Natchez Trace Bicycle Itinerary - South to North, 6 Days
On this Natchez Trace Parkway Bicycle Itinerary cyclists will bike South to North for 6 days from the Southern Terminus (milepost 0 - Natchez, MS) to the Northern Terminus (milepost 442 - Nashville, TN)
Ride Stats for entire 6-day itinerary.
- Does not include miles to/from Parkway for lodging.
- Currently, there is a 17.5-mile-long closure on the Parkway with a detour. For details on how to bike or drive around the closure, see Day 4 below.
17.5 miles of Parkway closed - current status:
- Total Miles on Parkway, Multi-Use Path and Road Detour: 451.2
Average miles per day: 75.2 - Total Elevation Gain:
16,499 feet (avg. 36.6 feet/mile) - Total Elevation Loss:
15,971 feet (avg. 35.4 feet/mile)
0 miles of Parkway closed (no detour):
- Total Miles on Parkway and Multi-Use Path: 446
Average miles per day: 74.3 - Total Elevation Gain:
16,287 feet (avg. 36.5 feet/mile) - Total Elevation Loss:
15,755 feet (avg. 35.3 feet/mile)
Day 1 - Natchez, MS (Southern Terminus at milepost 0) to Raymond, MS (milepost 76 or 79)
Ride Stats for Day 1
milepost 0 to milepost 76.3:
- Miles on Parkway: 76.8
- Elevation Gain:
3,091 feet (avg. 40.2 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 3.6% - Elevation Loss:
2,982 feet (avg. 38.8 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.2%
milepost 0 to milepost 79:
- Miles on Parkway: 79.6
- Elevation Gain:
3,198 feet (avg. 40.2 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 3.7% - Elevation Loss:
3,051 feet (avg. 38.3 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.3%
- Route Overview Map for Day 1 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 0 to Milepost 79
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Milepost 76/79
Day 2 - Raymond, MS (milepost 76 or 79) to Kosciusko, MS (milepost 160)
Ride Stats for Day 2
milepost 76.3 to milepost 160:
- Miles on Parkway: 84.2
- Elevation Gain:
1,909 feet (avg. 22.7 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 2.3% - Elevation Loss:
1,744 feet (avg. 20.7 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -2.9%
milepost 79 to milepost 160:
- Miles on Parkway: 81.6
- Elevation Gain:
1,814 feet (avg. 22.2 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 2.3% - Elevation Loss:
1,692 feet (avg. 20.7 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -2.9%
- Route Overview Map for Day 2 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 76 to Milepost 160
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Milepost 160
Day 3 - Kosciusko, MS (milepost 160) to Houston, MS (milepost 230)
Ride Stats for Day 3
- Miles on Parkway: 69.9
- Elevation Gain:
2,005 feet (avg. 28.7 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 4.7% - Elevation Loss:
2,085 feet (avg. 29.8 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -4.3%
- Route Overview Map for Day 3 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 160 to Milepost 230
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Milepost 230
Day 4 - Houston, MS (milepost 230) to Belmont, MS (milepost 303) or Tishomingo, MS (milepost 307)
Currently (starting on August 16, 2023), there is a 17.5-mile closure on the Natchez Trace Parkway just south of Tupelo, MS.
- These 17.5 miles between milepost 239.2 and milepost 256.7 are projected to be closed thru the spring of 2024.
- Below are 3 different options (2 different detour options and 1 no detour route after the closed area reopens) for Day 4 based on the status of the road project/closure/detour.
If you have a support vehicle – we highly recommend driving around the closure on the park service's Marked Detour Route.
NatchezTraceTravel.com has created an Alternative Bicycle Detour Route that is 23.7-miles-long around the 17.5-mile-long closure:
- 21.3 of the bicycle detour miles are on lightly traveled county roads. 2.4 miles at the very southern end are on MS Hwy 32 which has a lot of car and truck traffic and not much shoulder.
- A 1,500-foot section of County Road 101 is gravel. Fortunately, CR 101, like most of the bicycle detour route is fairly flat.
- Dogs also like lightly traveled country roads – several have been reported. You might want to take an air horn to scare dogs away.
- A few street signs at intersections are missing – follow our directions and RideWithGPS cues. There are no detour road signs for the bicycle route.
- If you don’t have a support vehicle – AND
if you don’t feel comfortable biking in traffic for 2.4 miles - OR
encountering dogs along the way - OR
are directionally challenged you should consider:
- Obtaining a ride around the closure. Check with the Tupelo Cycling club: Tupelo Cycling Facebook page.
OR
- We have another detour that goes around this 17.5-mile-long closure AND goes around all of Tupelo - avoids biking on the Parkway between milepost 230 and 266. This detour takes cyclists off the Parkway to the popular Tanglefoot Trail® and back to the Parkway at milepost 266 (Parkway Visitor Center site). - For more information about the closure, Marked Detour Route, Alternate Bicycle Detour Route including a map, click here.
