Cyclist Comments - Reviews about the Natchez Trace

Have you bicycled on the Natchez Trace Parkway? We invite you to share your experience with other cyclists who are considering biking the Trace.

Read reviews about cycling the Natchez Trace Parkway. Post your comments here using either your Facebook account or the comment form at the bottom of the page.

Melissa Smith and I biked from Natchez, MS to the northern terminus in TN staying along the way in B&Bs. Total mileage was 520 miles with off-trail destinations.

Our recommendations for biking the Natchez Trace: Take more time as many of the sites and history are off the Trace Parkway; If you do camp, understand your water source needs and plan well. We did not camp as we did B&B. Suggestions of B&Bs; Isabella's in Port Gibson by far the best, a must stay; Mamie's Cottage B&B, Farmhouse Sanctuary (awesome), Miss Scarlett's B&B. My advice is to use this website and speak with Randy. He knows everything.

Finally, if you need to get Ubered from or to your start, use Downtown Karla Brown. Price is exceptional and her experience and knowledge will help you create great memories. Enjoy your rides everyone as we marked this one off our bucket list.

Click any photo to view larger photos.

Natchez Bluff

Under-the-Hill Saloon - Natchez, MS

About ready to begin the journey.

Southern Terminus

Isabella B&B in Port Gibson, MS

Rocky Springs Methodist Church

Mamie's Cottage B&B - Raymond, MS

Cypress Swamp

Tennessee River crossing in Alabama

Rock Spring

Farmhouse Sanctuary B&B - Threet / Florence, AL

Exhibit Shelter at Old Trace Drive

Miss Scarlett's B&B - Hohenwald, TN

Miss Scarlett's B&B - Hohenwald, TN

One of the cascades at Fall Hollow Waterfall

Gordon House

We made it!

My wife and I biked the Natchez Trace from French Camp, MS to the Northern Terminus in Nashville TN. We had a wonderful adventure. Thanks so much to Randy and his fantastic website for helping us plan our itinerary.

I rode the Natchez Trace in 1989 on a Miyata touring bike with100 pounds in Cannondale panniers and touring packs. I got on southwest of Nashville, right where Meriwether Lewis died. I rode all the way to Natchez and it was pretty danged sweet; nice roads, scenery, grades, traffic. A pastor from Tullahoma, Tennessee recommended riding the Trace to me and I'm forever grateful; 450 miles of heaven.

We just wanted to thank you again for your amazing website and the itinerary you sent us for our Natchez Trace Parkway ride. You were a huge help in planning our trip, and I really don’t think it would have been as good without that help. We enjoyed our trip so much. I would say the Trace is the best bike route I have ever ridden – quiet, courteous drivers, super-easy to navigate… We loved all the B&Bs we stayed at with their friendly hosts and beautiful, historic homes. We would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking to do some cycle touring. What a lovely experience.

We rode the Natchez Trace from Natchez to Nashville over 11 days from October 12-23rd this year. I enjoyed our accommodations at French Camp, MS possibly the most , along with the Farmhouse Sanctuary B and B in Alabama. The road was amazingly smooth, especially in MS. Greatly enjoyed lunch in Lorman, MS on our first day and was only disappointed to learn the owner wasn’t there as he apparently sings to his customers. I’d also say I thought the Natchez Trace was a very safe road for cyclists.

Thanks so much for the recommended lodging on the Trace. We especially liked Meriwether's Retreat, Miss Monetta's Cottage, Bridges-Hall Manor, Pedal Inn and La Perl. We had great weather and biked the whole thing South to North. Couldn't get over the smooth pavement! Last minute our friends decided to sag for us so we were able to do 11 days-40miles a day. Our original plan without sag was 58 miles the last day into Tennessee and we were glad we were able to shorten it! Most people seem to go North to South but we like the other way because the sun was in our eyes less.

Three of us biked from Jackson north to the end of the parkway outside of Nashville. Smoothest road I have ever biked, and the scenery becomes meditative. We really enjoyed all the history and the friendliest people met along the way. Thanks so much to Randy for suggesting great lodging. In Kosciusko, the Maple Terrace Inn is a great B&B with a great breakfast. Dinner at Jason’s table downtown was also really good. In Houston, Daisy’s on the Square is a great boutique hotel with friendly owner to greet us. Great muffins served in the morning prior to leaving. In Belmont, the Belmont Hotel is getting a little dated, but still a charming spot. Breakfast at Spark’s Restaurant was great. We thought we were smart finding an alternate way back to the Trace taking Old 25 but got chased by multiple packs of dogs. In Collinwood, Miss Monetta’s cottage was lovely and super nice couple to welcome us.

