Bicycling the Natchez Trace Rules and Recommendations
Safety rules and recommendations for biking the Natchez Trace Parkway including the high-traffic vehicle areas of Jackson and Tupelo.
The National Park Service recommends that bicyclists not use the following areas during heavy traffic periods:
Jackson, Mississippi area:
- Vehicle traffic through the greater Jackson area can be very heavy from milepost 87 (I-20 intersection) to milepost 103 (Old Canton Road). Try to avoid weekday rush hour times: 7:00-9:00 a.m. and from 3:00-6:00 p.m.
- The town of Ridgeland, MS maintains a Multi-Use Path that generally parallels the Natchez Trace Parkway. The path is currently complete from milepost 100.7 (Choctaw Agency) to milepost 105.6 (Reservoir Overlook parking area). And, sometime in the future the path will be extended further south to milepost 92 (US Highway 49). The busiest vehicle traffic area in Jackson is from I-55 (milepost 101) to Old Canton Road (milepost 103). We recommend that you ride on the path rather than the parkway through this section when vehicle traffic is heavy. The Parkway Information Cabin at Ridgeland visitor center with bathroom facilities is located in this area at milepost 102. For more information about the Multi-Use Path, click on this link.
Tupelo, Mississippi:
- Vehicle traffic through Tupelo can be very heavy from milepost 258 to milepost 268.
- Try to avoid weekday rush hour times: 7:00-8:30 a.m. and 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Bicycle Regulations and Safety Guidelines:
- To view the park service's "Bicycle Regulations and Safety Guidelines" click here.
- Natchez Trace Cycling, a non-profit cycling organization "Promotes Cycling and Cycling Safety on the Natchez Trace Parkway" click here.