Ride Stats for Day 4
(17.5 miles of Parkway closed - current status - 23.7-mile-long Detour around Closure)
milepost 230 to milepost 293:
- Miles on Parkway (46.6 miles) and Road Detour (23.7 miles): 70.3
- Elevation Gain:
2,517 feet (avg. 35.8 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 3.6% - Elevation Loss:
2,479 feet (avg. 35.3 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -4.6%
milepost 230 to milepost 303:
- Miles on Parkway (56.3 miles) and Road Detour (23.7 miles): 80
- Elevation Gain:
3,028 feet (avg. 37.9 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 5.0% - Elevation Loss:
2,739 feet (avg. 34.2 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -4.6%
milepost 230 to milepost 307:
- Miles on Parkway (60.9 miles) and Road Detour (23.7 miles): 84.6
- Elevation Gain:
3,081 feet (avg. 36.4 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 6.6% - Elevation Loss:
2,942 feet (avg. 34.8 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.1%
Click Here to View Day 4 (including 23.7-mile-long Detour around the 17.5-mile-long Closure):
- Route Overview Map for Day 4 (Route along the Parkway/Detour and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 230 to Milepost 307
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Mileposts 293, 303 or 307
Ride Stats for Day 4
(17.5 miles of Parkway closed - current status - Detour around Tupelo on the Tanglefoot Trail®)
downtown Houston to milepost 293:
- Miles on Parkway (27.9 miles) and Road Detour (69.7 miles): 97.6
- Elevation Gain:
3,230 feet (avg. 33.1 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 5.3% - Elevation Loss:
3,189 feet (avg. 32.7 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.0%
downtown Houston to milepost 303:
- Miles on Parkway (37.6 miles) and Road Detour (69.7 miles): 107.3
- Elevation Gain:
3,765 feet (avg. 35.1 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 5.2% - Elevation Loss:
3,477 feet (avg. 32.4 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.0%
downtown Houston to milepost 307:
- Miles on Parkway (42.3 miles) and Road Detour (69.7 miles): 112
- Elevation Gain:
3,731 feet (avg. 33.3 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 6.6% - Elevation Loss:
3,583 feet (avg. 32.0 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.1%
Click Here to View Day 4 (including Detour around Tupelo on the Tanglefoot Trail®):
- Route Overview Map for Day 4 (Route along the Parkway/Detour and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from downtown Houston to Milepost 307
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day in Belmont / Tishomingo, MS
- Lodging options along the route in case you want to split this longer (net 27 more miles compared to other detour option and net 33 more miles compared to Parkway route with no detour) route into two days
Ride Stats for Day 4
(0 miles of Parkway closed)
milepost 230 to milepost 293:
- Miles on Parkway: 64.1
- Elevation Gain:
2,171 feet (avg. 33.9 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 3.5% - Elevation Loss:
2,133 feet (avg. 33.3 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -4.5%
milepost 230 to milepost 303:
- Miles on Parkway: 73.5
- Elevation Gain:
2,675 feet (avg. 36.4 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 4.9% - Elevation Loss:
2,406 feet (avg. 32.7 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.0%
milepost 230 to milepost 307:
- Miles on Parkway: 78.5
- Elevation Gain:
2,781 feet (avg. 36.4 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 6.5% - Elevation Loss:
2,644 feet (avg. 32.7 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.0%
Click Here to View Day 4 (no detour!):
- Route Overview Map for Day 4 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 230 to Milepost 307
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Mileposts 293, 303 or 307
Day 5 - Belmont, MS (milepost 303) or Tishomingo, MS (milepost 307) to Collinwood, TN (milepost 355)
Ride Stats for Day 5
milepost 303 to milepost 355:
- Miles on Parkway: 52.7
- Elevation Gain:
2,215 feet (avg. 42.0 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 6.3% - Elevation Loss:
1,766 feet (avg. 33.5 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.6%
milepost 307 to milepost 355:
- Miles on Parkway: 48.1
- Elevation Gain:
2,038 feet (avg. 42.4 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 6.3% - Elevation Loss:
1,450 feet (avg. 30.1 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -5.7%
- Route Overview Map for Day 5 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 303 to Milepost 355
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Milepost 355
Day 6 - Collinwood, TN (milepost 355) to Nashville, TN (Northern Terminus at milepost 442)
Ride Stats for Day 6
- Miles on Parkway: 87.8
- Elevation Gain:
5,011 feet (avg. 57.1 feet/mile)
Maximum Grade: 8.4% - Elevation Loss:
5,401 feet (avg. 61.5 feet/mile)
Minimum Grade: -9.8%
- Route Overview Map for Day 6 (Route along the Parkway and Routes to/from Lodging at start and end of the Day)
- Restrooms, Top 30 Favorite Sites, and Exits with Services Nearby Along the Way from Milepost 355 to Milepost 442
- Lodging, Featured Points of Interest and Food at the end of the Day near the Parkway at Milepost 442
Do you appreciate this information and advice?
Natchez Trace Travel Planner
Parkway Map, Top 30 Favorite Sites and Nearby Lodging Map, Lodging Flyer
I/We "Bicycled the Natchez Trace" Merchandise