We were a group of 6 persons traveling the Trace by bike and camping. Randy helped us plan every stop and our route. Totally unbelievable experience. Started at the Loveless Cafe in Nashville and ended at mile zero in Natchez. The road got prettier the further south we went. One of the best experiences of my life. Randy couldn’t have done a better job planning the trip for us. Was a giant piece of American history on wheels.

PS
Best eats was The Camp Restaurant in Natchez for lunch and sit outside and watch the Mississippi River float by. Trailhead Bike and Bed in Houston, MS was our best lodging experience. Such a great place. Jumped on the Tanglewood Trail trailhead in Houston and rode about 30 miles (15 out and 15 back the the lodging). The Trailhead was such a nice place to relax outside was VERY well equipped and maintained.

(Two experienced loaded touring veterans) My friend and I rode the Natchez Trace South to North in June 2021 in 7 days, camping and cooking our own food the whole way. Had a great tour with a few glitches along the way.

1. As mentioned by others, one must carefully monitor water availability. We carried 4 quarts almost all the time.
2. If you're planning on stopping for food along the way, make those plans before you start. We found that the Dollar General in Tupelo was easily accessible from the Trace on a Sunday morning at 7 AM. But opportunities for food purchase are few and far between.
3. We found lots of rest stops/visitor centers (particularly in southern MS) to be in need of upkeep and repair.
4. We rode just after a major flood around Kosciusko. Monitor weather carefully. There were trees down everywhere, including across the path to the bicycle only campground in Tupelo. PLUS the bathrooms at the visitor center there (the only place to get water) shut down at 4:30 PM and do not reopen until 9 AM. I would recommend every touring cyclist carry some sort of collapsible 8-10L water bladder.
5. The multi use path in Ridgeland/Jackson might be a great thing some day, but right now it doesn't clearly connect to the Trace at its southern end. On the Northern end it is easy to find IF one knows that is it in the parking lot for the lake observatory. But there is NO SIGNAGE WHATSOEVER ON THE TRACE to help you find it. Again, you've got to be prepared for this BEFORE you get there.
6. Gearing thoughts: South of Kosciusko, the Trace is flatter than any place I've ever ridden. From there on it becomes more gently rolling, with the final 100 miles having the most elevation change. But even there, hills are gentle. I am 68 years old and a veteran at this- and was riding 700x32c road touring tires and carrying 45 pounds of gear. My gearing was 26-36-46 triple up front and 14-34 9 speed rear. The 34 was overkill but it's always better to have that extra gear and not need it!

Many thanks to Randy for help in planning our trip!

Editor's Notes:

1. Yes, the Multi-Use Path in the Ridgeland/Madison/Jackson area will be awesome if it is ever completed all the way to Clinton, MS (it would then be over 16 miles long). Where the path ends now at the southern end there isn't an easy access to the parkway road. We recommend hopping on/off the path at the Reservoir Overlook site (milepost 105.6) and the Choctaw Agency site (milepost 100.7). For more info and a map of the map, click here.
2. Water, markets and restaurants are sometimes difficult to find. There are many parkway exits where there are no services nearby. We have a list of markets and restaurants located within 2 miles or less of an exit. See Water and Markets. The park service has reopened just about all of their Comfort Stations that have been closed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, significant storm damage in 2020 and a few that need some major repairs. See our Restrooms page for OPEN/CLOSED status.

My husband and I biked the Natchez Trace from Nashville TN to Natchez MS on our Salsa Mukluk fat tire bikes. We rented a van and drove back to Nashville at the end of our ride. Randy suggested the daily mileage and provided us with information about the best B&Bs to stay in along the way. We stayed in Hampton Hotels in the big cities and B&Bs in the towns. We were passed by about a dozen semi trucks and another dozen commercial vehicles which was a surprise. Most of the car drivers were very courteous while passing us on our bikes. It was an amazing trip on Fat Tire bikes hauling our stuff with us in our panniers etc. We logged over 13,000 ft in elevation which made for a great ride over 9 days. Because we did our trip in the middle of March it was quite secluded and very enjoyable. We only met 7 other riders doing the whole Natchez Trace from South to North. It was an adventure for sure and we are glad we did it! Thanks again Randy for your assistance.

