Trails: Short and Long, Ancient and New

Scroll down to view a full list of trails on the Parkway.

 

Trails to Suit Everyone

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  Our Sister Park

  Hike the Natchez Trace Scenic Trail

  Interested in hiking? Find out more about opportunities along the Parkway to jump off onto the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail.

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  Old Trace Trails

  Sections of the Old Natchez Trace

  Much of the Old Trace has been assimilated into the modern landscape but there are still sections you can visit and walk on.

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  Where Do You Want to Walk?

  Trails Sorted by State and Locations

  If you don't want to drive a long distance, choose a trail that is near you.

 

Trail	Milepost	Distance	Description	Site Information
Elizabeth Female Academy	5.1	450 ft	Paved trail to the academy remains	Elizabeth Female Academy, Milepost 5.1 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Emerald Mound Walk	10.3	400 ft	Uphill walk leading to Emerald Mound’s eight-acre plateau with nice views of the countryside	Emerald Mound, Milepost 10.3 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Mount Locust Trail	15.6	0.5 mi	Network of trails that lead to the historic house, grape arbor, cemeteries of past owners and enslaved workers, and a brick kiln. Paved (some rough) from contact station to a little past the house	Mount Locust Historic House, Milepost 15.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Bullen Creek	18.4	1100 ft	Walk with interpretive stops explaining the characteristics of a mature hardwood forest	Bullen Creek, Milepost 18.4 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Sunken Trace Trail	41.5	600 ft	Section of the Old Trace that is sunken due to thousands of travelers walking on the easily eroded loess soil	Sunken Trace, Milepost 41.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Grindstone Ford Trail	45.7	0.5 mi	Loop trail that takes you to the Old Trace and an old cemetery	Grindstone Ford and Old Trace, Milepost 45.7 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Dean's Stand	73.5	0.25 mi	Trail near the homestead of William Dean and his wife, Margaret, who settled near here in 1823	Dean Stand Site, Milepost 73.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Ridgeland Cowles Mead Cemetery Trail	88	600 ft	Walk to Cowles Mead Cemetery	Cowles Mead Cemetery, Milepost 88.1 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Brashear’s Stand Old Trace & Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trailhead	104.5	550 ft (Chisha Foka 10 mi)	Loop takes you to a portion of the sunken part of the Old Natchez Trace. A wheelchair accessible boardwalk takes you to the Mississippi Crafts Center and a view of the Old Trace. This lot is also parking and access to the Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail (For info on Chisha Foka Trail, please visit chishafoka - Natchez Trace Parkway (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)	Brashears Stand and Old Trace, Milepost 104.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Boyds Site Trail	106.9	150 ft	Trail to an American Indian mound site which was constructed during the late Woodland, early Mississippian period around 800 -1100 CE	Boyd Site, Milepost 106.9 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Cypress Swamp Walk	122	2000 ft	A stairway leads to a boardwalk and a trail with interpretive stops explaining a typical swamp	Cypress Swamp, Milepost 122 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Hurricane Creek	164.3	850 ft	Trail with a stream, different soil types, and forest	Hurricane Creek, Milepost 164.3 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Cole Creek	175.6	750 ft	Trail with interpretive stops that explain changes from swamp to mixed hardwood forest	Cole Creek, Milepost 175.6 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Jeff Busby Little Mountain Trail	193.1	1 mi	Trail to the top of Little Mountain, the highest point on the Parkway in Mississippi	Jeff Busby Overlook, Milepost 193.1 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Bynum Mounds	232.4	200 ft	Paved loop that includes interpretive displays and two American Indian mounds built during the Middle Woodland period, between 100 BCE and 100 CE	Bynum Mounds, Milepost 232.4 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Witch Dance	233.2	15 mi	The trailhead of a 15-mile hiking and horse trail in the Tombigbee National Forest	Witch Dance, Milepost 233.2 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Chickasaw Village Trail	261.8	1200 ft	Directly behind the exhibit shelter, enjoy a trail with interpretive stops that explain American Indian use of plants. This trail also connects to the Blackland Prairie section of the National Scenic Trail.	