Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center — Attraction in Mississippi

I am a writer and photographer for National Park Planner and I traveled the entire Natchez Trace Parkway. The Parkway begins in Natchez, Mississippi, passes through the northwest corner of Alabama, and ends just south of Nashville, Tennessee, a 444-mile stretch of road. It follows as closely as possible to the route of an old trail known as the Natchez Trace, which saw its hey-day in the early- to mid-1800s. Though most of the route passes through rural areas, the Parkway does get you close to the major cities of Jackson and Tupelo.

The Parkway is open to private passenger vehicles and motorcycles only. There are no stop lights or stop signs on the entire stretch of road, though there are plenty of exits that lead to towns where travelers can purchase gas and food and find hotels, bed and breakfast inns, and private campgrounds. The speed limit is 50 MPH. There are no fees to drive on the Parkway.

As you travel the Parkway you will pass more than one hundred pullouts. Some offer an opportunity to go for short walks or to explore historical buildings. Others simply mark the spot at which an historical event took place or where a building once stood. Information panels tell the story. You will also find three campgrounds, dozens of picnic areas, and public restrooms. Most all attractions are outdoors and are open from sunrise to sunset. There are three Visitor Centers that have set operating hours, though most are open daily.

Attraction and visitor facility locations on the Parkway are referenced by Mile Post (MP) numbers. Mileage is tracked from 0 at the southern entrance to 444 at the northern entrance. You will see the mile posts along the Parkway just as you see mile posts on Interstates and other highways.

For complete information and nearly 400 photos of the Parkway, visit National Park...

My wife and I had a random Saturday with no kids and decided to trice the Trace. We started in Nashville and drove all the way to visitors center in Tupelo. We went inside and were greeted by Deborah who was the park guide on duty. She informed us that there was a short video we could watch if we were interested and to let her know if we had any questions.

After walking around a bit and looking at the displays I decided to ask her a question regarding the Tennessee river crossing. We talked through a few thoughts but she admitted that she didn’t actually know the answer. She asked if she could have my email address and that she would do some research and let me know.

A few days later I received a follow up email from Deborah just like she promised. The Natchez Trace is one of the most impactful and beautiful sights I’ve seen and I’m so grateful that it’s being protected and shared by people like Deborah.

I highly recommend making the trip out to the Trace and make sure you stop into the visitor center. And remember, as Deborah reminded me, there are no...

What a surprise when I was told of this 400+ mile, 2 lane, 50 mph road winding from SW Mississippi to Nashville, TN. The best part of this unknown National Park is, no commercial vehicles, no businesses, houses, or structures on this beautiful road. It just winds gently through untouched forests and historic sites over small mountains without any traffic lights or stop signs. Any services needed such as gas, food, etc you would need to exit off at the occasional small towns. Even the exit ramps wind a ways so that the towns are not visible from the Parkway. Cars, motorcycles, campers and bicyclists enjoy traveling here. I have driven for miles without seeing another vehicle. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy. No other National Park like this. This is the bridge which spans the Tennessee River just...