I went with my son and my wife. I rode about 50 miles each day. My wife and boy would pick me up then and we would drive the rest of the way to our next stop, spend the day enjoying the sights, scenery and things to do. Then we would spend the night in one of the great bed & breakfasts before starting the next day on a bike again. A fantastic experience that I will repeat again several times. I would recommend it to everyone.

Great trip. We rode three days, Northern Terminus to Tupelo. Then we headed east to Sarasota, Florida. Your maps and guidance were very well used. The Fall Hollow B&B and Campground near Hohenwald was a great place to stay, rooms were great, and we were well treated and fed.

The Bear Creek Saloon Guesthouse near Tishomingo on the trail was also great, got food delivered. Nice room. Laundry too.

Road surface was good mostly but got worse near Alabama line, improved again as we got 20 miles from Tupelo. Much more traffic near Tupelo but no traffic elsewhere.

Editor's note: the park service plans on repaving 40 miles of the parkway in Alabama and northeast Mississippi during 2020.

These three days on the Natchez Trace were part of a 31 day trip from Lake Erie to Sarasota, Florida. Check out Jim's blog about the complete trip - click here.

Click any photo to view larger photos.

The Parkway was as advertised. Good times. I was pleasantly surprised that there were some significant hills, especially in the north. I agree with the advice to stay away from bigger towns around "rush hour." Tupelo was an example, with lots of cars going too fast. I got a pinch flat going over the Natchez Trace Bridge when I crossed a steel joint that crossed the bridge. My tire went hard into a gap, so be careful. Perhaps it is strange to say, but the great scenery can become a bit monotonous, although there are plenty of opportunities to get off the road and many interesting sites to explore along the way.

I completed the Trace from North to South in 5 and half days 455 total miles. The weather was fantastic and my sister came up from Florida to be my SAG. We stayed at the Belmont Hotel and French Camp B&B - both were charming. We met some wonderful people along the way. The only thing I didn't like was riding in Tupelo and in Jackson as the traffic was terrible. Other than that what a fantastic time I had at times riding alone taking in the sights. Thanks to Randy for the email itinerary that helped me plan this trip.

Tom and I bicycled northbound on the Natchez Trace from Natchez to just outside Nashville in June 2019. We rode our gravel bikes and camped along the way considering it was a shake out ride for longer off road adventures to come. Although the scenery was pretty steady (lush and beautiful), the weather was a mixed bag of sunny hot days, and warm rainy ones. The farther north we rode, the more we encountered some elevation (just the way we like it!). The pavement is super smooth on the Trace. And there's no commercial traffic or stop lights making it somewhat of a cyclist's dream. Drivers were courteous and we didn't hesitate to stop and talk to locals.

As usual, we blogged each evening about the day and it can be found at keepcalmandpedalonblog.com This was our first visit to the Trace and we used Natchez Trace Travel exclusively to plan our adventure. We hope to be back again!

Click any photo to view larger photos.

My friend and I biked the Trace roundtrip and it was really quite an adventure. Your itinerary was a huge help to us. Neither of us had done any bike touring where you carry all your own gear so we weren’t sure we would be able to physically do it but we did. We were trying to do it at a low cost so we camped all of the days except for Ridgeland where we stayed in a motel. That day was 95 miles and we had gotten washed out in a storm the previous day so it worked out to have a dryer and area for drying out our tents.

When we reached Natchez, we stayed at your suggestion of Wensel House B&B. The owners were so sweet and thoughtful to us so we made it a 2-night stay. It took us 15 days for the round trip. I hope to do it alone again this year as it seemed really safe and so affordable. We recommended your site to everyone we met on the trip and I still keep doing that when bike travel comes up with bikers I interact with.

In the 888 miles that we biked, I only came across one piece of glass on the ground. It was incredible how well maintained the parkway road is and also the campgrounds. Thank you again for all the advice and route planning, it made for a stress free and beautiful bike experience.

Loved the Trace. 1st time riding it. Used natcheztracetravel.com to set up our itinerary and book our B&B’s. Smoothest 444 miles you can ever ride. Saw many different wildlife. Deer, turkey, snakes, Fox, alligator, eagles, and more. 4 of us rode Nashville to Natchez. 1 person would drive our truck 12-15 miles ahead to a rest stop. Then that person would peddle back toward the other 3 until we met. Then the 4 of us would ride south to the truck and the next rider would drive there “leg”. It worked great. Saw lots of bikes first 2 days leaving from Nashville. The next 4 days we didn’t see a single bike. The last day going into Natchez we saw a few. Disappointed we didn’t see more bikes. The B&B’s were fantastic. The town of Port Gibson was a real disappointment though. Terrible roads to the B&B. Almost got ran over by a charter bus in town. 2 places to eat in town and neither looked very inviting. The other towns were very inviting to riders and we all will ride the Trace again.

