Natchez Trace Parkway | American Tour Association

A PLACE TO REMEMBER

Make room for the wonder.

The Natchez Trace Parkway combines a gentle-paced drive with stops that reveal the stories and landscapes of an old travel corridor. Choose a stretch and a few meaningful stops to give the day a sense of place.

A slightly curvy section of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Early Fall — The Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates a historic travel route that helped build the young United States. The Parkway 444 miles, with plenty of stops to allow you to explore some of the history or enjoy the scenery along the way.
NPS Photo · Photography credit

View of the Double Arch Bridge from Birdsong Hollow — The elegant Double Arch Bridge won the Presidential Award for Design Excellence in 1995. It spans Birdsong Hollow and Tennessee Highway 96. To see it from below, take the TN 96 exit and stop at the pulloff before you get to the highway.
NPS Photo · Photography credit

BUILD YOUR OWN PARK DAY

Places to consider

01Historic trace sections
02Interpretive stops
03Woodland walks and overlooks

Choose the stops that suit your time and your party. These are ideas for exploring, rather than a fixed itinerary or a promise that every road, trail or facility will be open.

Stop for the human history

The Trace makes more sense when you step out of the vehicle. Choose interpreted historic places and short sections of the old trace, then use nearby towns for meals and overnight stops. Natchez, Tupelo and the Nashville-area end of the route offer different starting points.

Before you set out

Check current closures and vehicle restrictions. Plan fuel, meals and overnight stops in gateway communities off the parkway.

Give the day room

Allow time for the approach, parking and breaks. Pick walks for the least mobile members of your party, and leave space for weather or a change of plans.

Bring your group

Confirm vehicle access, drop-off and parking with the park. Check any guided tours, transport and accessibility arrangements before fixing the rest of the itinerary.

Official park visitor guide ↗Current conditions ↗

Check the official NPS guide for current access, fees, passes, reservations and permits. Gateway names identify useful surrounding communities or access areas, not exact entrance directions. Photographs may show earlier seasons or conditions.