Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail

This is a guide to help identify what wildflowers might be blooming when in what parts of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The Blackland Prairie section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is a popular 6 mile hiking trail in and around Tupelo, Mississippi.

The Highland Rim section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is a popular twenty mile hiking and equestrian corridor south of Nashville Tennessee along the Natchez Trace Parkway from Milepost 427.4 to 407.9.

Potkopinu (Pot-cop-i-new), the southernmost section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, is only three miles long, but it is the longest stretch of "sunken" historic Trace remaining. Named for the Natchez word meaning "little valley." Thus trail cuts deep into the rich, fine-grained soil. It doesn't take much to erode this type of soil, and centuries of human and animal traffic have done an impressive job. This trail has some embankments over twenty feet high!

The Rocky Springs Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is a six mile section located near Port Gibson, Mississippi. This trail crosses gently rolling forested land. At Rocky Springs, a side trail leads to the remains of the old town, including a church and cemetery. South of Rocky Springs the trail is moderately strenuous in places--up and down through deep ravines. Near the south terminus at Owens Creek is a good spot to sit quietly and listen to the forest.

North of Jackson, Mississippi the Yockanookany section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is the longest of the five developed trail sections at 26 miles. Eight miles run alongside the Ross R. Barnett Reservoir, and the other sixteen miles go through dense forests, seasonal streams and open pastureland.

The Natchez Trace Parkway manages three campgrounds along the Parkway. Those campgrounds are Meriwether Lewis at Milepost 385.9, Jeff Busby at Milepost 193.1 and Rocky Springs at Milepost 54. The campgrounds are free, primitive, and available on a first come, first serve basis. The maximum stay at our campgrounds is 14 days combined throughout the year. All camping must take place within designated campgrounds. The Natchez Trace Parkway does not allow dispersed camping.

The Natchez Trace Parkway has trails from 200 feet to 27 miles long. There are many short nature trails, and the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (www.nps.gov/natt) is totally contained within the Parkway boundaries.