NatchezTraceTravel.com note about biking from the parkway into Port Gibson: there is a recommended bicycle route that avoids biking on busy highways 18 and 61. The route takes cyclists on lightly traveled roads and residential streets. Written directions and a map are available on each B&B's Location Map page.

I cycled the entire 444 miles solo, south to north in May 2018. A friend was my SAG and we stayed in the B&B's Randy suggested. I did it in 6 days. It was awesome! Some of the most peaceful riding I have ever done and amazing history. I will do it again!

We had a very nice time biking the Trace in early October. For the most part, traffic was light and motorists were respectful of bikers. We met some friendly bikers along the way and especially enjoyed the time we spent at the Farmhouse Sanctuary B&B near Florence, AL and French Camp B&B. We were surprised to find out Fall Hallow's restaurant was closed. Randy, thank you for your assistance in planning our trip. We could not have done it without you!

Editor's note about Fall Hollow: The restaurant at Fall Hollow is no longer open for dinner (as of October 1, 2018) but continues to serve a full breakfast to B&B guests.

We used your 7-day itinerary bicycling the Trace. Your website is second to none. We mentioned your website at every stop. Our group had a great time. Thanks for the info!

Hi Randy, I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciated your website for planning our recent trip to the parkway. We spent 6 days biking the parkway during the first week in April. Your website was invaluable for organizing the details of our trip.

Fantastic Cycle the Trace Wonderful experience

A group of 4 "seniors" (from MD, OH, MS) rode the 442 miles from Nashville to Natchez Oct. 15-23, 2016. The entire experience exceeded our expectations in every aspect of the trip! Randy's help planning the itinerary and resources available on the website were invaluable. Fortunately, we had a dedicated support vehicle and 2 spouses that were not riding that had a great time on the trip too and were able to provide the flexibility we needed to stay in a few wonderful state parks and help provide mechanical support. We debated on which way to go (N to S or S to N) but in the end, we were glad we did the hills at the northern end during the first part of the trip, which allowed us to finish the trip a day early as we were able to put more miles per day on the flats further south. Yes, there were headwinds, but all of us agreed it was worth it to do the hills first. None of us had ridden 50+ miles per day more than 4 days in a row, but by the end we felt stronger than when we started! We also decided to do the trip as a fundraiser for K9s for Warriors, which made it more enjoyable for us and gave others a reason to follow us!! If you're thinking about it - do it!!!

My friend Gil and I spent a week biking from Nashville to a family reunion in Jackson. It was hot, mid-90s and humid. Randy's reservation service was a great help. B and Bs were varied, but hosts unfailingly hospitable. Because the Trace goes through some fairly deserted areas, good planning--food, water, accommodations--is essential. But good for biking without much of a threat from the big two--dogs and cars--the Trace can't be beat.

We loved it! The weather in May was amenable, even with the day of warm rain. Randy is the best organizer. He arranged all our stays and each was special and appreciated. Up north, folks don't know about the beautiful Trace but we're spreading the word. GREAT trip!!!

The Natchez Trace Parkway was by far the highlight of my solo ride from Austin, TX to Boston, MA. See my journal and photos at www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/12631 And many thanks to Randy at NatchezTraceTravel.com.

• Southern Terminus of the Natchez... Southern Terminus of the Natchez...
• The Trace just south of... The Trace just south of...
• Port Gibson, MS - Isabella... Port Gibson, MS - Isabella...
• Port Gibson, MS - Isabella... Port Gibson, MS - Isabella...
• Milepost 82 Milepost 82
• Mississippi - Cypress Swamp -... Mississippi - Cypress Swamp -...
• Morning Mist near Kosciusko, MS. Morning Mist near Kosciusko, MS.
• Horses at French Camp. Horses at French Camp.
• Hernando de Soto was here! Hernando de Soto was here!
• Bicycles May Use Full Lane Bicycles May Use Full Lane
• Motorcyclist and his Best Friend... Motorcyclist and his Best Friend...
• The Lobby at Belmont Hotel... The Lobby at Belmont Hotel...
• Crossing the Tennessee River in... Crossing the Tennessee River in...
• Glenrock Branch in southern Tennessee.... Glenrock Branch in southern Tennessee....
• Hohenwald, MS - Fall Hollow... Hohenwald, MS - Fall Hollow...
• Rock Wall at milepost 427. Rock Wall at milepost 427.
• Loveless Cafe at the Northern... Loveless Cafe at the Northern...
•  

Hi there. My name is Clara and I am a Recumbent Bicycle otherwise known as a "Bent" as apposed to my cousins the "UpRights". Officially, I'm a Tour EZ Bent but I just like to be known as Clara. I'm writing this because my Friend Beast, "Ugly Bag of Mostly Water" (Star Trek reference) Mike has decided not to write a blog this trip.

