Windsor Ruins - Port Gibson / Alcorn, Mississippi

Photo by Janie Fortenberry
Photography with a Southern Accent
Vicksburg, Mississippi

People from all over the world travel to see the ruins of Windsor Plantation. Built just before the Civil War, Windsor was one of the largest plantations in the area. Windsor Ruins is located west of Port Gibson, Mississippi along ancient Rodney Road and north of Alcorn State University on Mississippi Highway 552.

Legend says that from a roof observatory, Mark Twain watched the Mississippi River in the distance. Leading up to the Battle of Port Gibson in the spring of 1863, confederate troops used the roof observatory as a lookout as Grant's army crossed the Mississippi River. After the battle the mansion was used as a Union hospital and observation post, thus sparing it from being burned by Union troops. Unfortunately, in 1890 a house guest left a lighted cigar on the upper balcony and Windsor burned to the ground. Everything was destroyed except 23 of the columns, balustrades and iron stairs.

A 32 mile "loop route" along Mississippi Highway 552/Rodney Road and the Natchez Trace Parkway will take you past Windsor Ruins, Canemount Plantation, Bethel Church and Port Gibson the town that U.S. Grant called "too pretty to burn".

For additional pictures and information about Windsor Ruins, the town of Port Gibson and biking the Windsor Ruins Loop please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Church Hill, Mississippi

The rural community of Church Hill, Mississippi is located at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 553 and Church Hill Road just a few miles from the Natchez Trace Parkway and about 15 miles north of Natchez. The area is named after Christ Church, circa 1790, which sits atop a terraced hill. Across the intersection is a wooden country store built around 1837. The store was closed in the late 1990s. It also functioned as the Church Hill, MS post office.

The Church Hill Loop is 22 miles long - 12 miles along Mississippi Highway 553 and 10 miles along the Natchez Trace Parkway from milepost 10.3 to milepost 20.

Antebellum plantations line both sides of Highway 553, including Springfield Plantation where Andrew Jackson and Rachel Robards were married in 1791. All of the properties are privately owned and not open to the public. Christ Church and the plantations are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Church Hill Loop is popular with bicyclists. Highway 553 and the Natchez Trace Parkway are lightly traveled. Best place to park is at Mount Locust on the Trace at milepost 15.5.

For additional pictures, information and maps please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Natchez Trace Parkway divided into 15 geographic sections

The 444 mile-long Natchez Trace Parkway starts in Natchez, Mississippi and goes northeast through Mississippi, northwest Alabama and middle Tennessee before ending in Nashville, TN. There is quite a difference in climate from the southern terminus of the Trace at Natchez, MS (latitude 31.5) and the northern terminus at Nashville, TN (latitude 36.0).

NatchezTraceTravel.com has divided the Natchez Trace Parkway into fifteen geographic sections, each approximately 30 miles in length. The first nine sections are in Mississippi, one section in Alabama and the last five sections are located in Tennessee. Each section is named after nearby towns and cities.

We have written an article about each of the sections. Each article includes a map of that section of the Trace, a short description of each of the park service interpretive stops on the Trace, information about some of the nearby attractions and towns and a short video slide show of pictures.

Click on the section/article links listed below. We hope you enjoy this virtual tour.

Mississippi:

• Natchez and Lorman
• Port Gibson and Vicksburg
• Raymond and Jackson
• Jackson and Canton
• Kosciusko
• French Camp
• Houston
• Tupelo
• Belmont and Tishomingo

Alabama:

• Tuscumbia and Florence 

Tennessee:

• Collinwood and Waynesboro
• Summertown and Hohenwald
• Centerville and Columbia 
• Fly and Leiper's Fork
• Franklin and Nashville

Natchez Trace Parkway - Tishomingo | Belmont, Mississippi

This 28 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway spans the area south of the Tishomingo | Belmont, Mississippi area from milepost 281 to the Mississippi-Alabama state line at milepost 309.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Donivan Slough
  Self-guiding trail through an area that floods quite frequently creating an environment for a large variety of plants.
• Pharr Mounds
  This is the largest and most important archaeological site in northern Mississippi. Eight large dome shaped burial mounds are scattered over an area of 90 acres.
• Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
  The Natchez Trace Parkway passes over the waterway less than a mile downstream from the US Army Corps of Engineers dam that creates Bay Springs Lake.
• Cave Spring
  Indians may have used this site as a source of water and safety. The water is now unsafe to drink and the cave is dangerous.
• Bear Creek Mound
  This ceremonial mound, located next to Bear Creek, was built over 600 years ago.

