Natchez Trace Parkway

城市概覽

History

The parkway follows the old Natchez trace from Natchez to Nashville. The trace originated as a footpath used by Native Americans and early explorers to travel across the region. In the late 1700s, the route was heavily used by Ohio Valley farmers, who floated their goods down the Mississippi, sold their flatboats for lumber, and then returned home on foot. These "Kaintucks" often walked the trace's approximately 500-mile (800-km) distance in just 30 days. By 1820, over 20 "stands" (inns) were located along the route to cater to the increasing traffic.

Landscape

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a haven of biodiversity because it traverses a variety of ecosystems that possess an amazing array of natural features. The southern portion of the park features bayous and swamps situated in the floodplains of meandering rivers. Man-made impoundments of flowing watercourses have created small ponds and massive lakes with miles of shoreline. As the park rises in elevation, outcrops of limestone become apparent, some of which contain caves and fossils. Limestone is also the parent material underlying the park's remnant prairies. The natural features most readily visible, however, are the vast tracts of eastern deciduous forest lining the parkway motor road.

Flora and fauna

As a 444-mile-long National Parkway, the Natchez Trace Parkway provides a safe corridor for wildlife to move between neighboring national forests, state parks, and other public lands. While traveling on the parkway, visitors may see mammals on the move, especially around dawn and dusk. Deer are quite common, but a lucky traveler may have a chance to see a coyote, fox, or armadillo. While black bear have been confirmed on the parkway, a bear sighting is extremely rare. Several of the parkway's pull-offs are noted for their quality birding opportunities. Wading birds such as great blue herons, great egrets and double-crested cormorants can be seen from the Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ten-Tom Water

如何抵達

The combination of low speed limits and no commercial traffic makes for a very relaxing and enjoyable drive - popular with bicyclists, motorcyclists, and motorists. The route is fairly unique in that a motorist can travel the 444-mile length without seeing commercial buildings, traffic lights, or many other signs of the modern world. Rangers enforce the 50 mph speed limit, so the journey is at a slower pace than on most modern roads.

住宿

There are no hotels located on the parkway itself, but numerous lodging options can be found in the many towns that are along the route. The largest of these towns include Tupelo and Jackson, each of which offers dozens of hotels. Three campgrounds are located on the parkway. These campgrounds are free and available on a first come, first served basis. While restrooms with running water are available, they do not offer electricity, showers, or dump stations. Campgrounds are typically busiest during the spring and fall, especially during holiday weekends. Camping is limited to fourteen consecutive days at a single site or thirty days park-wide during a calendar year. In addition to the sites listed below, there are also a handful of campgrounds that are available only to bikers and hikers.

1 Rocky Springs (Milepost 54). 22 campsites, picnic tables, restrooms, horseback riding, and self-guiding trails. 2 Jeff Busby (Milepost 193.1). 18 campsites, picnic tables, trails, exhibits, restrooms and an overlook. 3 Meriwether Lewis (Milepost 385). 32 campsites, pioneer cemetery, picnic tables, ranger station, exhibits, restrooms and trails.

順遊推薦

1 Nashville - The parkway's northern terminus is located in America's country music capital. 2 Tupelo - Elvis Presley's birthplace is located just off of the parkway near milepost 260. 3 Jackson - The parkway passes through Mississippi's capital city between mileposts 90 and 100. 4 Vicksburg - Site of a major Civil War battlefield and home to the Vicksburg National Military park, this town is located about fifteen miles from the parkway near milepost 60. 5 Natchez - The parkway's southern terminus is home to an impressive and historic cemetery as well as many Antebellum homes.