Hi there, Mike aka. Motor speaking. Clara says Hi as well but has decided to let me finish up the tale this time. She's currently resting in her car port having a long snooze until the next ride comes up. I'd like to say that the Natchez Trace is a great place to ride a bicycle and tour. As Clara pointed out, its all one road, traffic is minimal and the accommodations are great. I'd like to thank Randy at Natchez Trace Bed and Breakfast Reservation Service for doing such an excellent job setting up our trip. All of the B&B's were awesome and everything went off without a hitch. If you are thinking about touring the Trace in any way, I highly recommend using Randy and you won't be disappointed. Over the last year, I've come to fully embrace the life of bicycle touring. It's simplistic life style integrated with physical and mental challenges make me feel alive. So many sights to see and so many people with the most interesting stories can be yours if you just take the time to see and listen. When averaging 11 mph on the road, time is not an issue not to mention that time just seems to slow to a much more manageable pace.

Read Clara's journal - Clara Tours The Trace on CrazyGuyOnABike.com

• Natchez Trace Parkway near the... Natchez Trace Parkway near the...
• The Three Amigos The Three Amigos
• Breakfast at Fall Hollow B&B.... Breakfast at Fall Hollow B&B....
• Clara, taking a rest. Clara, taking a rest.
• Miss Monetta's Country Cottage in... Miss Monetta's Country Cottage in...
• The Guys The Guys
• One State Down, Two To... One State Down, Two To...
• The Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall... The Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall...
• Our cabin at French Camp... Our cabin at French Camp...
• Playing a few tunes. Playing a few tunes.
• Breakfast at French Camp. more... Breakfast at French Camp. more...
• One of the many split... One of the many split...
• Mr D at The Old... Mr D at The Old...
• The Old Country Store Restaurant... The Old Country Store Restaurant...
• One mile to go. One mile to go.
•  

I biked from Natchez to Nashville over a 7 day period with 6 friends from all over the US. We loved the history of the area and were so pleased with the outstanding road conditions. My favorite part was meeting our B & B hosts/hostesses. We were welcomed warmly by all of our B&B hosts/hostesses and our nutritious, early morning breakfasts energized our long rides. Aren't we fortunate to have this beautiful national parkway!

Connie, Menomonee Falls, WI
May 2015

Randy was our guardian angel, we rode the Trace the last week of February and ran into snow and road closures - he followed our progress, gave us weather updates and changed reservations-truely way above the call of duty. Trace is a gentle ride. French Camp Historic Village and Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall were highlights. All of the B&Bs were great and the hosts extremely nice our favorites were-Mamie's Cottage and French Camp (since it was snowing outside), Bridges-Hall Manor sent us on our way with treats and at Fall Hollow listened to stories from the owner as long as I could stay awake-never had so many good breakfasts in one week.

• Snow in Central Mississippi Snow in Central Mississippi
• Snow in Central Mississippi Snow in Central Mississippi
• Ice and Wet Snow Brought... Ice and Wet Snow Brought...
• Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall
• Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall
• Glenrock Branch Glenrock Branch
• Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis
• Double Arch Bridge Double Arch Bridge
• Double Arch Bridge Double Arch Bridge
•  

Randy, We had a great time. All our hosts were friendly and helpful. We really appreciate your help in making the trip a great experience. We will certainly recommend your service. You have really taken a lot of time and effort to evaluate the hosts and plan routes to get to lodging off the trace. We found your recommendations for lunches helpful. Thank You.

