Natchez Trace Parkway

[TxGearhead]

I'm trying to force myself to start taking more time in our trips. I'm tired, literally, of day after day of 6 hour plus freeway driving. I'm considering using the Natchez Trace to help me avoid that. We're leaving the Houston area for Richmond VA in early April. We've made this trip several times using I-10 and I-85.
What are y'alls thoughts on driving the entire parkway...Natchez to Nashville? I have old family connections in the Coles Creek area just out of Natchez and might spend a little time there at some of the pullovers. Otherwise just cruise and stop whenever something looks interesting. 444 miles at 50mph will take awhile. I'm thinking 2, probably 3 days. Either the RV parks on the parkway or nearby commercial.
What's y'alls thoughts? Will it be total boredom and getting itchy to put the hammer down, or is there something of interest every few miles. I am a history nut.

[TxGearhead]

^^Good info. Thanks.

[agesilaus]

The book, cheaper from Amazon too

[Matt_Colie]

I would suggest that if you do not have three days, you stay on the blue roads. If you are starting from the south, hit the visitor near the southern terminus for the book. I do not recall what it cost, but you want it. (You actually want it before you start, but that could be tough to do.)

Well, I backed off this page for a moment to find it. It is 17$ (ISBN: 978-0-89732-925-5) I didn't have this book for our first run because we ran north to south and there was no place to buy it at the north end. Even having run the trace as much as I have, I still get this book out as soon as the topic comes up.

We have run the Trace 3 or 4 times (I really don't recall and I don't have the coach's log book right here and it is Cold between here and there), and it is always great. Of those runs, on one we were the lead of the coach caravan.

There is literally an historical marker every other mile. With the book inhand you can decide if you choose to stop. Some are big things like the Mount Locust stop is not to be missed. Others are just a plaque that you can read in the book.

Get the map at the visitor center (you can download and print it too) and look for the actual trace as you drive. If you are there in the spring or fall and the trees aren't full, you can see a lot more. Mid-season, I have been told it is like driving through a tunnel of trees, but we have never been there then.

What ever you decide, enjoy the journey.

Matt

[ken56]

Slowing down is a function of mindset. I understand that those who are still employed and time is limited the long haul nonstop rush to get to a destination may be a necessity. Those of us that are retired and have the luxury of owning our own time have to break that mindset of rush rush rush. Get off the interstates and look at taking seconday roads. You see so much more of the landscape and the small towns.

Don't make reservations. There is always a campground to pull into or if need be Walmart. Reservations are for your destination only if planning on staying for any amount of time. We have enjoyed the less stress of taking the back roads and seeing things you normally would not bother with getting off the interstate to go see. I have never had a problem taking secondary roads. Yes, it is more stop and go but I find it less stressful than dealing with the Nascar wannabee's.

[prichardson]

A bit off the Trace subject; but for your Louisiana portion of the trip you should consider using US190 to avoid the construction areas east of Lafayette and the east bound choke point at Baton Rouge.

[pigman1]

We've run the Trace and it's a great run. We've run it in a 43' diesel pusher pulling a full size pickup and there are a few cautions. Although the Trace has a number of pull off's with various historical significance, you cannot get into AND OUT OF all of them with a big rig. All tight ones are marked, but the signs are carved wood, small and low on the grass. Watch CLOSELY for them. Another issue is overhanging branches. The Trace is only 2 lanes WITH ABSOLUTELY NO SHOULDERS. In some areas they do not keep tree branches cut back far enough and staying in your lane may get you a fair share of scratches and an occasional hard bump. Just be careful. Collect some travel guides and have the copilot keeping up with your travels. Makes for a much better experience. Finally, although the "rules" tell you you are not allowed to overnight at the many turnouts, we have done it repeatedly. We didn't put out awnings, BBQ's, lawn chairs and such but we saw numerous rangers pass us without a second look. It's a great run. ENJOY.

[TxGearhead]

I've done marathon pulls in the past. Non stop from Bristol TN to Houston. Houston to Walsenburg CO. Just got back last Sunday from a easy non stop from Tulsa. Driven up 287 a lot.
A bit of self psych analysis...if I have a "job" to do, I want to do it. In this case the job is to get to Richmond VA. I'm hoping the Trace Parkway will force me to slow it down. Maybe avoiding interstates will help.
Speaking of 287...one of my bucket items is to drive 287 from the south end to Glacier NP. If not this year, next.
Thanks for y'alls help with the self analysis.

[Airdaile]

The Trace is on the list of things to do. Follow their facebook page for updates on conditions.

We restrict our travel days to 4 hours planned (5 hours actual) and stay at each stop at least 2 days. We tend to avoid interstates and take the older US route system wherever we can. You'll find that if there's an interstate going to your destination, there's probably a US route as well. US98 instead of I-10 through the panhandle is a great example of the difference.

[dedmiston]

Moved from RV Parks, Campgrounds, and Attractions

[Johno02]

We have traveled the Trace end-to-end several times, and served as volunteers at the Mississippi end for a while. Nice easy drive, no rush, but 50 MPH and they do enforce it. Traffic is very light except around Jackson and Tupelo. Watch out for bicycles and deer. Natchez to Mid-tennessee is all day trip. Plan on two -three days to enjoy. If you can get reservations, Davis Lake is a nice campground with power and water.. About halfway.

[wanderingdawgs]

If you are tired of going the same way every time, and you have plenty of time to get there, go for it. We've never been on the Natchez Trace but it sounds like it would a lot of fun. We have often taken the long way to get somewhere just because there is something we want to see. We have discovered really interesting and fun things in out of the way places.

Several years ago we started following the three three three rule when we are traveling in the RV. We travel less than 300 miles a day (less than 200 is even better), stay at least 3 nights in each place, and try to stop by 3:00 pm. We usually go to our destination one way, and return a different way so we can see more of our beautiful country.

We find that when we travel slower and stop to see things along the way we enjoy the trip a lot more.

Wishing you safe travels and happy trails!

[agesilaus]

WE slowed down after I retired a few years ago, which gave us more time during the summer to travel. We had no problems slowing down and taking our time with the Blue Ridge, which I suspect is something like the Natchez Trace. But only you know yourself well enough to say how you will do.

We still do a moderate push when we are headed for the west each year to get us by the boring to us part of the trip. On I-10 things don't get interesting until San Antonio. And going up US 287 isn't all that interesting until you get closer to `Amarillo where there are some interesting state parks. We tend to do 400-450 mile days for the first two to three days of our trips. But we've been doing this since the mid-1980's when we did 600 mile days and once 1200 miles in 30 hours. And then there was the North Florida to Yosemite run in 4 days...heh the bad old days.

We took the north route for us a couple years ago and took our time by driving on Iowa secondary roads and we have done the same in Texas, finding a very nice city park in Mason TX. In Iowa we found the awful city park in Atlantic...heh. In Louisiana we found that I-10 isn't the only horrible road surface in the state all the secondary roads were bad to worse. So you never know what you'll find only that it will be interesting.

I would suggest that you add Mammoth Caves to your itinerary if you haven't been there. You can spend a couple of days there and there is a lot of history in those caves.

We tend to now days to do a base camp for a week and thoroughly explore the surrounding 100 miles or so. Then move the base camp and repeat. We call it exploring a state. Northern Utah and Idaho are on our list for this summer.

[ken1961]

We did the Trace with our 43 ft. motorhome towing a car. Many places to get off and camp. Follow the battlefields and history of the area. We ended up in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. before heading west to Cal.

[K_Charles]

If you have been on I10 and 85 before, that might be boring. We don't make reservations and quite often take the other way or old road and never find it boring.