Bicycling the Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway bicycle route spans 444 miles between Natchez, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee.
See more cycling the Natchez Trace photos - click here.
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National Park Service designates the entire parkway as a bike route.
Numerous signs instruct cars to share the road with bicycles. - Commercial traffic is prohibited.
- Maximum speed limit for vehicles is 50 mph.
- Motorized traffic is generally very light except around Tupelo and Jackson.
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No stop signs or stop lights.
Access on and off the Trace is via on/off ramps which means no need to worry about cross traffic. -
Scenery is awesome.
Instead of utility poles and buildings, the Trace is lined with forests, farmland, creeks and beautiful vistas. - All along the Trace historical and nature attractions offer interesting breaks and rest stops.
- Restroom facilities on the Trace are available about every twenty to thirty miles.
- Numerous side trails take you past antebellum and victorian homes, sunken roads, civil war battlefields and southern towns.
- There are many "cycling friendly" B&Bs, Guest Houses and Cottages located along and near the Trace.
The almost 43-mile-long section of the Parkway is between milepost 293.4 (south of the Tishomingo/Belmont, MS area) and milepost 336.3 (intersection with AL Hwy 20 - north of where the Parkway crosses over the Tennessee River and west of Florence, AL).
The project is being split into three phases/sections.
Phase One
Phase One of the paving project is from milepost 293.4 to milepost 321 (intersection with US 72 near Cherokee, AL). Work began on November 3, 2021.
The closure is near the towns of Belmont, MS, Tishomingo, MS and Cherokee, AL. The Parkway in this section is closed to the public
The Paving Project is now in Phase Two.
Phase Two
Phase Two initially, is Phase One plus 5 more miles from milepost 321 to milepost 326.3. 33 miles are now closed between milepost 293.4 and 326.3. Phase Two began on May 9, 2022.
When the southernmost area is completed from milepost 293.4 to milepost 303 that part of the Parkway will open up. This will hopefully occur around mid-June - a lot depends on the weather and construction delays.
Click here for more info and maps and directions for both the Marked Detour Route and an Alternate Bicycle Route.
Phase Three
Phase Three will start late summer or fall after paving is completed from milepost 303 to milepost 321 and that part of the Parkway has reopened.
Phase Three will be between milepost 321 (intersection with US 72 near Cherokee, AL) and milepost 336.3 (intersection with AL Hwy 20 - north of where the Parkway crosses over the Tennessee River and west of Florence, AL). The detour around this closure is about 45 miles long and parts of the detour are not safe to bike.
Click here for more info and maps and directions of the detour route.
If you are biking without a support vehicle you will need to hire a shuttle around the closure. The innkeepers in Collinwood, TN and near milepost 338 in Alabama can shuttle their cycling guests for a fee.
Looking to take a Self Guided Bike Trip on the Natchez Trace? We can create an itinerary for one way trips (either north to south or south to north) of part or all 442 miles of the parkway OR we can create an "out and back" itinerary covering part of the parkway - for FREE!
Looking for a Fully Supported Bike Trip? See our tour guides info.
For more information about Biking the Natchez Trace, click on these links:
- Biking the Natchez Trace FREE Itinerary Planner
- "Ride with GPS" Bike Routes with elevation maps and direction cue sheets:
Tennessee | Alabama | Mississippi - Biking the Natchez Trace Parkway Photo Gallery
- Cyclist Reviews and Comments
- Biking the Natchez Trace Parkway YouTube Videos
- Drinking Water and Markets
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Safety Rules and Recommendations
(including the heavy vehicle traffic areas in Tupelo and Jackson) - Out and Back Natchez Trace Bike Trips
- Trace/off-Trace loop routes:
Tennessee | Mississippi - Bike Shops near the Natchez Trace Parkway
- Natchez Trace Bike Tour Guides
- Tanglefoot Trail® rails to trails route from Houston, MS to New Albany, MS
- Weather on the Natchez Trace Parkway
- Natchez Trace Parkway Biking Tips
- Shuttle Services for cyclists and their bikes
- Public Transportation near the Natchez Trace Parkway
- Cycling Friendly B&Bs, Guest Houses, Vacation Rentals and Cottages located adjacent and near the Parkway
Click on their "Cyclist Info" tab for Bicycle Amenities and Map/Directions from the Natchez Trace - Camping along the Parkway
- Natchez Trace Travel Planner (maps)
After you finish Biking the Natchez Trace:
Brag a little! I (or We) Biked the Trace - Stickers, Mugs and Clothing
I (one man) Biked - Sticker
I (one woman) Biked - Throw Pillow
I (one woman) Biked - Sticker
We (two women) Biked - Premium Scoop T-Shirt
I (one woman) Biked - Fitted T-Shirt
We (one woman and one man) Biked - Classic T-Shirt
We (two women) Biked - Coffee Mug
I (one woman) Biked - Coffee Mug
We (two women) Biked - T-Shirt
I (one man) Biked - Coffee Mug
We (two women) Biked - Sticker
I (one man) Biked - Lightweight-Hoodie
We (two men) Biked - Tri-Blend T-Shirt
I (one man) Biked - Tri-Blend T-Shirt
We (two men) Biked - Sticker
We (one woman and one man) Biked - Essential T-Shirt
We (two men) Biked - Coffee Mug
We (one woman and one man) Biked - Sticker
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