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Tishomingo | Belmont, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Bay Springs Lake
  Bay Springs Lake and Dam, part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, is only a few minutes off the Trace. The lake is very popular with fishermen and boaters.
• Tishomingo State Park
  Named after Chickasaw medicine name Tishomingo. The Trace travels through the center of the park.
• Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center
  For six months in 1862, Corinth, Mississippi, a critical railroad junction, captured the full attention of a divided nation. The visitor center interprets the key role of Corinth in the Civil War's Western Theater.
• Corinth, Mississippi
  Corinth is home to four museums, a National Park Service Civil War Interpretive, pristine Civil War earthworks, historic neighborhoods, churches and cemeteries, and much more. Shiloh National Military Park is 20 miles north of Corinth.

Bed and breakfast travelers will enjoy Belmont Hotel in Belmont and Generals' Quarters Inn Bed and Breakfast in Corinth.

Next section north on the Trace: Florence | Tuscumbia
Next section south on the Trace: Tupelo

Natchez Trace Parkway - Tupelo, Mississippi

This 33 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway spans the area south of Tupelo, Mississippi from milepost 248 to north of Tupelo at milepost 281.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Tockshish
  A "stand" located here was also the midway point exchange of mail bags on the postal route from Nashville to Natchez.
• Chickasaw Council House
  Near here on the Old Trace stood an Indian village, Pontatock, with its council house, which in the 1820s became the capitol of the Chickasaw Nation. The chiefs and the head men met there to sign treaties or to establish tribal laws and policies.
• Black Belt Overlook
  Named for the land's rich black soil, the black belt extends south past  Columbus, MS and eastward across most of Alabama. Formerly one of America's great cotton areas, it is now excellent pasture for livestock.
• Chickasaw Village
  A Chickasaw Indian village of several houses and a fort sat on this spot. During the summer they lived in rectangular, well-ventilated houses. In the winter they lived in round houses with plaster walls. In times of danger, everybody sought shelter in strongly fortified stockades.
  
• Old Town Overlook
  From here you can see Old Town Creek and the adjacent floodplain. From here you there is a hiking trail heading north to the Tupelo Visitors Center or south to the Chickasaw Village Site.
• Tupelo Visitor Center
  The Natchez Trace Headquarters is located adjacent to the parkway in Tupelo at milepost 266. Information Center, bookstore, exhibits, restrooms, nature walk and offices. A hiking trail will take you from the visitor's center to Old Town Overlook and the Chickasaw Village Site. The visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Closed Christmas day.
• Confederate Gravesites and Old Trace
  A 5 minute walk on the Old Trace takes you to the grave sites of 13 unknown Confederate soldiers.
• Dogwood Valley
  Here the Natchez Trace passes through a small valley with an unusual stand of large dogwood trees. An easy 15 minute walk takes you along a sunken portion of the Old Trace and through the small wooded area named Dogwood Valley.
• Twentymile Bottom Overlook
  Twentymile Bottom is an example of the many low areas along streams through which the Natchez Trace passed.

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Tupelo, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Tupelo National Battlefield
  The Battle of Tupelo opened early morning of July 14, 1864 and ended north of town, late afternoon of July 15. The Battle of Tupelo was a Union victory over Confederate forces which ensured the safety of General William T. Sherman's supply lines. The park that commemorates the battle is located one mile east of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Mississippi Highway 6.
• Tupelo Automobile Museum
  The museum features 120,000 square feet of automobile displays and open viewing restoration bays. Over 100 antique, classic and collectible automobiles, chronologically displayed, illustrate the progress of over 100 years of automobile design and engineering. The museum is located east of the Trace in downtown Tupelo 1/2 block off Highway MS 45, Main Street Exit.
• Elvis Presley Birthplace
  Elvis was born in Tupelo. The two-room house where Elvis was born on January 8, 1935 is seen by over 50,000 visitors each year. Tupelo bought the house and 15 acres with money provided from a 1957 Tupelo concert performed by Elvis, who wanted to raise money for a park for neighborhood children.
• Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield
  Brices Cross Roads was the site of a major Civil War battle that took place on June 10, 1864. Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site can be reached from the Tupelo Visitor Center via US Highway 45 north to Mississippi Highway 370 west (an approximate 30 minute drive from the Trace) or just five miles west of Baldwyn, MS. The Brices Cross Roads Visitor and Interpretive Center is located close to the intersection of US Highway 45 and Mississippi Highway 370. 
• Tupelo, Mississippi
  Roughly halfway between Natchez, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee the Natchez Trace Parkway  passes through the city of Tupelo.
• Baldwyn, Mississippi
  Baldwyn, is located 15 miles north of Tupelo. The Civil War battle of Brices Cross Roads was fought five miles west of town.

