Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Natchez Trace Parkway trip with Mom and Dad - Day 3

Day 3 - Collinwood, TN back to Nashville


On Friday morning we went to the Dragonfly - an Emporium in Collinwood for a quick breakfast. I had a peach smoothie and mom and dad drank hot chocolate and we shared a couple of muffins. David Harrison, the owner, showed us some of the arts and crafts items made by local artisans.

The Dragonfly is located next to the Wayne County Welcome Center in Collinwood, only 150 yards from the Trace.

We went back to Miss Monetta's Country Cottage and packed up our belongings and headed north on the Trace. We planned on stopping at a few of the areas that we didn't have time to visit on the way down on Day 1 of the trip.


Our first stop was at the Metal Ford / Buffalo River area at milepost 382. If you need to stretch your legs this is a great place to stop. The nature walk that takes you along the river and through an old mill run is absolutely beautiful.

Hard to imagine the old "Kaintucks" fording their way across the swift moving waters. But they did in order to make their way back home.


Our next stop was at the Tobacco Barn / Old Trace Drive area at milepost 401. Mom and Dad checked out the Tobacco Barn and talked to some other travelers while I made some phone calls.

Tobacco cut from the small tobacco field next to the barn was hanging to dry in the barn rafters.


Behind the tobacco barn there is an opening in the trees that reveals a breathtaking view of the valley below. Also behind the tobacco barn is the beginning of a two-mile section of the Old Trace that has been graded, just enough, to be a one-way road for cars. The Old Trace Drive takes you north and then exits back out onto the parkway. The drive takes you through dense forest and a few glimpses down into the valley that lies to the east.

We made a "pit stop" at Garrison Creek at milepost 427.  The park service maintains bathroom facilities spaced out along the parkway every 20 miles or so.

Garrison Creek is the northern trailhead of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. The 24 mile hiking and horse trail parallels the parkway and Old Trace from here to the southern trailhead near the intersection of the parkway and Tennessee Highway 50. Just as we were about to leave a couple on horseback rode past us and onto the trail.

Just north of Garrison Creek we pulled off the Trace onto Tennessee Highway 46 and headed into the historic village of Leiper's Fork for lunch and a little shopping.


There are three restaurants in Leiper's Fork: Puckett's Grocery, the Twisted Fork Cafe and Country Boy. We dined at Puckett's Grocery. Puckett's is a small grocery store, restaurant and music venue. All three restaurants are worth the drive.


Of course, there is more to Leiper's Fork than just a bunch of good restaurants. There are several stores and shops housed in historic buildings all along the same little stretch of road as the restaurants. You can park your car and easily walk from one place to the next. Here are  mom and dad in one of the antique stores.

Leiper's Fork is a short 15 miles down the Trace from the northern terminus. This would be our last stop on our three day tour of the northern half of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Once off the Trace and a few more miles we were driving on I-40. What a difference.

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