Just finished a fantastic trip. Many thanks to Randy and the fine folks at the B&B's: Fall Hallow, Bear Creek, and Buffalo River. They were all very welcoming and made sure I had a great stay. Bill and Kathy from Fall Hallow and Donna from Buffalo River even drove me to town to get dinner. Christi from Bear Creek called to see if I needed anything. Randy helped with logistics, sent maps and lunch rec's and checked in with me along the way. Trace Bikes got me set up on decent Trek-no carbon needed because there wasn't a bump on the entire road. I flew to Nashville and rode an out and back. I highly recommend the trip and am really glad I had Randy plan it! THANKS, Paul

I called Randy about a week before my vacation and asked him to help me arrange a solo cycling trip on the Trace. I have minimal cycling experience. I could not have pulled this off without Randy and the support of his B&B partners (I learned that innkeepers will even come and pick you up if you have problems on the Trace.) along the way. While I've traveled extensively in the US and internationally, I can't recall experiencing this much warmth and openness as I felt along the Trace. I rented a road bike at Indian Cycle in Jackson, took Downtown Karla Brown's shuttle to Natchez then rode to Tupelo before driving back to Jackson. The itinerary worked well considering that I was looking for a lot of nature and solitude. As a novice cyclist, I found the MS Trace to have more rolling hills than anticipated. In case the temperature drops into the low 30s, Claude Julian's in Kosciusko will deliver thermals to French Camp!

• Fall Foliage starting to arrive... Fall Foliage starting to arrive...
• Biking along the Ross Barnett... Biking along the Ross Barnett...
• The serene Natchez Trace Parkway The serene Natchez Trace Parkway
• Mississippi Mud Cake at French... Mississippi Mud Cake at French...
•  

It is a beautiful ride. Late October is a great time with beautiful weather (at least it was perfect for me). I rode from Natchez to Jackson. The car drivers were sparse and courteous until I got to Clinton/Jackson area then there was more car traffic and a few going over 50 mph and passing headed right for me! By then I was just about done. I didn't see a single police car the entire time I rode which was only 6.5 hours for the 100 miles. Would like to see more police on the Trace. It was a wonderful experience which I would definitely do again.

• 100 miles from Natchez! 100 miles from Natchez!
• At the Southern Terminus At the Southern Terminus
•  

We traveled the Natchez Trace from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS with 4 people. On our trip we did an unsupported credit card card ride. Here are some helpful hints. -Save and review all the information that Randy provides about logistics before departure. We failed to put some of the meal information in our notes. -Anytime you can pack sandwiches and carry ice do so. -If you stay in the Home2Suties by Hilton in Ridgeland MS there is a bike path all the way to the hotel from the trace. -If the Scenic point is not right off the Parkway, I doubt you are going to see it. Stop at MM 338 to see the Stone Talker. -Buy the Dinner at Bridges Hall Manor B&B. -Get the BLT at French Camp's Council House Cafe. -A new shuttle service is available in Natchez, MS  we were the first use them to get back to Nashville - Downtown Karla Brown, LLC

Thanks to Randy for checking on us along the way.

• Ready to go! Ready to go!
• Looks like the guys are... Looks like the guys are...
• Convenient bike rack. Convenient bike rack.
•  

We had a wonderful experience cycling the Natchez Trace in early October 2013. Randy made a HUGE difference to us! The places he booked along the way were perfect, and Randy was not only very responsive if we had any question along the way, he checked on us, too! We plan to go back this year and will definitely count on Randy to help us plan another perfect cycling vacation. Thank you, Randy!

My friend Tom and I bicycled the Trace with Randy helping to organize most of the accommodations. Randy provided excellent service; which included maps w/directions how to pedal to accommodations and a listing of where to find markets and restaurants. The owners and operators of the motels, hotels, and B&Bs were great ... especially Bill and Kathy at Fall Hollow. The Trace itself is a bicycler's dream with excellent road surface, scenery, wildlife, and historical sites! Thanks again Randy, innkeepers, and the National Park Service!

My wife and I biked the entire Trace from North to South, unsupported, in 7 1/2 days. Randy made the trip easy, planning and booking our B&Bs and providing valuable information for finding meals and rest stops. With Randy, you can do the ride on your own about as easily as booking with a tour company.

Great trip from Nashville to Belmont, MS thanks to Randy and the people at Fall Hollow Campground/B&B, Miss Monetta's, and Belmont Hotel.

• Breakfast at Fall Hollow Breakfast at Fall Hollow
• Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall
• Our group at the Tennessee... Our group at the Tennessee...
•  

Ten of us cycled the NTP from Nashville to Natchez, and Randy Fought from this site was extremely helpful. When I started planning our trip I hadn't a clue! Randy gave us important advice about the terrain and the available amenities along the trace; after discussing the plan with him I changed it based on his input (some of our longer days had been planned in the hilliest part of the ride). When we could not get accommodations in Tupelo, we changed the plan again and added yet another wonderful B&B to our itinerary. We enjoyed our trip immensely, even finding something to do on the rainy day in Tupelo, MS! Everyone in our group was more than satisfied with the accommodations Randy recommended, and we all agree it was the best small-group bike trip we have taken!

