Natchez Trace Parkway part 1, Natchez to Tupelo, 1-6 May

The Natchez State Park is only a couple of miles off the parkway with both a beautiful lake and a possibly dangerous forest? 

fishing pier on the lake

hunters may be more dangerous than wildlife??

If you've never been on the NTP, you've got to at least try a section somewhere between Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN.  The scenery is gorgeous, green and lush with elegant deciduous and coniferous trees, and you rarely see more than 1/2 mile in any direction at any time...the dense tree coverage and winding road keeps you constantly scanning the road ahead.  The National Park Service has designated the Trace a National Parkway and an All American Highway...444 miles through 3 states and 10,000 years of history, is something not to be missed.  There are multitudes of stops...explanations of history with short walks or points of interest to keep you engaged.  Commercial traffic is not allowed, the maximum speed limit is 50mph and bicycle riding is encouraged.  Though bike riding is encouraged, summer riding is discouraged due to the heat and humidity and you've got to plan your rides well if you don't have a sag wagon with you, as water and sleep stops are limited.

entrance to the Trace

the Trace

Emerald Mound--a ceremonial burial ground of ancient Indians

the Trace

We left the campground at the southern end of the Trace, near Natchez, and headed north, driving the 1st 15 miles before stopping at a visitor center, parking the van and heading out on a 30 mile round trip bike ride.  We were alone most of the time, with only a handful of cars passing in either direction.  Shortly after we returned to the van and loaded up, it began to rain...and it rained for 3 days...plus it got cold and windy.  We thought this was spring?

just one of many overpasses of the Trace

the old Trace where the trail is 'sunken' due to use and erosion

in the rain, after our ride

Instead of dry camping along the Trace, we opted to drive to a private campground on the shores of Ross Barnett Reservoir on the north side of Jackson, MS to have full hookups, a laundry, hot showers and access to amenities.  We hunkered down for 2 days (2nd and 3rd May), one day to shop and do laundry and the 2nd just to wait out the rain and 40 degree temperatures.  Fri night got down to 37, a record low for Jackson for early May! 

our campground on the east side of the reservoir

We left Jackson on a sunny Sat am, with temps in the 40s.  Back on the Trace, the road skirts roughly 20 miles of the Ross Barnett Reservoir shoreline (which, by the way, holds twice a year cullings of alligators--true story) and continued north to another visitor center on the outskirts of Kosciusko, the birthplace of Oprah Winfrey (who'd of known...it is not well publicized) but it is a charming small country Mississippi town.  Apparently Oprah grew up here, but there is not much here to show her roots, maybe she's trying to forget her childhood?  Further up the Trace, we stopped at the Jeff Busby NPS campground and drove up the short off-road (maybe a mile) up to one of Mississippi's highest points, a whopping 603 feet above sea level.  We drove through the campground and found Robert, a true Mississippi Redneck!  His rig has everything one would need...check it out!  By late afternoon, the cloud cover and rains returned and instead of looking for a stopping place to bike, we sought a campground for the eve just 20 miles south of Tupelo. 

Ross Barnett Reservoir

cyclists on the Trace

America's White Table at the Kosciusko Museum

about the table

here's to our troops...

welcome

courthouse of Kosciusko, the county seat

views from 603 feet above sea level

Robert's rig...

need anything?

Robert, the Mississippi Redneck

Sunday we awoke to a steady rain, and again continued up the Trace to Tupelo.  We visited the museum on the Trace and chose to spend the night, not wanting to miss the birthplace of Elvis (this is almost like Hollywood's Walk of Fame).  We've been on the road about 2.5 weeks, have driven a bit over 1,800 miles and biked roughly 170 miles.  Tupelo is 1/2 way along the Trace, we're heading towards Nashville.