Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Spring flowers and trees along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Spring has sprung along the length of the Natchez Trace Parkway. During the month of April our staff and several of our guests who have traveled the Trace and lodged overnight at area bed and breakfasts have taken a collection of spring pictures.

We inserted several of the best into the following video:



For location information about these and additional spring pictures please go to NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tennessee

We often hear people say that there are no gas stations, markets or restaurants near the Natchez Trace Parkway. It is true that none are located "right on" the Trace. But, there are plenty of places just off the Trace to "fuel up" your vehicle and yourself! You only need to know where to find them.

Along the 100 mile-long section of the Trace that passes through Tennessee there are markets within 2 miles or less at eight of the ten major exits. Bicyclists traveling without a vehicle can easily bike to these markets for a quick snack or for a lunch break.

Most of the markets are decades old and are well known in the local community. In fact, one is 120 years old. Most have gas pumps and all offer sandwiches and other items like pizza, ice cream, plate lunches, etc. Play the video for a quick look at the markets.


Click on these articles to learn more about the markets, including how far and which direction they are from the Trace, their address, services provided and some pictures.

Tennessee Highway 100 (northern terminus) - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

A Shell Station / Bar-B-Cutie is located 50 feet east of the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Tennessee Highway 100. The historic Loveless Cafe restaurant is next door!

Shell Station / Bar-B-Cutie offers travelers gas, snacks, beverages and sandwiches. Their address is:
8456 Highway 100
Nashville, TN

Loveless Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. Their address is:
8400 Highway 100
Nashville, TN

To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the Tennessee Highway 100 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Tennessee Highway 46 (Leiper's Fork) - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

Leipers Fork Market is located .8 miles east of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Tennessee Highway 46. Exit the Trace at milepost 428 towards the Leiper's Fork Historic District.

Leipers Fork Market offers travelers gas, snacks, beverages and sandwiches. The market's address is:
4348 Old Hillsboro Road
Leiper's Fork, TN

A little further north on Old Hillsboro Road (highway 46) takes you into the the Leiper's Fork Historic District.  Three restaurants and several antique stores, art galleries and bookshops await.
  • Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant
    Breakfast, lunch and dinner, everyday. Snacks and beverages. Gasoline.
  • Country Boy Restaurant
    Breakfast and lunch, everyday.
  • Joe Natural's
    Bakery and cafe - organic fare
To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the Tennessee Highway 46 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Tennessee Highway 7 - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

Fly's General Store is located 1.7 miles southeast of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Tennessee Highway 7. Exit the Trace at milepost 416 towards Columbia, Tennessee.

At this exit the communities of Fly, Santa Fe and Bethel are just east of the Trace, the rural area of Primm Springs, TN is just west of the Trace and the city of Columbia, Tennessee is 15 miles east of the Trace.

Fly's General Store offers travelers snacks, beverages and sandwiches. The market's address is:
5661 Leipers Creek Road
Santa Fe, TN

4.9 miles from the same exit you will also find Nett's Grocery & Deli to the east in the Bethel community. From Highway 7 turn left on Leipers Creek Road. Bethel and Nett's will be down the road a couple of miles on the left. Nett's serves breakfast Monday-Saturday, lunch everyday and dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Snacks, beverages and gas are also available.

Nett's Grocery address is:
4356 Skelley Road (just off Leipers Creek Road)
Santa Fe, TN

To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the Tennessee Highway 7 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Tennessee Highway 50 - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

Malibu 1 Stop Market and Duck River Market are located 1 mile west of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Tennessee Highway 50. Exit the Trace at milepost 408 towards Centerville, Tennessee. Both markets offer gas, snacks, beverages, pizza and sandwiches.

At this exit the town of Centerville, Tennessee is 15 miles west of the Trace and the city of Columbia, Tennessee is 15 miles east of the Trace.

Malibu 1 Stop Market's address is:
4261 Highway 50 East
Duck River, TN

Duck River Market's address is:
4230 Highway 50 East
Duck River, TN 


To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the Tennessee Highway 50 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Tennessee Highway 20 - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

Andrew's Circle 6 Market is located 1.3 miles east of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Tennessee Highway 20. Exit the Trace at milepost 386 towards Summertown, Tennessee.

At this exit the town of Hohenwald, Tennessee is 8 miles west of the Trace and the town of Summertown, Tennessee is 15 miles east of the Trace.

Andrew's Circle 6 Market offers travelers gas, diesel, snacks, beverages, ice cream and sandwiches. The market's address is:
2768 Summertown Hwy (TN Hwy 20)
Hohenwald, TN

Additional markets, gas stations and restaurants can be found 8 miles to the west in Hohenwald.