We spent 11 days bicycling the entire trace and this was a perfect pace for us. This amounted to between 25 and 60 miles per day. It snowed on us the first day but we enjoyed every day. Randy did a perfect job of planning for us and we greatly enjoyed the B&B's

My ladyfriend (Delmer) and I just completed the Natchez Trace on April 7th, 2013. We did this on Huffy single-speed bikes from Wal-Mart and we didn't have a single bike problem the whole trip. The trip was done in three sections: Natchez to Tupelo (262 miles), Tupelo to Ala/Tn State line (80 miles), and just completed from Ala/Tn State line to Nashville (100 miles). I'm 65 years old and this trip was on my bucket list. We wanted to do the whole trip on an "old-fashioned" bike just to see if we could. We had a great time, saw some beautiful country and met some great people along the way. We highly recommend doing the Trace on a single-speed bike!

Randy,

In the flurry of getting back home I'm not sure I ever stopped long enough to say thank you. So, thank you for setting up a great cycling trip for me down the Natchez Trace back at the beginning of October. The whole adventure went off really without so much as a flat tire. With six days on the road, the weather was about as perfect as I could have hoped for. It rained on me the last two hours of Sunday, and again on Monday, but that was my shortest distance day, so I had little to complain about. Your maps and suggestions for lunch spots were extremely helpful. I was able to lay out each day knowing where to take breaks.

The B&Bs you reserved for me worked great. When I had particularly long days, several of the B&B owners called me on my cell to check in on my progress. It was nice to know someone was expecting me to finish my ride each day. Also your suggestion to have my bike packed and shipped back home by Western Auto in Natchez was superb. Chris at WA took care of it for me, and I drove an Enterprise rent-a-car up to Jackson to catch my flight back home. The plane out of Jackson was too small to accept a bike so shipping the bike was a great solution.

So thanks again all your efforts putting my trip together. I can now check another big one off my bucket list.

My husband and I biked The Trace from Nashville to Natchez. You planned the trip for us and every detail was perfect. Every B&B at which we stayed was wonderful and our hosts could not have been more welcoming. We certainly experienced southern hospitality. The Trace itself was fantastic. The road is in excellent condition. There was very little traffic. Your instructions for finding lunches and snacks were perfect and very helpful. Thank you for helping us enjoy a wonderful experience.

I just want to thank you for all your help with our Natchez Trace bike trip. Larry and I finished the trip at about noon on Monday, October 22. We had such a successful trip and could never have done it without you. We enjoyed every B&B in which we stayed. They each were unique and had their own personality. It made the trip so interesting getting the tastes of the different areas.

We heard so many people comment about you. There was not a single person we spoke with, either cyclist or host, that did not heap praise on you about your efficiency and great service. We highly recommend you and your service to anyone interested in traveling all or part of the Natchez Trace.

Also, we want to tell you about Trace Bikes in Nashville. They were so helpful. When we got to the end of the Trace, they stored our bikes for us while we went back to Natchez to get our car. They also let my nephew leave his car keys with them so we had a car at the end.

• Larry at the Southern Terminus... Larry at the Southern Terminus...
• The Double Arch Bridge near... The Double Arch Bridge near...
• Us at the end of... Us at the end of...
•  

We were three women from Texas having the best time of our life biking the Natchez Trace. I have had a lot of adventures over my 54 years of life but this was by far the best. Randy was the best. His itinerary was perfect. You never knew what was around the next mile marker but, Randy made sure it would be perfect. We can not wait until next year when we plan on doing it all over again.

I biked the trace solo in 6 days from south to north. What a great experience with some excellent weather. My favorite parts were in northern Alabama and Tennessee. The total mileage with stops was around 515 miles. During the week I created a blog located at this site: dbreisch.wordpress.com

• Dan crossing the Tennessee River... Dan crossing the Tennessee River...
• Rock Spring site. Rock Spring site.
• Road sign at Fisher Ferry... Road sign at Fisher Ferry...
•  

We divided our trip over two years, the first year we biked from to the middle and back. The next trip was from the middle to Natchez (and further south to Saint Francisville, LA) and back. The Natchez Trace was wonderful and we really appreciated Randy's help with the planning.