Bed and breakfast travelers will enjoy Sachem Bed and Breakfast in Baldwyn and A Lazy Dog Ranch just north of Tupelo.

Next section north on the Trace: Tishomingo | Belmont
Next section south on the Trace: Houston

Natchez Trace Parkway - Houston, Mississippi

This 44 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway spans the area south of Houston, Mississippi from milepost 204 to north of Houston at milepost 248.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Line Creek
  The Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes recognized this creek as the boundary between their lands.
  
• Old Trace
  An original section of the Old Trace crosses the parkway.
  
• Bynum Mounds
  These mounds were built more than 1800 years ago.
  
• Witch Dance
  A large picnic area, restrooms and a horse trail access area are located at this spot where old folks say witches gathered to dance and wherever their feet touched the ground the grass withered and died never to grow again.
  
• Chickasaw Agency
  United States agents to the Chickasaws lived from 1802 to 1825 near here on the Old Natchez Trace. Agents kept peace between the Chickasaws and the Americans who traveled on the Old Trace through Indian lands.
  
• Hernando de Soto
  Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto traveled through this area in the mid-1500s.
  
• Monroe Mission
  At Monroe Mission Station near here, the Chickasaws were first taught Christianity and education in 1822.

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Houston, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Owl Creek Mounds
  The mounds were built and used by farming people belonging to the Mississippian culture, A.D. 1000 to 1500. The archaeological site includes two large mounds, walkways and interpretive panels.
  
• Davis Lake Recreation Area
  Davis Lake, overseen by the U.S. Forest Service, is four miles west of the Natchez Trace.
  
• Houston, Mississippi
  Houston is located 30 miles southwest of Tupelo and five miles west of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The land on which Houston resides was donated to the city by Judge Joel Pinson on the condition that it would be named for Sam Houston, a childhood friend. The middle of town where the Chickasaw County Courthouse sits is called Pinson Square.

Bed and breakfast travelers will enjoy Bridges-Hall Manor in Houston.

Next section north on the Trace: Tupelo
Next section south on the Trace: French Camp

Natchez Trace Parkway - French Camp, Mississippi

This 38 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway spans the area south of French Camp from milepost 166 to north of French Camp at milepost 204.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Cole Creek
  A 15 minute self-guiding trail takes you through a water tupelo/bald cypress swamp.
  
• Bethel Mission
  One of 13 Choctaw missions was located near here.
  
• French Camp
  French Camp Historic District sits alongside the Natchez Trace at milepost 180. Come discover how early American life used to be in this quaint log cabin village. The Huffman Cabin Gift Shop and the French Camp Log House Museum are open to the public Monday - Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Council House Cafe is open Monday - Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Other historic buildings include the Colonel James Drane House, The LeFlore Carriage House, Black Smith Shop, Welcome Center and Bread Bakery.
  
• Jeff Busby Park
  On February 15, 1934, while serving as U.S. Congressman from Mississippi, Thomas Jefferson Busby (1884-1964) introduced a bill authorizing a survey of the Old Natchez Trace. Four years later, the historic road was designated a unit of the National Park System. The park is named in Jeff Busby's honor to commemorate his part in the Parkway's establishment.
  
• Old Trace
  A section of the original Old Trace is preserved.
  
• Ballard Creek
  A small picnic area overlooks Ballard Creek.
  
• Pigeon Roost
  Millions of passenger pigeons, now extinct, roosted here. One mile east where the Old Trace crossed Pigeon Roost Creek Nathaniel Folsom of New England and his Choctaw wife had a trading post before 1790. Later, their son David, took over operation of the trading post.

Bed and breakfast travelers will enjoy French Camp Bed and Breakfast.

