34°40′3.81″N88°5′17.93″W / 34.6677250°N 88.0883139°W /34.6677250; -88.0883139
| Natchez Trace Trail | |
|---|---|
 Natchez Trace Trail in Warner Park, Nashville, Tennessee. | |
| Length | over 60 miles with 5 segments[1] |
| Location | Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee in the United States |
| Designation | National Scenic Trail in 1983 |
| Use | Hiking, Horseback riding |
| Sights | ghost town ofRocky Springs Ross Barnett Reservoir |
| Surface | soil |
| Website | Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail |
TheNatchez Trace Trail is a designatedNational Scenic Trail in theUnited States, whose route generally follows sections of the 444-mile (715 km)Natchez Trace Parkway through the states ofTennessee,Alabama, andMississippi. The Natchez Trace Trail is not a long, continuous footpath, as is the case with other national scenic trails (such as theAppalachian Trail); rather, only a limited number of trail segments along the route, currently over 60 miles (97 km)[1] of trail, have been developed for hiking and horseback riding. Moreover, the Natchez Trace Trail, unlike many others that rely heavily on volunteers for trail construction and maintenance, is managed and maintained by theNational Park Service. Sections of the trail follow along the Natchez Trace Parkway road shoulder, and cross county and state roads. It was originally intended to be longer and follow most of the Natchez Trace Parkway,[2] but only a portion was built.
The Natchez Trace Parkway and National Scenic Trail commemorate the historicNatchez Trace, an ancient path that began as a wildlife and Native American trail, and has a rich history of use by colonizers, "Kaintuck" boatmen,post riders, and military men.
This trail comprises five sections. The table below is ordered from South, Milepost 0 (Natchez) to North, Milepost 444 (near Nashville), but can be sorted differently.
| Section Name | South Milepost | North Milepost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potkopinu | 17 | 20 | As of 19 April 2012[update], this trail undergoing improvement and stream crossing may range from muddy to knee deep water.[3] |
| Rocky Springs Trail | 52.4 | 59 | visitors can see theghost town ofRocky Springs, Mississippi |
| Yockanookany Trail | 107.9 | 130 | immediately north ofJackson, Mississippi, longest trail section, 8 miles (13 km) of the trail section parallels theRoss Barnett Reservoir[3] |
| Blackland Prairie Trail | 260 | 266 | inTupelo, Mississippi |
| Highland Rim | 407.9 | 427.4 | between Highway 50 just north of the Duck River to the Garrison Creek trailhead south of Highway 46 |
