# Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway

> From Nashville to the Mississippi: around 900 kilometres without a traffic light, a truck or a billboard, with three free national park campgrounds in the…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-297-natchez-trace/

**At a glance:** 6-day road trip of about 867 km (538 mi) with 14 stops, from Nashville to Natchez. About 9 h 37 min of driving in total. Best time to go: April–May and October. No toll roads expected for a car. From Nashville to the Mississippi: around 900 kilometres without a traffic light, a truck or a billboard, with three free national park campgrounds in the woods.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 867 km (538 mi) |
| Driving | 9 h 37 min |
| Suggested days | 6 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Nashville → Natchez |
| States | TN, AL, MS |
| Best time to go | April–May and October |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected |
| Updated | September 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-297-natchez-trace.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From Nashville to the Mississippi: around 900 kilometres without a traffic light, a truck or a billboard, with three free national park campgrounds in the woods.*

## The spirit of the route

On the Natchez Trace Parkway, time runs slower. 50 mph, no trucks, no petrol stations, no advertising – just a narrow ribbon of asphalt winding 444 miles through broadleaf forest, pasture and swamp. The green mileposts count down to Natchez, and every other one has a story waiting: Chickasaw and Choctaw land, burial mounds older than any cathedral, sunken paths that traders and post riders wore into the loess two hundred years ago. In the morning mist hangs over the meadows, white-tailed deer raise their heads at the edge of the woods, and the smell of damp leaves drifts in through the open sliding door. At midday music history booms in Muscle Shoals and Tupelo; in the evening the fire crackles on a free campground without hook-ups. Further south, Spanish moss hangs from the oaks and cypresses stand in black water. If you rush this road, you haven’t understood it.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Nashville to Meriwether Lewis (MP 385.9) (approx. 135 km)

- **The drive:** From Nashville take I-65 or US-31 to Franklin, then head west on TN-96 through hilly horse country. Important for 2026: between milepost (MP) 437 and 440 the Parkway has been closed since 15 April 2026 for work on the Double Arch Bridge (permanent pedestrian safety railing, repainting), expected to last until May 2027; from the Northern Terminus at Highway 100 the section can only be driven as a dead-end spur as far as the Big Tree Overlook (MP 440). So approach via TN-96 and join the Parkway at MP 437. Then head south: long sweeping curves over the ridges of the Highland Rim, hardwood forest, open valleys, hardly any gradients, a speed limit of 50 mph (40 mph north of Leiper’s Fork). Around 2.5 hours of pure driving time, a whole day with the stops.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Double Arch Bridge (MP 438): completed in 1993 and opened in March 1994, the concrete arch bridge spans Birdsong Hollow and TN-96. Because the Parkway section including the overlook is closed in 2026, you see it best from below as you drive along TN-96 under its two arches – only stop where a shoulder lets you do so safely.
  - Leiper’s Fork (TN-46 exit, MP 428): a small village of wooden houses, galleries and antique shops a little off the Parkway; just beyond, at Garrison Creek (MP 427.6), there are toilets, picnic tables and a car park that is also designed for horse trailers.
  - Jackson Falls (MP 404.7) and Baker Bluff Overlook (MP 405.1): a short, steep path down to a waterfall over limestone steps, followed by the view over farmland in the Duck River Valley. In dry late summers there is hardly any water. Fall Hollow (MP 391.9) is a second short waterfall stop shortly before the day’s destination.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Meriwether Lewis Campground (NPS, MP 385.9): according to the NPS 32 sites, free, first come, first served only, toilets and drinking water, no electricity, no showers, no dump station; all pads are paved. Maximum stay 14 days per campground per calendar year. Next to it are the grave and monument of Meriwether Lewis, who died here at Grinder’s Stand in 1809, and a stretch of the Old Trace. With electricity and showers: David Crockett State Park near Lawrenceburg (detour from MP 369.9), booking via Tennessee State Parks.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along the entire Parkway, overnight stays are only allowed on the designated campgrounds; dispersed camping and boondocking in car parks and at overlooks are prohibited. The free Meriwether Lewis Campground is the legal “back-to-nature option”; in March/April and October/November arrive before early afternoon, as it is often full by then.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In Franklin, fill up with fuel, top up the fresh water and empty your tanks – there is no petrol station and no dump station on the Parkway; Hohenwald, around ten kilometres west of the campground (TN-20), is the nearest place for supplies. For your arrival night in Nashville, the Corps of Engineers campgrounds on J. Percy Priest Lake (such as Seven Points) offer electricity and water; book early via Recreation.gov. Don’t confuse it: “Natchez Trace State Park” is near Lexington, a good 100 km to the west, not on the Parkway.

