Natchez Trace Parkway at Timberland Park

This is one long parkway

As we continued along with our Tennessee reunion trip, we had bit of time one morning. We decided to drive over to the local Timberland Park. Coincidentally, this park is on the Natchez Trace Parkway, and near the Norther terminus of milepost 442. The Southern terminus is way down in the southeast corner of Mississippi (!), at well, Natchez. The visitors center at the park holds a cancellation stamp so we decided to look in on it.

As indicated above, the Parkway is 444 miles of road, that stretches through three states. It tells the story of the local history going back 10,000 years to the American Indians who used this road as a footpath through the “old southwest”. The Chickasaw in the north, the Choctaw in the central and Natchez in the south. Early settlers, soldiers and even Presidents used the toad in the 1800’s used the road as a post and trade road, later a military toad.

Double Arch Bridge

There is an on-ramp connector to get on the parkway just below an impressive Double Arch Bridge, which was considered a Modern Marvel at the time it was finished. It is very hard not to be tempted to get a picture of this impressive piece of architecture.

Timberland Park

Getting to Timberland park from the parkway is very easy. After the onramp a short drive on the parkway and the first right exit will get you to the park.

Timberland Park Visitors Center

The small visitor center was next to the parking lot and also had a lovely butterfly garden in the front. The park employees were a bit busy, so I helped myself to the cancellation stamp and trail map. My daughter enjoyed the rocking chairs, while she tried to convince me that we did not need to go on a hike. Although, it was a warm morning, but we still went on a hike ;-).

Judith Grigsby-Hayes Walking trail

We took a nice walking trail through the park, that started at the Visitors Center and wound back to the parking lot where we parked our car. The trail was a bit hilly, but it was well manicured, and we enjoyed the exercise.

After the visit to Timberland Park, we drove from the park along the Parkway over the Double Arch Bridge and to the terminus. While we only got a small taste of the Trace, I look forward to spending more time on it, when we go to visit the Natchez Trace Trail National Historic Park and the Scenic Trail.

Check out more National Park Sites in the Southeast USA HERE