Considering Natchez Trace trip. Thoughts? Experiences?

**SteveTN** · 09-04-2019, 02:02 PM

We will be in west Tennessee near Jackson this fall and are considering a trip down the Natchez Trace before we head home. As far as I can tell it should be accessible all the way with our 337 RLS. I would appreciate any information from folks who have experience with the route. Thinking of making 3 stops probably of about 3 days each along the way for sightseeing. We will have our dogs with us too. Thanks!

**The Max** · 09-05-2019, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by SteveTN

We will be in west Tennessee near Jackson this fall and are considering a trip down the Natchez Trace before we head home. As far as I can tell it should be accessible all the way with our 337 RLS. I would appreciate any information from folks who have experience with the route. Thinking of making 3 stops probably of about 3 days each along the way for sightseeing. We will have our dogs with us too. Thanks!

Here is an article I came across a few years ago. It is from 2002 and this family was in a class C. I hope it helps a little.
http://www.cross-country-trips.com/n...ngo-state-park

**SteveTN** · 09-05-2019, 08:32 AM

Thanks Max, every little bit is helpful and I am trying to identify places to stay so that article was good.

**Woods'nWater** · 09-05-2019, 11:02 AM

Last year we spent 5 days exploring and camping at the 3 free campgrounds along the Trace. The Parkway is 444 miles long and travels through 3 states. It is a two lane road with 11 foot lanes and no shoulder. No commercial vehicles are allowed and your combined rv/tt length can not be more than 55 feet. Now that we got that out of the way, it was an awesome drive and will definitely do it again someday. Watch for bicyclist along the way expecially around curves. And get a map showing all the turn offs where campers can not fit. We either drove into the areas we wanted to check out or camped nearby and took a short road the next day. You're 2 feet longer than me and I don't see a problem with getting into the campgrounds as long as you watch your tail swing, lots of trees. This is a very leisurely drive and some people are over it in the first 100 miles. We on the other hand cranked up the music and enjoyed slowing down for a while. I'm attaching some pictures so you can see parts of our adventures.

No I'm not, my computer is running funky right now and won't cooperate. Will try later.....[/ATTACH]

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**SteveTN** · 09-06-2019, 06:41 AM

Thanks for the information and the photos! Looks like the road is similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway which we visited last year and it's good to know a similar rig had no issues.

**Bamaman** · 09-06-2019, 07:58 AM

We live about 10 miles from the Natchez Trace, and we use it only to run to Tupelo to see our son.
If you're wanting to take a road trip, there are many more scenic trips coming out of Jax, TN. Like Land Between the Lakes. Or running over to Pickwick and traveling to campgrounds up the Tennessee River east. Or seeing the holy grail of camping--The Smokies.
Mississippi camping is somewhat boring to us more used to hills, mountains and rivers.

**SteveTN** · 09-06-2019, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Bamaman

We live about 10 miles from the Natchez Trace, and we use it only to run to Tupelo to see our son.
If you're wanting to take a road trip, there are many more scenic trips coming out of Jax, TN. Like Land Between the Lakes. Or running over to Pickwick and traveling to campgrounds up the Tennessee River east. Or seeing the holy grail of camping--The Smokies.
Mississippi camping is somewhat boring to us more used to hills, mountains and rivers.

Hey Bamaman, thanks for the local insight. We live in the foothills of the Smokies and get into the mountains a lot, my favorite breakfast place is in Wears Valley. I guess the primary reasons we're interested in the Natchez Trace is we like national parks as well as historical sites and it's an opportunity to see a part of the country we haven't seen much of.

**Bamaman** · 09-06-2019, 09:14 PM

Let me just say that The Trace between Nashville and Tupelo is okay, especially north of Pickwick Lake. At least you can eat at Loveless Motel at the northern entrance on Hwy 100 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville.

But when you get deep into Mississippi, The Trace is just not at all interesting. I traveled Mississippi much of my working years out of Memphis and simply find the place dismal except for the university towns of Oxford, Starkville and Hattiesburg. I use The Trace to cross the Tennessee River and get to Hwy 72 when going to Memphis.

The state parks and Bay Springs Lake are very good, however.

**SteveTN** · 09-07-2019, 01:28 PM

I appreciate the additional information. One of our options was to run down to Tupelo then head southeast or east to one of the state parks. Kind of open-ended right now. We had a big trip planned for earlier this spring but had to cancel so this late fall trip is our make up run. Since it will be October or November we were thinking that going south would be nice; DW does not like camping in the colder weather.

**Bamaman** · 09-07-2019, 08:40 PM

Steve: Fall weather is our favorite time to camp--except there's no swimming for our grandkids. And in the Midsouth, the weather's pretty great through Christmas. Heck, we've been known to go in January as our member owned campground is open 12 months on a limited basis.

And Middle and East Tennessee, North Alabama and the North GA mountains are absolutely stunning when the leaves turn. We just don't want to go anywhere else.