### Stage 2: Meriwether Lewis to Tishomingo State Park (MP 304.5) (approx. 200 km)

- **The drive:** The Parkway crosses the Buffalo River lowlands, climbs back onto the ridge of the Highland Rim and leaves Tennessee at MP 341.8. In the short Alabama section the John Coffee Memorial Bridge carries it over the dammed Tennessee River, and at MP 308 Mississippi takes over. For Muscle Shoals, leave the Parkway at US-72 and drive around 30 km east; return the same way. Parkway driving time about 2 hours, 3.5–4 hours with the detour. The pull-offs at MP 375.8 (Old Trace Drive) are closed to RVs.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Colbert Ferry (MP 327.3): from around 1800 the Chickasaw George Colbert ran a ferry and a stand across the Tennessee River here. Picnic area and riverside path with a view of the bridge; the neighbouring campground is for cyclists only.
  - Muscle Shoals and Sheffield: FAME Studios and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (3614 Jackson Highway, Sheffield), where Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones and many soul greats recorded. Tours only at set times, check online beforehand; both buildings have small car parks, so park large vehicles at the roadside where permitted. Not far away, the TVA’s Wilson Dam impounds the Tennessee River between Muscle Shoals and Florence.
  - Bear Creek Mound (MP 308.8): a low platform mound from a settlement that stood on Bear Creek around a thousand years ago – a five-minute walk, hardly any visitors.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Tishomingo State Park (Mississippi State Parks, access at MP 304.5): laid out by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, according to the NPS list 62 sites with electricity and water, dump station and showers, some newer sites with sewer hook-ups. Reservations via the Mississippi State Parks booking system; check the length limit for each site when booking. Alternative on the Alabama side: Joe Wheeler State Park near Rogersville (east of Florence) with a large campground on Wheeler Lake.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On developed Tennessee Valley Authority land along the reservoirs, camping is only allowed at designated sites; on undeveloped TVA land, according to the TVA, camping is allowed for up to 14 consecutive days within 30 days unless signs say otherwise; an RV may not be left unattended there overnight. Access roads are often unpaved and unsuitable for large RVs. On the Parkway itself the rule still applies: no free camping.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up and shop in Florence or Muscle Shoals; between Hohenwald and Iuka there is nothing on the Parkway. In Tishomingo State Park, the Swinging Bridge over Bear Creek and the sandstone blocks on the Outcroppings Trail are worth it; canoe trips on Bear Creek are offered seasonally. If you want to reach Mississippi’s highest point: Woodall Mountain near Iuka is around 25 km away.

### Stage 3: Tishomingo State Park to Jeff Busby (MP 193.1) (approx. 195 km)

- **The drive:** Beyond Tishomingo the land flattens out: pastures, pine plantations, gentle hilltops. At Tupelo the Parkway passes close to the city, with heavy traffic at the junctions. South of Tupelo it crosses the Tombigbee National Forest and old Choctaw territory. Pure driving time about 2.5 hours plus the detour to the Elvis Presley Birthplace (around 15 km there and back through town). The Twenty-mile Bottom Overlook (MP 278.4) is closed to RVs.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Pharr Mounds (MP 286.7): eight low burial mounds from the Middle Woodland period around 2,000 years ago on a wide meadow, best in the low morning light.
  - Parkway Visitor Center (MP 266) near Tupelo: the Parkway’s main information point, with an exhibition, film, maps and the latest roadworks status; check opening hours on nps.gov/natr. Large car park, also for RVs.
  - Elvis Presley Birthplace in Tupelo: the two-room wooden house that Vernon Presley built and in which Elvis was born on 8 January 1935, plus a museum and the church of his childhood, which was moved onto the site. Check admission and opening hours beforehand; parking is limited, and it is quieter in the morning.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Jeff Busby Campground (NPS, MP 193.1): according to the NPS 18 sites, free, first come, first served, toilets and drinking water, no electricity, no dump station. Named after Congressman Thomas Jefferson Busby, who initiated the construction of the Parkway in Congress in the 1930s. Fallback with electricity, water, dump station and showers: Davis Lake Campground in the Tombigbee National Forest (turn-off at MP 243.1), according to the NPS 24 sites; check the season and booking with the Forest Service.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Tombigbee National Forest, dispersed camping outside developed recreation areas is generally welcome according to the National Forests in Mississippi, unless signs say otherwise; restrictions may apply during hunting season and in wildlife management areas. Ask the local ranger district about rules and passable forest roads. Approach from the Parkway only via public crossroads, not via pull-offs.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Get everything done in Tupelo: fuel, propane, supermarket, laundry – until Kosciusko there is little along the Parkway. In the evening, drive or walk up the short road from the campground to the Little Mountain Overlook: around 600 ft (a good 180 m) above sea level, one of the highest viewpoints on the Parkway in Mississippi, with a wide view over forest to the horizon.