To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the Tennessee Highway 20 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

US Highway 64 - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

From the Natchez Trace Parkway offramp at milepost 370 onto US Highway 64 West you can see Greg's Natchez Trace Store to the right just .3 miles west of the Trace.

The city of Waynesboro is 12 miles west of the Trace and the city of Lawrenceburg is 17 miles east of the Trace.

Greg's Natchez Trace Store offers travelers gas, diesel, snacks, beverages and sandwiches. Bicyclists will appreciate the market's location so close to the Trace.

To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see the US Highway 64 exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Collinwood - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

The town of Collinwood, Tennessee straddles the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 354. The Wayne County Welcome Center sits a couple hundred yards west of the Trace exit near the center of the downtown area. Collinwood offers several markets, restaurants and even a couple of grocery stores within a couple miles or less from the Trace.

East of the Trace you will find:
  • GG's Market - gas, diesel, snacks, beverages, sandwiches and pizza
    .7 miles @ 1271 Railroad Bed Road
West of the Trace you will find:
  • the Dragonfly - coffees, smoothies, muffins/brownies and free wi-fi
    .1 miles @ 100 Second Avenue
  • Hasti-Mart - gas, snacks, beverages, sandwiches
    .2 miles @ 100 Broadway Street
  • Chad's Family Restaurant - breakfast, lunch and dinner
    .2 miles @ 100 E. Depot Street
  • Road House Market - gas, snacks, beverages, sandwiches, plate lunch
    .7 miles @ 501 Highway 13 South
  • MeMe's Kitchen - breakfast, lunch and dinner
    1.7 miles @ 927 Highway 13 South

To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see Collinwood Welcome Center exit map. A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Tennessee Highway 13 - Food and Gas near the Natchez Trace Parkway

From the Natchez Trace Parkway offramp at milepost 351 onto Tennessee Highway 13 you can see 4 Mile Market to the right just .1 miles east of the Trace.

The town of Collinwood, Tennessee is 4 miles north of this exit (thus the name of the market) and Florence, Alabama is 28 miles south.

4 Mile Market offers travelers gas, diesel, snacks, beverages, sandwiches and pizza. Road weary cyclists will appreciate the market's location so close to the Trace.

Other gas, snack and dining options near this exit include several markets and restaurants to the north in Collinwood. To view a map of this exit that pinpoints nearby Natchez Trace attractions please see Tennessee Highway 13 exit map.

A handy printout to have when traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Gas, Water and Markets list from NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Natchez Trace Parkway Maps

The Natchez Trace Parkway map provided by the National Park Service is an excellent tool for planning your trip and is a handy companion while you travel on the parkway.

The map shows all 90+ official stops along the Natchez Trace as well as several major attractions located nearby. A short explantation of each stop is included on the back of the map.

This video shows sections of the map going from milepost 0 (Natchez, MS) to milepost 444 (Nashville, TN).


To download map PDF files or have a map mailed to you, go to: http://www.natcheztracetravel.com/natchez-trace-parkway-maps.html

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Yeoman's in the Fork - Leiper's Fork, Tennessee

One of the "newer" businesses in the Leiper's Fork Historic District sells some of the "oldest" items you can find. Yeoman's in the Fork specializes in rare books from America's Colonial period and historic documents signed by our country's founding fathers.

Yeoman's in the Fork is located at 4216 Old Hillsboro Road in a historic building, originally built in 1881, that has been restored on more than one occasion. A fire in the 1930s destroyed part of the front of the building. Later, the house was turned around 180 degrees, the "now" back of the home was rebuilt and in 1949 square pillars saved from a house fire in nearby Franklin were added to the front of the structure.

Today, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Visiting the building and store is like taking a peak back into our rich past. You'll even find old Ben Franklin taking a rest on the front lawn!

The store's motto is "The Small Town Bookshop With Uptown Books"
From their website, www.yeomansinthefork.com:

Just like you, we collect rare books. We know that every title page, deckled edge, and colophon is slightly different, making each book and its journey through time incredibly unique. By collecting and sharing them, we are furthering the spread of knowledge and halting the destruction of these pieces of our past.

Also like you, we are fascinated by history. We have a particular passion for American history, so we specialize in works important to the United States, like the Declaration of Independence and early presidents. These documents can give us detailed insights into the patriots that shaped our country and the revolutionary ideas they brought to life.
Leiper's Fork and Yeoman's in the Fork are located about a mile and a half from the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway. Exit the Trace near milepost 428 onto Tennessee Highway 46 and go east. Turn left at the "T" and Yeoman's in the Fork will be up ahead on the left. Within a short walk you will also find restaurants, art galleries, antique shops and a lawnchair theater in historic Leiper's Fork.

Yeoman's in the Fork
4216 Old Hillsboro Road
Franklin, TN 37064
615.983.6463
Mike Cotter, Director of Operations
www.yeomansinthefork.com