Natchez Trace PKWY - doable?

Just a quick Natchez Trace Parkway story. In 2003 as we left Nashville TN to drive down the parkway the first time it started to snow! (This was February). It actually snowed 12 inches in a few hours. It took us 4 hours to drive from Music Valley to the Parkway covering a total of 37 miles. We stopped at Bird Song Hollow pullout just before the Double Arch Bridge at 2 PM and decided to wait out the storm.

As we got comfortable a ranger stopped by to tell us they were closing the road. He agreed that we were probably safer sitting tight than trying to move on and told Tupelo we were staying put. We had a wonderful day of snow play and reading and in the morning the ranger came by to see how we were. We decided to move on south, slowly, and plan on meeting him at the southern gate, about 10 miles further on, where he would open it to let us through. It took us over an hour to cover those 10 miles! The snow was pristine with the only disturbance being the tracks the ranger had left. In Tupelo at the headquarters/visitor center we agreed that the young ranger in training could have all the snow he wanted off our tow'd. He had never seen it before.

The rest of our trip on the Parkway was a bit less eventful but we have repeated the drive several times now.

One of the best trips of my life in a motorhome. We drove from Natchez to Nashville in November 2010. Very relaxing and a lot of straight road ways on the southern end. The road gets rough around Jackson, MS and Tupelo. Even though it's against the law to drive commercial vehicles on it, the locals don't pay any attention and have ruined/rutted the road through these towns. Other than the traffic picking up through these towns, its not that bad. Plan on a very relaxing time. No white knuckle driving. :) If you end up driving into Natchez, I highly recommend eating at the King's Tavern.

We took our antique A down the whole trace several times.
Advice:
-Download and print the maps before you even get close.
-If you can find it, buy the book(ISBN 978-0-89732-925-5).*
-Do it at least once in the early spring. When the trees fill out you will be driving though a tunnel and it will be difficult to see the Trace along side the road way.
-Relax, you have 444 miles with no cross traffic at all.

* Visitor centers at MM 385.9 Meriwether Lewis, 266 Visitor center, 102.4 Parkway Information Cabin, 15.5 Mount Locus.
When you find them, get their printed maps to carry and three others to give to friends. Three is enough because there will be new prints before you give out more than that. (They can also download and print their own.)

Nashville to Tupelo is only about 180 miles. There is a lot more to see/do.

There are multiple free/cheap and more than a few $$ other campgrounds, but you have to learn what you need.

Matt

A BIG Thank-you to all who responded to our post. So encouraging and positive responses. Planning to travel the 400+ miles.

Again, Thank-you
2Camerica

Very doable trip for your rig. No shoulder in many spots, and bikes have the right of way and seem to abuse that some. Other then that it is a very low blood pressure drive. DW loved it, I did for the first 150 miles, then I just wanted to make miles.

And of course you can stop in Tupelo, MS and see the Elvis birthplace home and museum. If you are near Tupelo TODAY there is a Bar-B Que contest and music fest going on. Tupelo, MS
There are various activities all along the Trace during the year and with a little searching you can find out what is going on when you are there.

Did the trace in a 36ft towing, no problems. When you get to Natchez cross the river and as soon as you come off the bridge take a left and go down to River View RV park. Its in Vidalia LA and nice. There is a lot of civil war history there and worth a couple days exploring. Learning the history of the trace is very interesting and be sure to stop at the station where Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame is buried, very interesting story. Stop along the way and take a road trip to Vicksburg battlefield. Sorry I could go on for a while above all take time to enjoy.

We've been on the Trace several times. It is faster than many other routes even if it is far slower.
There are a couple campgrounds on it that will accomocate a large RV, now, I understood, from a post or posts made last year.
Otherwise there are two near Tupleo. We stopped at many sites each trip. Get a brochures, fronm Natioan Park Service or online and info on campgrounds, off the Trace if you plan on linger long.
There is a great Lake for fishing on the Trace. Probably have to exit at Jackson Miss and back track to find a good launch site and campground.
One or two places you can park and fish from shore.
Watch the fire ants. After leaving the trace and going west check out Poverty Point State Park. Nice RV Parks.

We have been on it several times. We love to stop for a break at Metal Ford and Emerald Mound. Rocky Springs, near the southern end of the Trace offers a chance to see and feel the history of the Trace also dry camping in a lovely setting, if the boy scouts are not there. You might want to pick up Nevada Barr's "Deep South" and "Hunting Season" before you go. She writes murder mysteries using National Parks for her background and Anna Pigeon, Ranger for her detective. Excellent reads and you can follow the stories on the ground as she is very careful to represent the parks accurately. It made our first visit to Rocky Springs very meaningful and fun.

We have been on the Trace three times between Franklin,TN and Jackson, and really love it. Great relaxing drive. We like the northern end the best, as you get into the rolling hills of north Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee which allows you to see more scenery at the overlooks.
Have stayed at Jeff Busby campground twice, north of Tupelo.