Chickasaw Village Site, Milepost 261.8 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Beech Springs Trail at the Visitor Center	266	0.5 mi	At the end of the Visitor Center sidewalk there is a paved trail with interpretive stops that identify plants of a hardwood forest. Wheelchair users may require some assistance on some slopes.	Beech Springs Nature Trail, Milepost 266 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Confederate Gravesites/Old Trace Trail	269.4	1400 ft (up and back)	Partially paved trail to an interpretive stop at the burial site of 13 unknown Confederate soldiers and a section of the Old Trace. Parkway road sign labeled "Old Trace."	Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites, Milepost 269.4 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Dogwood Valley	275.5	1600 ft	Trail with interpretive stops that explain the natural history and value of mature hardwood trees. Entrance to the trail is to the right of the wayside sign.	Dogwood Valley, Milepost 275.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Donivan Slough	283.3	1600 ft	Trail with interpretive stops that explain the habitat and the story of a slough	Donivan Slough, Milepost 283.3 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Tenn-Tom Trail	293.2	475 ft	Paved trail that leads to the waterway.	Tenn-Tom Waterway/Jamie L Whitten Bridge, Milepost 293.2 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Cave Spring Trail	308.4	250 ft	Short walk to the cave	Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Freedom Hills Overlook Trail	317	2200 ft (up and back)	Steep, paved trail to scenic overlook with excellent views	Freedom Hills Overlook, Milepost 317.0 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Buzzard Roost Trail	320.3	500 ft	Trail to a spring, the source of water for the Colbert house and travelers on the Old Trace	Buzzard Roost Springs, Milepost 320.3 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Colbert Ferry Trail	327.3	1200 ft	Trail to the site of the ferry stand, taking you along the Old Trace to the bluff overlook and back. Trail starts across the parking lot from the restrooms.	Colbert Ferry Stand Site, Milepost 327.3 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Rock Spring	330.2	2200 ft	Loop trail with stepping-stone stream crossing and interpretive stops about the succession from meadow to bottom land to hillside	Rock Spring, Milepost 330.2 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Holly Picnic Area Trail	346.2	1200 ft	ADA accessible trail with a picnic area	Holly Picnic Area, Milepost 346.2 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Sunken Trace Trail	350.2	1500 ft	Section of the Old Trace that is sunken due to thousands of travelers walking on the easily eroded soil	Sunken Trace, Milepost 350.5 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Sweetwater Branch	363	2500 ft (up and back)	Trail following a stream with interpretive stops that explain the struggle for survival in a poor habitat	Sweetwater Branch, Milepost 363.0 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Metal Ford Trail	382.8	890 ft	Old Trace crossing of the Buffalo River	Metal Ford, Milepost 382.8 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Meriwether Lewis Site Trails	385.9	varies	There are multiple trails at the Meriwether Lewis site. For details, please visit Exploring the Meriwether Lewis Site - Natchez Trace Parkway (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)	Exploring the Meriwether Lewis Site - Natchez Trace Parkway (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Phosphate Mine Trail	390.7	550 ft	Trail by a historic phosphate mine	Phosphate Mine, Milepost 390.7 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Fall Hollow Waterfall	391.9	1025 ft	Trail to a waterfall overlook at Falls Branch	Fall Hollow Waterfall, Milepost 391.9 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Old Trace Walk	403.7	2000 ft	Trail on a section of the Old Trace following a ridge 300 feet above the Duck River	Old Trace, Milepost 403.7 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Jackson Falls	404.7	900 ft	Paved trail that steeply descends to Jackson Falls. Go right from the restrooms.	Jackson Falls, Milepost 404.7 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Baker Bluff Trail	404.7	2100 ft	Hiking trail between the Jackson Falls area and Baker Bluff. Head left from Jackson Falls rest area.	Baker Bluff Overlook, Milepost 405.1 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Historic Gordon House Trail	410	0.64 mi	Trail past the historic Gordon House, then a somewhat difficult crossing of the shallow Fattybread Branch stream. Continue on the Old Trace to find the Duck River. (Do not cross if Fattybread is deep or swift)	Gordon House Historic Site, Milepost 407.7 (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

*Note: This table does not include National Scenic Trail sections. For information on the Scenic Trail, please visit Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)