Trails in the Northern Section of the Parkway

Named for a nearby 1801-02 U.S. Army post, Garrison Creek is a trailhead for horseback riders and hikers on the Highland Rim Trail of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. Plenty of horse trailer parking is available. This part of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is 20 miles in length. From the Garrison Creek trailhead you can hike or ride your horse south to Tennessee Highway 50, milepost 408, near the Gordon House.

The War of 1812 Memorial, milepost 426.3, honors the service and sacrifice of all brave volunteers who marched on the Natchez Trace during the War of 1812 especially those that are buried in unmarked graves up and down the Old Natchez Trace.

This is a trailhead for the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. This trailhead has parking for vehicles but not trailer parking and is not a staging area for horses. The site offers a hitching post and a picnic table to take a break if you would like.

The high ground at this site are part of a long ridge that divides central Tennessee. Streams south of the divide flow to the Duck and Tennessee Rivers, while streams to the north empty in the Cumberland River. This is also a trailhead for the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail.

The Fly Trailhead on Highway 7 provides a small parking area for one or two horse trailers. If space is available, this will be a great starting point for just a few people. If there are numerous people riding together, the Highway 50 trailhead may be a better option. There is no water available at this trailhead. One hitching post is available here.

This trailhead is a great place for hikers and horseback riders alike to start their journey on the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. There is ample parking for horse trailers, two hitching posts, and water available for horses. Visitors will need to get drinking water at the Gordon House, milepost 407.7.

The brick home of Captain John Gordon and his family, built in 1818, was one of the impressive homes in the area. It was a landmark for travelers of the Old Trace, letting them know that soon they would be in Nashville, TN, where simple human comforts could be found after weeks of walking on a well-traveled but rustic trail. The Gordon family called it home, but it was a business as well. A ferry provided a safe way for travelers and locals alike to cross the Duck River.

This is one of two waterfalls on the Natchez Trace Parkway. To see this waterfall continue roughly 900 feet down the paved path to the waterfall. The water from this waterfall feeds into the Duck River which will lead to the Tennessee River.

Preserved here is a 2,000 foot long section of the original Old Natchez Trace which follows a ridge 300 feet above the Duck River. A 10-15 minute walk will take you to the end of the trail and back and provide a change of pace from driving. As you walk the Old Natchez Trace imagine the ordeal of early 1800s travelers who had to make 20 to 30 miles a day on foot or horseback.

Before 1805 the Chickasaw owned all the land in this vicinity. When the Chickasaw ceded the land to the United States in the early 1800s the Natchez Trace became a boundary. In 1837 the Chickasaw were removed from their homeland. Chickasaw Removal is the most traumatic chapter in Chickasaw history. As a result of Congress’ Indian Removal Act, the Chickasaw people were forced to remove to Indian Territory.