Next section north on the Trace: Houston
Next section south on the Trace: Kosciusko

Natchez Trace Parkway - Kosciusko, Mississippi

This 31 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway spans the area south of Kosciusko from milepost 135 to north of Kosciusko at milepost 166.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Robinson Road
  Robinson Road was built in 1821. Designation of the Robinson Road as the mail route in 1822, drew much of the traffic from the northern Mississippi section of the Natchez Trace. No longer was the Trace the only direct road through the wilderness from the east to the old southwest.
• Red Dog Road
  The road, running to Canton, Mississippi was opened in 1834 and named for a Choctaw Indian, Ofahoma, or Red Dog.
• Myrick Creek
  This creek is a haven for beavers.
• Holly Hill
  A shady picnic area welcomes travelers.
• Hurricane Creek
  A self-guided nature trails takes you along the creek.

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Kosciusko, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Kosciusko Information Center
  Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce volunteers provide travel information for the parkway and the local area.
• Kosciusko, Mississippi
  Kosciusko, is located 65 miles northeast of Jackson and less than one mile from the Natchez Trace Parkway. Kosciusko is named for the Polish general Tadeusz Kościuszko, who assisted United States military efforts during the American Revolution. However the anglicized name omits the "z".

Bed and breakfast travelers will enjoy Maple Terrace Inn in Kosciusko.

Next section north on the Trace: French Camp
Next section south on the Trace: Jackson to Canton

Natchez Trace from Jackson, Mississippi to Canton, Mississippi

This 33 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway starts at milepost 102 at the northern end of Jackson, Mississippi and goes northeast past Canton, Mississippi to milepost 135. For several miles the Trace follows the western shoreline of beautiful Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Brashear's Stand and Old Trace
  Two portions of the Old Natchez Trace, are preserved here. In 1806 the stand was advertised as "a house of entertainment in the wilderness."
• Reservoir Overlook
  From this overlook you can see much of the 50 square mile reservoir.
  
• Boyd Mounds
  In this 100 foot long mound, archaeologists found the remains of 41 burials.
  
• West Florida Boundary
  In 1764, Great Britain moved the boundary of West Florida north to this location (32 degrees, 28 minutes) into the land of the Choctaws and Creeks. This Trace stop is a trailhead to the Ridgeland, MS section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, a walking and horse trail.
  
• Cypress Swamp
  A 20 minute self-guided trail takes you through a water tupelo and bald cypress swamp.
  
• River Bend
  In 1698, the French Explorer, Pierre LeMoyne Sieur d'Iberville, sailed into the mouth of this river and found pearls. He named it 'River of Pearls'.
  
• Upper Choctaw Boundary
  A line of trees crossing the Natchez Trace Parkway at this location, marked a section of the boundary accepted by the Choctaw Indians and the American Commission under Andrew Jackson in the treaty of Doaks Stand, October 20, 1820. As part of this treaty the Choctaw reluctantly ceded 5.5 million acres of land west of this line. 

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Jackson - Canton, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Mississippi Crafts Center
  Located near the Natchez Trace Parkway since 1975, the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi is a non-profit organization of craftsmen and others to preserve and promote folk, traditional and contemporary crafts.
• Canton, Mississippi
  Canton is located eight miles west of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Canton's historic County Courthouse Square and the town's many Victorian and Antebellum homes have been the backdrop for several movies, including "A Time to Kill", "My Dog Skip" and parts of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?".

There are two Canton bed and breakfasts to choose from - both located a short walk from the Courthouse Square.

Next section north on the Trace: Kosciusko
Next section south on the Trace: Raymond to Jackson

Natchez Trace from Raymond, Mississippi to Jackson, Mississippi

This 36 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway starts at milepost 66 south of Raymond, Mississippi and goes north to the west of Jackson, Mississippi at milepost 102.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Deans Stand
  One of the inns or "stands" along the Old Trace in the 1820s and 1830s.
  
• Battle of Raymond
  Part of the Grant's Vicksburg campaign a battle was fought near here in 1863.
  
• Cowles Mead Cemetery
  Cowles Mead, a stand owner along the Old Trace and territorial governor in 1806, is buried here.
  
• Osburn Stand
  Noble Osburn operated a stand here starting in 1811 until the early 1820s when the city of Jackson was established.
  