### Stage 4: Jeff Busby to Ridgeland / Ross Barnett Reservoir (MP 102) (approx. 165 km)

- **The drive:** First a quiet drive through forest and pasture to French Camp, then Kosciusko. Important for 2026: between MP 159.5 (MS-19 near Kosciusko) and MP 135 (MS-16) the Parkway has been closed since 3 August 2026 for complete reconstruction, according to the NPS probably until the end of 2026; the signposted detour via MS-19, 35, 25 and 16 takes about 11 minutes longer and is unsuitable for cyclists. From MP 135 back on the Parkway through swamp forest along the Pearl River to the reservoir; in Ridgeland the limit is 40 mph. Pure driving time around 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - French Camp (MP 180.7): around 1812 the French Canadian Louis LeFleur opened a stand on the Trace here. The small historic district has 19th-century wooden houses, including the Drane House; in autumn sorghum syrup is pressed on some days. Use the car park at the Parkway turn-off.
  - Cypress Swamp (MP 122): a loop of around 20 minutes on boardwalks through a silted-up riverbed with bald cypresses and water tupelos; alligators are possible, keep your distance. Insect repellent in summer.
  - Reservoir Overlook (MP 105.6): the Parkway runs along an embankment beside the Ross Barnett Reservoir, with a view west over the water in the evening.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Timberlake Campground on the Ross Barnett Reservoir (Ridgeland, near MP 102): run by the regional reservoir authority, according to the NPS list 108 sites with electricity, water, sewer and showers. Check reservations and length limits directly with the operator. Alternative within Jackson city limits: LeFleur’s Bluff State Park with a small campground on Mayes Lake; check facilities via Mississippi State Parks.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** There are no legal free-camping options around Jackson and Ridgeland; the lakeshore car parks at the reservoir are not intended for campers at night. Supermarket car parks only with the express permission of the store management.
- **Insider tip for campers:** According to the NPS, the Parkway Information Cabin in Ridgeland (MP 102.4) is closed indefinitely; the car park stays open for the Chisha Foka cycle and footpath. Fill up in Kosciusko before the detour. The next day, a detour into downtown Jackson to the “Two Mississippi Museums” (Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History) is worthwhile; check the parking situation for large vehicles beforehand.

