Natchez Trace Parkway

Last night about 1 a.m. a strong wind woke me up followed by loud claps of thunder and pouring rain. When we left Mammoth National Park and got to the highway, we began to see tornado damage around Bowling Green. The temperature at 9 a.m. was 66 degrees. The temperature at 3 p.m. was 46 degrees. Highway signs were blown across the road. Most of the airborne pieces of metal or roofing landed near the fence on the median of the highway. Roofs were missing off of factories. Trees were toppled with the crowns pointed at the highway. The wind must have come from the north. Nashville had less damage. We drove through Nashville and headed south on Natchez Trace Parkway.

This parkway has scenic vistas. Few roads intersect with the parkway. Speed limits vary between 45 and 50 mph. Bikes are encouraged. Towns are located off of the parkway. Here is Jackson Falls. The parkway travels 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, Louisiana.

This is an historic travel route for Native Americans. The route has camping spots and picnic spots and restrooms. The rivers ran high after the storm last night.

This monument honors the deaths of soldiers during the war of 1812.

We walked part of the old Natchez trail off of the parkway to get a feel for what it was like 200 years ago.

We came upon an old phosphate mine.

Meriweather Lewis (Lewis and Clark) died here.

Some say he was murdered. Others say he died by suicide. We completed 75 miles of the Natchez Trace trail today.