I fulfilled one of my bucket list items at age 69 by bicycling the whole Trace solo (my wife drove) in mid April 2012 - 8 days comfortably. We used the Natchez Trace B&B Reservation Service for seven B&B's, and we went off the Trace to the historic Hotel Chester in Starkville, MS for a couple of nights. The B&B's were super overall - interesting folks, interesting towns, good accommodations (we were always the only folks there), two memorable breakfasts (French Camp and Mamie's Cottage). However, some of them were only B's rather than B&B's since they didn't provide breakfast - but that is clear when you sign up for them.

The Trace is a bicycler's dream: 98% smooth, continuous (no stop signs or traffic lights), lightly traveled (80% of the time I was alone for miles; rode out in the middle of the road). Most of the time you ride in a tunnel of trees. You see no buildings - only some far off farm houses very infrequently. At picnic sites we came upon a few other cyclists who were happy to relate their Natchez Trace stories, and only 11 miles out of the Nashville end I met a 68 year old chap who was in his 17th (and last) day of running the Trace from Natchez to Nashville (a marathon a day for 17 days).

The southern half of the Trace is primarily 1-4% up then 1-4% down - with a very infrequently 5-8% grade. That translates into cranking essentially all of the time - little coasting. I stayed in my front big chain ring for that 220 miles. There are some honest hills up in the northernmost 100 miles. Be sure to utilize all of the information on the Natchez Trace B&B Reservation Service web site. You never know when you will need to know the next cross road or the nearest gas and food. Most of the information about the historical sites along the Trace seems to be on this web site as well (much of it seems to be quite similar to the plaques and markers at the sites themselves)

DON'T MISS: The Loveless Café (next to the Trace Bicycle Shop, the shop to which I mailed my bike) at the north end of the Trace, The Old Country Store (serves lunch) in Lorman, MS (a bit off the Trace near MilePost 30), the new pie shop on the town square in Columbia, TN (about 25 miles off of the Trace), OBY's oyster poboys in Starkville, MS (about 30 miles off of the Trace), the light and airy blueberry pancakes at Mamie's B&B in Raymond, MS, the wonderful breakfast at the French Camp B&B, Tom Hendrix and his mortarless longest stone wall east of the Trace on County Road 8 near Mile Post 338, the church in Port Gibson, MS with the steeple consisting of a finger pointing to the sky, and the well-marked military park in Vicksburg, MS (of the siege and battle during the American Civil War) where you can get some real hills!

April saw some severe weather along the Trace in 2010 and 2011, but during this mid-April 2012 trip I encountered (heavy) rain only one day. You will surely see some rain. There were no bugs out, but the second day I did encounter a lot of pollen (and hacked and gagged most of the day). Other than birds, I saw little wildlife - two armadillos (one dead), a fox (?), and two snakes (one dead). When the wind didn't blot out sounds I heard many birds, and I could usually hear motor vehicle tires a half mile away (even a Preis makes tire noise!). I saw quite a few RVs and 5th wheel vehicles heading north (opposite of my direction), but very few heading south (in my direction). I did have a bit of wind against me often, but it wasn't very intrusive. I hope to do this trip again!

Three of us cycled the entire trace October 2011 logging 490 miles (considering miles off/onto the trace for lunch, lodging, cycling shops) over six days. There are a number of GREAT places for lunch just off the parkway. Smalll mom/pops unique and worth the side trip. Randy was a huge help in trip planning especially the three B&Bs we stayed in, maps and "inside" info regarding the trace. Hats off to him for the superb service he provides. The innkeepers treated us like royalty and like the only ones at the establishment. Overall great ride / trip getting away from the daily grind of a big city to a rural area loaded with beautiful scenery, friendly people, good food and miles of safe cycling. Although The Trace is nothing like the Blue Ridge or Skyline Parkways (you must do them as well but BE PREPARED), it is a MUST do for any cyclist. Put it on your bucket list then call or email Randy to make it happen!

The Trace was all that it was advertised to be, an outstanding bike trail with smooth surfaces, limited traffic, courteous drivers, beautiful scenery, a gained sense of awe, respect and appreciation for the travails of those early sojourners, lovely vistas, grinding headwinds, flying tailwinds, rolling hills, marvelously long stretches of flat interspersed with challenging climbs, a menagerie of animals, oodles of Southern Hospitality, glances of a long gone era, wonderful downhill glides, an abundance of sunny days, a plethora of super friendly "Faux bikers", delicious food, and endless number of interesting sights. All told, in 10 days of glorious riding, we covered over 600 miles.