### Stage 5: Ridgeland to Rocky Springs (MP 54.8) (approx. 90 km)

- **The drive:** The Parkway bypasses Jackson to the west via Clinton – heavy city traffic at the interchanges, then rural again through loess hills, mixed forest and pasture. A short stage, pure driving time around 1.5 hours, leaving time for the museum in Jackson in the morning. Under several bridges south of Jackson the clearance is tight: MP 120.8 (Rocks Road) 14’1”, MP 118.9 14’7”, MP 66.6 (MS-27) 14’8”.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Battle of Raymond (detour from MP 78.3): site of an engagement in the 1863 Vicksburg Campaign, with a short loop trail and information panels on the edge of Raymond.
  - Dean Stand (MP 73.5): site of one of the former inns (“stands”) on the Trace where travellers stayed overnight in the early 19th century.
  - Rocky Springs Town Site (MP 54.8): once a thriving settlement, abandoned after the Civil War, yellow fever, the boll weevil and soil erosion. What remains are the brick church of 1837, a cemetery, old safes in the woods and a stretch of the Old Trace – a short walk from the campground.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Rocky Springs Campground (NPS, MP 54.8): according to the NPS 22 sites, free, first come, first served, toilets, no electricity, no dump station. Note, as of October 2026: according to the NPS, the water at the toilet building is not drinkable – bring drinking water for the night. With full facilities: Grand Gulf Military Park near Port Gibson (MP 37.5), according to the NPS 42 sites with electricity, water, sewer, showers and laundry.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** No free-camping option on the Parkway. Rocky Springs is free and secluded; in spring and autumn be there by early afternoon. Generators are only allowed at the signposted times; don’t bring firewood from other states (spread of pests).
- **Insider tip for campers:** In Clinton or Ridgeland fill up with fuel and stock up on 20–40 litres of drinking water in jerrycans, because Rocky Springs currently only has non-potable water. Ticks, chiggers and fire ants are common in the meadow next to the sites – socks over your trousers, check your body in the evening.

