the historical stuff so it was a nice easy trip. I hope to finish the rest of it in the fall. Quite a few motorcycles out also.
I'd love to see the whole thing myself, but it would be nearly 900 miles round trip ;) The short section I rode was really pretty and relaxing. It was early morning and there was very little car traffic. A few bicyclists and a couple of motorcycles, but that was about it. Glad to hear that the south end is scenic as well.

I did notice on the maps that there is a "Meriweather Lewis National Monument" on our end of the Trace. It is the burial place of Meriweather Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame) and his death has some unusual circumstances surrounding it. I may have to ride down there and take a look at that.

Scott, Thanks for the report. Sounds like a place I would be interested in riding. Get away from these twisties of East Tennessee far a while.
It's twisty up on this end, but the curves are sweeping and gentle, at least the part I saw. You have to watch out for the wildlife all the time though. One of the owners of my company said he used to go through there a lot and in places it is infested with Whitetailed Deer.

[Vball24]

Here are a few of my pics from the trip:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/vball24/P1010016_Compressed.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/vball24/P1010063_Compressed.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/vball24/P1010052_Compressed.jpg


We had initially planned to ride the entire thing...which round trip from home was probably around 1,200 miles, but my Mom's husband needed to get home early and we got a late start due to the rain. Go figure since we've been in a drought for 4 months now we pick the only rainy weekend. I'd still like to ride it all in one weekend or whatever...but for now I'll settle for two bits. Also in case you didn't know in Vicksburg, MS there is a battleground which might be of interest and it isn't that far off the Trace.

I actually don't remember seeing a lot of deer. Maybe they were still sleeping. :D

[dbrent]

If anyone has ridden more of it I'd love to hear your thoughts. Like I said, I just rode a little piece of it and loved it.

Although my wife and I were in the car, I drove nearly the length of the Nachez Trace a couple of years ago--Jackson, MS to its end near Nashville, TN. I plan to go back on the bike sometime in the near future. The trace is like driving through a park for nearly 450 miles! Oh wait! It is a park--approximately 1/4 mile wide by 444 miles long!

We were fascinated by the history along the trace. No commercial traffic. Plenty of places to pull off to read historic markers and to see actual ruts from the original trail. It's fascinating. History? It's got plenty of history. We probably spent the most time at the Meriwether Lewis Memorial. Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark fame, was taking the trace back to Washington, when he died of gunshot wounds, October 1809, at a tavern/inn on the road. He had his famous journals from the Lewis & Clark expedition with him. History records he killed himself, a victim of severe depression. Other historians aren't so sure. He may have been fooling around and ran into a jealous boyfriend.

Just my two cents about the Nachez Trace! I am undecided about Lewis' death, but it makes for a good story. :wink:

Brent