Why Bike the Natchez Trace Parkway? Motorized traffic is generally very light.

The 444 mile long Natchez Trace Parkway stretches from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Why bike the Natchez Trace Parkway?

Reason #4: Motorized traffic is generally very light except around Tupelo and Jackson.

Most of the parkway passes through sparsely and lightly populated areas. Because of this, combined with the 50 mph speed limit and the prohibition of commercial traffic, most of the motorized traffic is done by people enjoying the Trace. The Natchez Trace Parkway is meant for recreational traffic - enjoyed and shared by drivers and cyclists.

However, people do use the parkway to "commute" to work. Commute traffic is minimal through rural areas and very light near small towns located along the Trace. But, commute traffic is very heavy in the Tupelo and Jackson areas:

"To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip, bicyclists are encouraged NOT to use the following areas during heavy traffic periods: Jackson (Clinton to Ridgeland), Mississippi, milepost 87-103, from 7:00-9:00 a.m.and from 4:00-6:00 p.m.and Tupelo, Mississippi, mileposts 258-268, from 7:00-8:30 a.m. and 3:00-5:00 p.m. on weekdays."
www.nps.gov/natr/bicyclinghome.htm

Our experience is that traffic through the Jackson and Tupelo areas is always fairly heavy during daylight hours and very heavy during "rush" hours as described above. Fortunately, these areas seem to be patrolled more by park rangers.

If you are biking the entire Trace please be careful when you cycle through the Jackson and Tupelo areas. If you are biking only part of the Trace we recommend that you steer clear of the sections mentioned above. On the outskirts of each city where the auto traffic begins to lessen but is still somewhat heavy try to avoid "rush" hours (i.e. in the morning bike away from town and in the afternoon bike towards town).

Update about biking the Trace in the Jackson/Ridgeland/Madison area. There is now a Multi-Use Path through the area that parallels the Trace that you can use to avoid the heaviest traffic. For more information follow this link.

This is just one of 10 reasons why the Natchez Trace Parkway is an excellent bike route:

1. National Park Service designates the entire parkway as a bike route. Numerous signs instruct cars to share the road with bicycles.
2. Commercial traffic is prohibited.
3. Maximum speed limit for cars is 50 mph.
4. Motorized traffic is generally very light except around Tupelo and Jackson.
5. No stop signs or stop lights. Access on and off the Trace is via on/off ramps which means no need to worry about cross traffic.
6. Scenery is awesome. Instead of utility poles and buildings, the Trace is lined with forests, farmland, creeks and beautiful vistas.
7. All along the Trace through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, historical and nature attractions offer interesting breaks and rest stops.
8. Restroom facilities on the Trace are available about every twenty miles.
9. Numerous side trails take you past antebellum and victorian homes, sunken roads, civil war battlefields and southern towns.
10. There are many "cycling friendly" bed and breakfasts located along and near the Trace.