### Stage 6: Rocky Springs to Natchez (MP 0) (approx. 120 km)

- **The drive:** The last section runs through deeply incised loess country, Spanish moss hangs from the oaks, and the road stays gently curving. At Port Gibson, make a detour into town and to the Windsor Ruins (around 15 km west on MS-552). RVs may not enter at MP 45 (Mangum Mound, clearance 11’6”) or at MP 17 (Potkopinu Trailhead). Pure driving time about 2 hours, a whole day with the stops. The Parkway ends at Liberty Road in Natchez.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Sunken Trace (MP 41.5): here hooves, wagon wheels and rain have dug the old path several metres deep into the soft loess; a short trail leads through the green tunnel of roots and ferns.
  - Port Gibson (MP 39.2) and Windsor Ruins: Ulysses S. Grant is said to have found the small town “too beautiful to burn” in 1863; on the First Presbyterian Church a golden hand points to the sky. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History stabilised the 23 Corinthian columns of the Windsor mansion, which burned down in 1890, by 2024, adding a loop trail and new information panels.
  - Mount Locust (MP 15.5) and Emerald Mound (MP 10.3): Mount Locust is the only surviving one of the more than 50 stands that once lined the Trace; Emerald Mound, a ceremonial mound of the Mississippian culture covering around eight acres (a good three hectares) and dating from between 1200 and 1730, is according to the NPS the second largest of its kind in the USA. To reach Emerald Mound take Emerald Mound Road (MS-553); small, unmarked car park.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Natchez State Park (MP 8.1, Mississippi State Parks): according to the NPS list 50 sites with electricity, water, sewer, dump station and showers, on the lake north of town; reservations via Mississippi State Parks. Natchez itself is only touched on here – if you want to continue along the Mississippi, you’ll find the town in the Great River Road guide.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Natchez, overnight stays in an RV on the streets and on the riverfront are not permitted. For free camping near town, the only option is the Homochitto National Forest southeast of town under Forest Service rules; details in the Great River Road guide.
- **Insider tip for campers:** If Mount Locust is closed, there is no turnaround loop there according to the NPS – so don’t turn in with a long vehicle. In Natchez, the Melrose estate of Natchez National Historical Park is worth a short visit; afterwards empty your tanks and fill up with fresh water in Natchez State Park before you move on or return the rental RV.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Natchez Trace Parkway: camping is only allowed on the three NPS campgrounds (Meriwether Lewis, Jeff Busby, Rocky Springs) and on the bicycle-only campgrounds for touring cyclists; dispersed camping and boondocking on pull-offs, car parks and overlooks are prohibited and checked by park rangers. Maximum stay on the NPS campgrounds is 14 days per campground per calendar year.
- The NPS campgrounds cost nothing, cannot be reserved and, according to the NPS, fill up quickly in March/April and October/November. At peak times arrive by early afternoon; as a fallback, keep a state park with a reservation along the route in mind.
- Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi have no statewide ban on sleeping in your vehicle; however, cities and counties regulate overnight parking themselves, and on private car parks you need the owner’s permission. At interstate rest areas a short rest is tolerated, camping (chairs, awning, grill) is not.
- National forests (Tombigbee, Homochitto): under Forest Service rules, dispersed camping outside developed recreation areas is generally possible, usually for up to 14 days; during hunting season wear blaze orange and observe signs. TVA land in Alabama: on developed land camping only at designated sites, on undeveloped land, according to the TVA, up to 14 days within 30 days unless signs say otherwise.
- Wildlife and nature: white-tailed deer cross the Parkway especially at dusk and dawn, as do wild turkeys; alligators in the south (Cypress Swamp), venomous snakes such as copperheads and cottonmouths near streams. Pets outside the vehicle on a leash only. Do not walk on archaeological sites (mounds) where this is prohibited, and take nothing away.
- Apps and sources: iOverlander, Campendium and The Dyrt for user reports; nps.gov/natr with the “Road and Site Status” page for closures (as of 7 October 2026), Recreation.gov for Corps of Engineers and Forest Service campgrounds, and the booking systems of Tennessee State Parks, Alabama State Parks and Mississippi State Parks for the state campgrounds.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- On the Parkway itself there are no petrol stations, no dump stations and no shops. Always get supplies in the towns at the junctions: Franklin, Hohenwald, Florence/Muscle Shoals, Iuka, Tupelo, Kosciusko, Ridgeland/Clinton, Port Gibson, Natchez.
- Dump stations: in the state parks (Tishomingo, Natchez State Park, David Crockett, Joe Wheeler) and at campgrounds such as Davis Lake, Grand Gulf Military Park and Timberlake; for non-guests often for a fee or not at all – ask first. Never drain grey water on the NPS campgrounds.
- Drinking water: according to the NPS, Meriwether Lewis and Jeff Busby have drinking water, Rocky Springs currently does not (as of October 2026). Carry a drinking-water-safe fresh water hose and a reserve of 20–40 litres in jerrycans.
- Propane: refills at U-Haul, farm supply chains such as Tractor Supply, DIY stores and some petrol stations in Tupelo, Florence and Jackson. European bottles don’t fit; rental RVs have built-in US tanks.
- Electricity: there are no hook-ups on the NPS campgrounds, and generators are only allowed at the signposted times. In summer the leisure battery is not enough to run the air conditioning – plan state park sites with 30/50 A for heatwaves.
- Rubbish: use the bins on the NPS campgrounds and store food in the vehicle at night (raccoons). Buy firewood locally; transporting it from other states is partly prohibited because of introduced pests.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Parkway: speed limit 50 mph (80 km/h), 40 mph (64 km/h) north of Leiper’s Fork and in Ridgeland; commercial traffic is prohibited, RVs and trailer combinations are allowed. Maximum overall length according to the NPS 55 ft (16.8 m) including the towing vehicle, height 14 ft (4.27 m). Bridges under 15 ft: MP 66.6 (14’8”), 118.9 (14’7”), 120.8 (14’1”), 416.3 (14’10”), 419.1 (14’7”).
- Pull-offs closed to RVs according to the NPS: MP 17 (Potkopinu), 45 (Mangum Mound), 278.4 (Twenty-mile Bottom Overlook), 375.8 and 401.4 (Old Trace Drive), 394 (Devil’s Backbone). Do not drive into sections of the Old Trace Drive, as turning around there is hardly possible.
- Closures in 2026 (nps.gov/natr, as of 7 October 2026): MP 437–440 in Tennessee for work on the Double Arch Bridge from April 2026 until probably May 2027, detour via Highway 96 and 100; MP 159.5–135 in Mississippi for roadworks since 3 August 2026 until probably the end of 2026, detour via MS-19, 35, 25 and 16. The rehabilitation of a total of 83 miles runs in three phases until mid-2027 – check the status page before every stage.
- Cyclists: the Parkway is a popular cycling route, lanes are only 11 ft wide, with hardly any shoulders; signs allow cyclists to use the full lane. Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi require at least 3 feet (approx. 1 m) of clearance when overtaking – with a wide RV, only overtake when the oncoming lane is clear.
- Off the Parkway: interstates in all three states up to 70 mph, country roads mostly 55–65 mph. No tolls, no low-emission zones. Tennessee and Alabama prohibit holding a phone while driving, Mississippi prohibits typing and reading messages. Open containers of alcohol in the passenger compartment are off-limits; in Mississippi there are still counties and municipalities with restricted alcohol sales.
- Fees: the Parkway itself charges no admission. For other fee-charging NPS units, surcharges may apply to visitors without US residency since 2026 – check current amounts on nps.gov. The Elvis Presley Birthplace and the studios in Muscle Shoals are private or foundation-run facilities with their own prices.
- Season: most beautiful in April (dogwood and redbud blossom) and October/November (autumn colours), but then the campgrounds are full. Summer is hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms; tornado risk mainly in spring, and in late summer and autumn the remnants of tropical storms. The entire route is in the Central Time Zone.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Water containers (2 × 20 l) – Rocky Springs currently has no drinking water, and none of the NPS campgrounds has a dump station.
- A printed milepost map of the Parkway (Parkway Visitor Center or nps.gov/natr) – all stops are signposted by milepost, and mobile coverage in the forest is patchy.
- Tick and mite protection with permethrin for clothing plus repellent – the meadows at mounds and campgrounds are full of ticks and chiggers from spring to autumn.
- A good torch or head torch – the NPS campgrounds are unlit at night, and the paths to the toilets cross grass.
- Levelling ramps – the paved pads on the NPS campgrounds are sometimes slightly sloping.
- Binoculars for deer, wild turkeys, herons and alligators in the Cypress Swamp and at the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