• Choctaw Agency
  U.S. agents lived among the Choctaw and represented their interests while implementing U.S. policy. Their duties included surveying and preventing illegal settlement of Choctaw land. They also encouraged the Choctaw to be more dependent on modern farming practices.
  

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Raymond - Jackson, Mississippi section of the Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Raymond Military Park
  On May 12, 1863, 10,000 soldiers from Ulysses S. Grant's Union army encountered 3,000 Confederate soldier near Raymond, Mississippi. After the Battle of Raymond was over 1,000 wounded soldiers from both armies were taken to a local church and the courthouse and cared for. Part of the battlefield has been preserved by the Friends of Raymond, a non-profit historic preservation organization, as the Raymond Military Park.
• Raymond, Mississippi
  Raymond is located fifteen miles south of Jackson and two miles east of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The small town features dozens of antebellum era homes, church buildings and the still functioning County Courthouse built from 1857-1859. In 1903 a water tower was built in the middle of the town's square creating a unique focal point that local residents have taken pride in for over 100 years.
  
• Clinton Visitor Center
  Just off the Trace in the Jackson suburb of Clinton, Mississippi travelers will find the Clinton Visitor Center. The Center is constructed with period materials and period architectural details including a porch and "dogtrot" and has the look and authentic charm of one of the 19th century farmhouses once located along the Natchez Trace. The museum room provides displays showing the history of the Natchez Trace in the Clinton area.

There are three Raymond bed and breakfasts to choose from - all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next section north on the Trace: Jackson to Canton
Next section south on the Trace: Port Gibson to Vicksburg

Natchez Trace from Port Gibson, Mississippi to Vicksburg, Mississippi

This 36 mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway starts at milepost 30 near Lorman, Mississippi and goes north past Port Gibson to milepost 66. The city of Vicksburg is 20-30 miles west of the Trace. This area of Mississippi is very flat. Tall pine trees line much of the parkway.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Sunken Trace
  A trail takes you through a deeply eroded part of the original Natchez Trace.
  
• Mangum Mound
  A circa 1000 Indian mound.
  
• Grindstone Ford
  Old Trace travelers crossed over Bayou Pierre here.
  
• Owens Creek Waterfall
  Picnic area, hiking trail to Rocky Springs and a waterfall that usually is only a trickle except after heavy rain.
  
• Rocky Springs
  Before the Civil War, Rocky Springs was a thriving community of several thousand. The Civil War, Yellow Fever, destructive crop insects and poor land management all led to the area's downfall.
  
• Lower Choctaw Boundary
  A line of trees here has been a boundary for over 200 years. It was established in 1765 and marked the eastern limits of the old Natchez District.

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Port Gibson - Vicksburg, Mississippi section of the  Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• Windsor Ruins
  Built in 1859-61, this huge plantation home survived the Civil War. However, during a house party on February 17, 1890 a guest left a lighted cigar on the upper balcony and Windsor burned to the ground. Everything was destroyed except 23 of the columns, balustrades and iron stairs.
• The historic town of Port Gibson, Mississippi
  Chartered as a town on March 12, 1803, Port Gibson is Mississippi's third oldest settlement, being occupied in 1729. Many of Port Gibson's historic buildings survived the Civil War because Grant believed the city "too beautiful to burn".
• Grand Gulf Military Park
  Located eight miles northwest of Port Gibson, this 400 acre landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes Fort Cobun and Fort Wade, the Grand Gulf Cemetery, a museum, picnic areas, hiking trails, an observation tower, and several restored buildings dating back to Grand Gulf's heyday
  
• Vicksburg National Military Park
  The Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
  

 There are bed and breakfasts in the area including Oak Square Bed and Breakfast in Port Gibson and The Corners Bed & Breakfast and Annabelle Bed & Breakfast in Vicksburg.

Next section north on the Trace: Raymond to Jackson
Next section south on the Trace: Natchez to Lorman

Natchez Trace from Natchez, Mississippi to Lorman, Mississippi

This will be the first of fifteen articles about attractions on and near the Natchez Trace Parkway. Each article will cover about 30 miles along the 444 mile-long Trace.

The first section starts at the beginning of the Trace in Natchez, Mississippi and goes north to milepost 30 near Lorman, Mississippi. The Trace parallels the Mississippi River and is within a few miles to no more than 15 miles east of the river. Tall pine trees line most of the parkway.

