Natchez Trace - Is it an interesting drive?

[Bikechuck]

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Originally Posted by davef Bicycled the Trace several years ago - Nashville to Nachez. It was one of my least favorite rides. Just seem too straight and not enough scenery change. In March, we drove to Memphis and Nashville and brought our bikes. Both cities were nice to visit but I really liked Nashville. If you have time, I would recommend it. Although, while I really liked it, I know I was influenced by their good bicycling accommodation. We were able to ride all over including a short ride on the Trace.

To each his own. I bicycled the Trace from Nashville to Natchez and I loved it. I traveled with a companion the last week in Sept and the first week in Oct. We had to dodge a couple of hurricanes so it took us as bit longer than planned.

Some people feel that biking the Trace is monotonous but it was a great get away from work for me and I loved every minute of it.

[KM]

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Originally Posted by LARS It is a fine (but slower way) to travel thru the area. Would I make a major detour to do it? Probably not. By way of comparison, it is leagues away from Blue Ridge Highway as a point of reference, which is worth a considerable detour.

We did the Trace 2 years ago (on our way from Nashville to New Orleans) and this pretty much echoes my thoughts. If you're in the area, why not? You gotta get north somehow and it's a nice drive. But having done it once, I would not go out of my way to do it again.....whereas I have done the Blue Ridge Parkway twice and hope to work it into our plans again some day. Imo, there's no comparison between the sceneries.....

[audreyh1]

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Originally Posted by beanctr88 Audrey would have seen Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, not Alabama. His house was a tiny little shack that they have preserved. Tupelo is a nice growing town. Hotty Toddy to those who know what it means!

Actually, I did not go to see Elvis' birthplace. I just remembered that's what the town bragged on. I should have remembered the honey!

There was a quite nice state park west of town that we enjoyed.

[audreyh1]

One of the appeals of the Natchez trace is the historical aspect of a footpath used for a very very long time. You can see sunken sections where people traveling on foot have worn ruts. Then Andrew Jackson marched his army down it for the Battle of New Orleans (1812).

[Trix55]

I have driven all 440 miles of the Trace twice, once in each direction. The first time was heading north, in the spring. It was a very surreal trip as much of the time I was the only vehicle on the road. No one behind, no one ahead. The second time was south in the fall, with the trees turning. It was lovely. Driving a motorhome, I appreciate the 50mph and no commercial vehicles permitted. I think I've stopped at every pullout along the way, to read the historical markers and walk on the trace. And there are a lot of historical markers!

I've only driven a portion of the BRP, from Boone, NC down to Asheville. It was very beautiful but a much more tiring drive as I had to pay attention every second. No time to be a looky-loo driving a MH on that road!

[Bamaman]

I was on the Natchez Trace last night driving toward Tupelo. And yes, we saw a bunch of wildlife even on a short 30 mile stretch. I bet we didn't see another car coming the other way but every 5 minutes or so--sparsely traveled.

Our return trip was by 4 lane highways all the way--faster and less nerve racking. I'll drive an hour or so on the Trace, but wouldn't think about driving 438 mile length of the road.

[mickeyd]

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It's 900 miles of virtually nothing just to get across Texas.

You wanna step outside and say that again?

[audreyh1]

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Originally Posted by mickeyd You wanna step outside and say that again?

It's OK - we'd rather they drive across country north of us anyway.

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

We used to bike it a lot from Natchez to French Camp. It's a lovely ride, and I'd recommend getting off of it to see natchez of course, then Port Gibson and the Vicksburg battlefield - that's a bit out of the way, but one of my favorite places to bike. Up by French Camp there is a observatory! Lots of fond memories of those days.

[NC 57]

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Originally Posted by Disappointed Not sure yet, we are planning to drive from Los Angeles taking I-10 to New Orleans and then to Memphis and catch I-40 back to California. While doing research on Tripadvisor someone mentioned Natchez Trace, perhaps we should go to Nashville via Tupelo?

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Originally Posted by Bamaman I have traveled extensively throughout the U.S., and I wouldn't suggest I-10 to New Orleans. It's 900 miles of virtually nothing just to get across Texas. And driving the width of Arizona's no party either. Last time I drove west to Yuma, Arizona, it was about 850 miles from my house before any interesting scenery on I-40 in Western Oklahoma. And I had no idea that New Mexico was uphill from East to West--all the way to Flagstaff. Most people today will spend upwards of $200 a day on gasoline and cheap hotels when traveling on the ground. It's very frankly cheaper to fly on Southwest to New Orleans and then rent a car for regional day trips. There are many scenic places to see in this great country. But I-10 and I-40 (west of Memphis) scenery is seldom very scenic.

We traveled west on I40 in the fall of 2013 and had an enjoyable trip, pulling a travel trailer. In Arkansas we stopped at Fort Smith and saw the national monument. Oklahoma City has a number of attractions including the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, the moving national monument on the site of the OKC bombing, and the fabulous Fred Jones Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. It is one of the best museums we've ever seen.

In the panhandle of Texas, near Amarillo, is Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the USA (next to the Grand Canyon). It is spectacular.

Albuquerque in New Mexico has a number of wonderful attractions. West of Albuquerque in Albuquerque, is the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. Sunset Crater National Monument, near Flagstaff is worth seeing. Stop in Winslow Arizona, just off I40, go downtown and stand on the corner (remember the Eagles song "Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona"). Meteor Crater in Arizona is also worth a visit and is located near I40. The south rim of the Grand Canyon is also a day trip from I40 as you pass through Arizona.

We love the desert landscape and exploring the many sites located along the I40 corridor.

With respect to the Natchez Trace, we haven't been but look forward to going. We live near the Blue Ridge Parkway and never tire of it.

[Ally]

Driving through the Natchez Trace was peaceful and beautiful. We saw lots of deer along the road.


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