_As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [National Park Service – Natchez Trace Parkway: Road and Site Status](https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/road-and-site-status.htm)
- [National Park Service – Natchez Trace Parkway: Camping](https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/camping.htm)
- [National Park Service – Campgrounds On or Adjacent to the Parkway](https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/campgrounds-on-or-adjacent-to-the-parkway.htm)
- [National Park Service – RVing the Natchez Trace Parkway](https://home.nps.gov/thingstodo/rving-the-natchez-trace-parkway.htm)
- [National Park Service – Emerald Mound](https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/emeraldmound.htm)
- [National Park Service – Milepost 0 to 131 (Accessibility)](https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/mobility-0-to-131.htm)
- [National Parks Traveler – Bridge On Natchez Trace Parkway Will Close For New Pedestrian Safety Barrier](https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/node/28465)
- [Mississippi Department of Archives and History – MDAH Completes Windsor Ruins Stabilization Project](https://www.mdah.ms.gov/news/mdah-completes-windsor-ruins-stabilization-project)
- [USDA Forest Service – National Forests in Mississippi: Camping & Cabins](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/mississippi/recreation/camping-cabins)
- [Tennessee Valley Authority – Rules for Use of TVA Public Lands](https://tva.com/Environment/Environmental-Stewardship/Land-Management/Rules-for-Use-of-TVA-Public-Lands)
- [Wikipedia – Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace_Parkway_Bridge)
- [Wikipedia – Natchez Trace Parkway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace_Parkway)

## Which stops are on the route from Nashville to Natchez?

1. **Nashville** (TN)
2. **Double Arch Bridge** (TN)
3. **Leiper’s Fork** (TN)
4. **Meriwether Lewis Site** (TN)
5. **Colbert Ferry** (AL)
6. **Muscle Shoals** (AL)
7. **Tishomingo State Park** (Tishomingo, MS): Rock outcrops and ferny canyons in the Appalachian foothills, with a swinging bridge over Bear Creek and CCC stone buildings. It lies right on the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 304.
8. **Tupelo** (MS)
9. **Jeff Busby** (MS)
10. **French Camp** (MS)
11. **Ridgeland** (MS)
12. **Rocky Springs** (MS)
13. **Port Gibson** (MS)
14. **Natchez** (MS)

## When is the best time for the route from Nashville to Natchez?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, June, September and November. Hot in July–August. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway?**
6-day road trip of about 867 km (538 mi) with 14 stops, from Nashville to Natchez. About 9 h 37 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway?**
We suggest 6 days: about 9 h 37 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway start and end?**
It starts in Nashville and ends in Natchez.

**Which states does Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway pass through?**
Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.

**Where can you camp along Moss, mounds and mileposts – by camper along the Natchez Trace Parkway?**
OpenStreetMap lists 64 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Tishamingo State Park Campground, Four Corners RV Resort and Alloys Park.