Traveling south to north you will encounter several sites that are part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and are overseen by the National Park Service:

• Elizabeth Female Academy Site
  Historical marker and building remains at the site of a school for women founded in 1818.
  
• Old Trace Exhibit Shelter
  A section of the old Natchez Trace wilderness road is preserved. Exhibit describes the Trace's history.
  
• Emerald Mound
  Largest Indian mound in Mississippi covers eight acres. A trail leads you to top of the tallest mound.
  
• Turpin Creek
  Picnic area along Turpin Creek.
  
• Loess Bluff
  This tall, eroded bluff consists of windblown topsoil known as Loess (pronounced Low-ess) that is prevalent east of the Mississippi River for up to 30 miles from Louisiana to Tennessee. Where any road, including the Old Natchez Trace, passed over loess soil it formed sunken roads, in places 20 feet deep.
  
• Mount Locust
  One of the many inns or "stands" that lined the Old Natchez Trace in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Interpretive programs are offered February thru November.
  
• Coles Creek
  Large picnic area under tall pine trees along Coles Creek.
  
• Bullen Creek
  A self-guiding trail leads through a mixed hardwood-pine forest.
  
• Mud Island Creek
  Picnic area along Mud Island Creek.
  
• North Fork Coles Creek
  Picnic area along North Fork Coles Creek.
  

For additional pictures, information and interactive maps of the Natchez to Lorman, Mississippi section of the  Trace please see NatchezTraceTravel.com.

Also, just off the Trace you will find:

• The historic town of Natchez, Mississippi
  Home to dozens of preserved antebellum homes, building and plantations.
  
• Grand Village of the Natchez Indians
  Located just outside of present day Natchez. The Natchez Indians lived in present-day southwest Mississippi circa. AD 700-1730. According to historical and archaeological evidence Grand Village was their main ceremonial center starting around 1682.
  
• William Johnson House
  Known as the “barber” of Natchez, William Johnson was born a slave. He became free at the age of eleven. He became an apprentice barber and later bought the barber shop in 1830. For 16 years as a barber in downtown Natchez he kept a diary of everyday life in Natchez. Johnson’s house on State Street in downtown Natchez is today a museum about his life.
  
• Jefferson College in Washington, MS
  Located in Washington, Mississippi about five miles north of Natchez, Jefferson College was the first educational institution of higher learning in Mississippi, being chartered in 1802. Today, visitors can tour a restored dormitory room, student dining room, kitchen buildings, and other historic sites.
  
• Springfield Plantation near Church Hill, MS
  Andrew and Rachel Jackson were married at Springfield Plantation. This area is a few miles off the Trace on MS Highway 553. You can drive or bike on a 25 mile loop on the Trace (milepost 10 to 20) and highway 553 and see Mount Locust, Loess Bluff, Coles Creek, Emerald Mound, the historic town of Church Hill and Springfield Plantation.
  

There are several bed and breakfasts in the area including several Natchez bed and breakfasts and Rosswood Plantation Bed and Breakfast near Lorman.

Next section north on the Trace: Port Gibson to Vicksburg

Most Popular Mississippi Attractions on the Natchez Trace Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway generally follows the route of the Old Natchez Road for 310 miles through the state of Mississippi. Along the way the parkway offers 62 historical and/or natural attractions. During 2009 the most popular attractions along the Mississippi section of the Natchez Trace Parkway were (ordered south to north along the parkway - mileposts start at zero in Natchez, MS):

• Mount Locust - milepost 15.5 (near Natchez, MS)
  One of the oldest structures in Mississippi, Mount Locust is the only remaining inn or "stand", of more than 50, that once dotted the Old Natchez Trace during the period of about 1785 to 1830.
  
• Owens Creek Waterfall - milepost 52.4 (near Port Gibson, MS)
  After heavy rain water rushes over the waterfall. A 2.5 mile hiking trail connects this area with Rocky Springs.
  
• Rocky Springs - milepost 54.8 (near Port Gibson, MS)
  First settled in the late 1790s, the town grew from a watering place along the Natchez Trace, and took its name from the source of that water - the rocky springs.
  
• Cypress Swamp - milepost 122.0 (near Canton, MS)
  A self-guiding nature trail takes you around and over a water tupelo and bald cypress swamp.
  
