Natchez Trace Parkway To Lawrenceburg: Enjoy the Journey and the Destination.
Is life about the journey or the destination? With Lawrenceburg, you get to enjoy both! The main route here is one of the most beautiful, peaceful roads in America, The Natchez Trace Parkway. “The Trace,” as locals call it, runs through the northwest corner of Lawrence County on a 444-mile journey from Nashville, Tennessee through Alabama and on to Natchez, Mississippi. The roadway dates back thousands of years and retains a timeless feel. It’s calm and scenic with little traffic and a cornucopia of great attractions and amenities and attractions.
The Natchez Trace Compact is a promotional organization that maintains a robust website that covers virtually every option and amenity to help you enjoy your time on The Trace. Visit the site here: https://www.scenictrace.com/.
The U.S. National Park Service manages the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. This National Park runs roughly parallel to the Natchez Trace Parkway and offers over 60 miles of hiking and horseback trails. See the NPS website page here: https://www.nps.gov/natt/index.htm.
THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS
The Trace is especially rich in cultural attractions and quality outdoor activities. You can explore Native American history or the rich musical heritage of our region. Ride a bike. Take a hike. Go fishing. Ride your horse. Camp out from simple tents to RV’s. Like to walk on old Civil War battlegrounds or watch modern-day reenactments? The Trace has a host of Civil War attractions. For trip ideas and more information, visit here: https://www.scenictrace.com/what-to-do/attractions-dining-more/.
BEAUTIFUL BICYCLING
Bike lovers, welcome to paradise. The Natchez Trace Parkway offers 444 miles of designated bicycle route through a gorgeous panorama of forests and farmland, creeks and lakes. Commercial traffic? Stop lights? You won’t find them on The Trace. Motorized traffic is light with maximum speed for cars at 50 mph. There are cycling-friendly restaurants and campgrounds with restrooms available every twenty-ish miles. Read about bicycle-friendly campgrounds here: https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/bicycle-only-campgrounds.htm.
CAMPING TO GLAMPING
There are over one dozen campgrounds along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Three primitive campgrounds inside the Park are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: These sites provide basic camping with no electricity, showers or dump stations. However, there are plenty of modern, fully-equipped campgrounds just off the Parkway. You can learn more here: https://www.scenictrace.com/what-to-do/camping/.
GET BACK TO NATURE
Natchez Trace Parkway offers spectacular vistas and great opportunities to enjoy and explore nature. But don’t take our word for it. The U.S. Department of Transportation recognizes The Trace as a National Scenic Byway, a road offering exceptional scenic, recreational, historic, cultural and archeological features. Over 39,000 or the Parkway’s 52,000 acres are in their natural state. They’re home to more than 135 types of birds and 200+ mammals.. The U.S. National Park Service offers updated information on hiking and biking trails, camping and fishing spots, even dogwood blooming and fall foliage updates. https://www.scenictrace.com/what-to-do/foliage-blooms-wildlife/.
GO TAKE A HIKE
Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is a U.S. National Park that runs parallel to the 444-mile long Natchez Trace Parkway. The Scenic Trail has five sections of hiking and horseback trails totaling over 60 miles. The trails meander through hardwood forests, wetlands and swamps. To learn more about specific hikes and horseback rides, including what’s currently open and closed, visit this National Park Service page: https://www.nps.gov/natt/index.htm.
MAGICAL MOTORCYCLING
Every motorcyclist should enjoy a cruise on the Natchez Trace Parkway. It’s one of the best two-wheeled rides in America. Traffic is light and you never need to slow down for stop lights or stop signs. Just follow that open road through three states, or shorter trips if you prefer. You’ll roll past beautiful natural vistas, civil war battlegrounds, small Southern towns and so much more.
For a handy list of gas stations and rest stops along The Trace, plus great places to stay overnight and have a bite, visit this site: https://www.scenictrace.com/what-to-do/motorcycling/. There’s even a spring dogwood blooming guide and a fall foliage guide for extra colorful riding conditions.
RV-FRIENDLY ACCOMODATIONS
For the simplest camping, there are three campgrounds along the Parkway accessible to RV’s with no hook-ups. Want full hook-ups? Laundry facilities? Hot showers and a pool? The National Park Service has created a thorough list of RV accommodations near the Parkway. Visit it here:
PLAN YOUR PIT STOPS
Don’t forget the essentials when you travel. This handy site shows where to stop for gas and restroom breaks on the Natchez Trace Parkway. It also lists locations for diesel fuel, food markets, restaurants, campgrounds, hotels and motels, bicycle supplies and Visitor Information Centers.
BED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT
Where do you like to stay overnight when you travel? You’ll find every option along The Trace. Hotels and motels. RV parks. Cabins and cottages. Bed & Breakfasts. You can search by type of accommodation here to find your favorite: https://www.scenictrace.com/where-to-stay/. For information on what’s available in specific communities along the Parkway within Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, go here: https://www.scenictrace.com/communities/.
ENJOY A VIDEO ON THE TRACE
GET A FREE APP TO EXPLORE
Explore your options and plan your visit with a free app from the National Park Service. Download NPS App at Apple’s App Store or Google Play for Android. Once you have the app, search for Natchez Trace Parkway. You’ll find information on more than 400 U.S. national parks.
DOWNLOAD A FREE VISITORS GUIDE
You can get a free visitor’s guide: https://www.scenictrace.com/contact-us/visitors-guide/. You can also sign up for The Natchez Trace mailing list and be first to hear about upcoming events and special offers. There’s so much to see and do, it helps to be prepared ahead of time.
