As an inspector for AAA, I spend a lot of time behind the wheel traveling to the many hotels and restaurants that we recommend for members; let’s face it, love of travel and driving are job requirements. But even those who love the road can grow weary of traffic and long stretches of less-than-spectacular scenery including overly familiar fast food restaurants and gas stations. Recently in Mississippi, I had the choice to take “the scenic route” –the
Natchez Trace Parkway - north from Natchez to Jackson and enjoyed one of the most relaxing, scenic and historic drives I have had in a long time.
In fact, my trip up the Natchez Trace Parkway was actually shorter in mileage but just a bit longer in expected travel time. I could have taken 85 east to I-55 north or 61 north to Vicksburg then east on I-20 (itself not a bad drive of about 115 miles with some decent scenery) but opted to leave a bit early and try the secondary route.
The Natchez Trace Parkway is under the jurisdiction of the
National Park Service and designated a
Scenic Byway. It runs 444 miles from Natchez, Mississippi to just outside of Nashville, Tennessee and was only fully completed in 2005.
‘The Old Trace’ began as a path used by pre-historic Native Americans and passes by some large earthen mounds created over the past 2000 years. The Trace was also used by early European settlers of the area and later by settlers from Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania (known as Kaintucks) who had floated their products down the Mississippi river and were making their way back north. The path was later used by armies including General Andrew Jackson.
The road is well-marked with signs describing the many sights and places to pull off and park at each attraction along the route. The route north from Natchez to Jackson (which is only about ¼ of the parkway) is dotted with sites of historical significance including the pre-historic
Emerald Mound, the
Mount Locust Inn where early travelers rested and the abandoned town of
Rocky Springs. There is also an area called the
Sunken Trace, which is an area worn away from the centuries of passage and where you can walk a section of the actual path so many have taken.
I found it quite ironic that the scenic, or less crowded route that I had selected has probably seen more traffic in its lifetime than the interstate! There are restrooms along the parkway, but not much else in terms of facilities (although there are periodic exits to other roads and nearby communities).
The parkway passes through varied terrain from cypress swamp, through rolling riverbank hills and thick hardwood forest, and with autumn scenery is impressive as the leaves change. With a large elevation change and the parkway stretching north and south, the fall colors will vary in different sections. A good source of updated “leaf reports” is this
National Park Service website.
There are few roads in the United States that have such a continuous history that covers so long a period and involves so many different peoples. I have to admit, however, that I was captivated by the simple pleasure of the drive itself. The two-lane road is incredibly smooth, the sun was shining and there was just a hint of morning fog left in some of the low grassy areas. The road winds uninterrupted along
gentle curves and rolling hills and there is a canopy of trees covering many areas. Traffic consisted of an occasional car passing by as I sat back and cruised along just under the 50 mile per hour speed limit. This is a roll-down-the-windows-and-turn-off-the-radio kind of drive.
As I arrived in Jackson relaxed with a smile on my face, I couldn’t help but think of the famous words of poet Robert Frost: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by/ And that has made all the difference."
To follow Inspector 10's route, click on the Trip Tik Travel Planner image below, zoom out and follow the green Scenic Byway route north. For a complete guide to driving the Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville, click to see the AAA Natchez Trace Parkway Drive Trip.
