On January 10, 2020, Judy and Doug started our travel up Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444 mile-long road that generally follows a centuries old natural travel corridor. The Natchez Trace was a significant highway of the old southwestern states. It runs through the traditional homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. Many travelers used the Trace to head westward or to return north after floating crops and livestock down the Mississippi River. The goods and the wooden flatboats were sold at Natchez or New Orleans and the folks walked or rode horseback back to home, many miles over many months, we speculated. Over time some lodging and food was provided at very rustic “inns” along the trail.
There are numerous historic, ecological, and scenic stops along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The Emerald Mound is an eight-acre ceremonial mound built by native Americans between 1200 and 1730. It is a national historic monument.
This is the bottom portion of the mound – look how it towers over our ten-foot high van.
Doug is standing on top of the bottom portion of the hill, looking at one of several mounds on top of the bottom portion.
At the top of the top mound!
We found some four-legged friends along the way.
One came over to check us out.
Mount Locust, a rustic inn along the Trace.
In some places the original trace is viewable.
It was overcast and cool – we were alone at most of the stops this first day on the Trace.
On Board Sylvie 