• French Camp - milepost 180.7 (French Camp, MS)
  French Camp Historic District sits alongside the Natchez Trace. Come discover how early American life used to be in this quaint log cabin village.
  
• Witch Dance - milepost 233.2 (near Houston, MS)
  The very name conjures visions of eerie midnights, swirling black capes and brooms stacked against a nearby tree. The old folks say the witches gathered here to dance and wherever their feet touched the ground the grass withered and died never to grow again.
• Tupelo Visitors Center - milepost 266.0 (Tupelo, MS)
  The Natchez Trace Headquarters is located adjacent to the parkway and includes an information center, bookstore, exhibits, nature walk and a hiking trail that will take you from the visitor's center to Old Town Overlook and the Chickasaw Village Site. 

Popularity was determined by how often each attraction's information was viewed during 2009 at NatchezTraceTravel.com. Would love to hear your comments about your favorite attractions on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.

Charlotte Observer - The Southeast's other parkway

On November 21, 2009 the Charlotte Observer wrote an article about the Natchez Trace Parkway titled "The Southeast's other parkway", comparing it to the Blue Ridge Parkway:

"Unlike the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Natchez Trace is flat, uncrowded and snow-snarl free."

Click here to read the entire article.

Natchez Trace Parkway trip with Mom and Dad - Day 2

Day 2 - Collinwood, TN to Northeast Mississippi and back

As mentioned in Day 1  we stayed at Miss Monetta's Country Cottage in Collinwood, TN last night and will be there tonight as well. We are using Collinwood as our home base to explore the Trace in Tennessee, Alabama and northeast Mississippi.

After breakfast at Chad's Family Restaurant in Collinwood we headed south on the Trace. Collinwood is located about 15 miles north of the Tennessee-Alabama stateline on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Just a few miles into Alabama and about 150 yards off the Trace sits one of the most unique memorials you will ever see and hear about. It is known as the Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall. The stone wall honors the great-great-grandmother of Tom Hendrix. Tom has been building the wall on his property for more than 30 years. Tom has placed by hand over 7 million pounds of rocks to create the curving waist-to-head high wall that represents the journey his Native American great-great-grandmother made from northwest Alabama to Oklahoma as part of the Trail of Tears and back to Alabama.

Our next stop took us over the Tennessee River to Colbert's Ferry at milepost 327. Today, Natchez Trace Parkway travelers drive over the river on this beautiful bridge. During the early 1800s George Colbert, who was half Chickasaw Indian, operated a ferry from this spot that took Old Trace travelers across the river.

Colbert's Ferry is one of the largest areas that is operated by the National Park Service on the Trace. There is a large picnic area overlooking the river, a boat ramp, the interpretive area where the ferry was located and a ranger/information station that is open except during the winter months.

Our next stop was barely into Mississippi at Cave Spring at milepost 308. Here we talked to a couple taking a break from riding their motorcycle. Mom wouldn't get any closer to the cave than she is here in this picture.

The weather was absolutely awesome for early November. Temperature around 70 degrees and lots of sunshine. September and October most of the Trace saw 2 to 4 times as much rain as normal. So far, November has been one sunny day after another.

Our next stop was Pharr Mounds at milepost 286.  Eight Indian burial mounds sit within sight of the Trace. We were now about 70 miles south of Collinwood so we decided to turn around and head back. This means that we were unable to see the southern 285 miles (64%) of the Trace. I'll try to talk Mom and Dad into coming back so we can see the Trace from Tupelo to Natchez.

We took a slight detour off the Trace so we could check out Bay Springs Lake. On the way down the Trace we had driven over the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway at milepost 293. The Trace bridge over the waterway is located just below the dam that holds back the huge lake. Dad likes to watch barges and boats go through locks. The dam has a huge lock that takes a vessel "down" from the lake to the river or "up from the river to the lake. As we made our way to the dam we saw a barge heading up the river towards the dam. Mom and I knew we were going to be here for awhile. We found the dam observation parking area and off Dad went with his camera. You can walk down to within about 75 feet of the lock. It really is impressive to see the lock fill up with water and lift the barge up to the level of the lake. The picture here shows the barge heading out into the lake. Three medium sized fishing boats then headed into the lock to be taken "down" to the river level. But we had to go. We assume they made it to the river.

We made our way back to the Trace and headed north to Collinwood and the comforts of Miss Monetta's Country Cottage.