Church Hill / Natchez Trace Loop Route

Christ Church - Church Hill, Mississippi

Christ Church Church Hill, MS

Photo Credit: Michael Chapman Studios
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The Church Hill Loop is 22 miles long - 12 miles along Mississippi Highway 553 and 10 miles along the Natchez Trace Parkway from milepost 10.3 to milepost 20.

Church Hill Loop Route Map

The rural community of Church Hill is located at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 553 and Church Hill Road. The area is named after Christ Church which sits atop a terraced hill. Built circa 1790, the building's design was copied from the old country church buildings of England.

Across the intersection is a wooden country store built around 1837. The store bears the name Wagners Grocery on the upper header of the store. The store was closed in the late 1990s, after which it was donated to the Church Hill historic society for preservation. It also functioned as the Church Hill, MS post office. It is the oldest known all-wooden heart pine country store that had a post office in the southeastern United States.

Antebellum plantations line both sides of Highway 553. Plantations along this 12 mile stretch of road include Gayoso, Pecan Grove, Logonia, Oak Grove, Cedars, Woodland and Springfield Plantation where Andrew Jackson and Rachel Robards were married in 1791. All of the properties are privately owned and not open to the public. Christ Church and the plantations are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sites along the Natchez Trace Parkway section of the loop include: Bullen Creek, Coles Creek, Mount Locust, Loess Bluff, Turpin Creek and Emerald Mound.

Biking:

Many cyclists bicycle the Church Hill Loop. Highway 553 is lightly traveled. Best place to park is at Coles Creek on the Parkway at milepost 17.5 (Coles Creek has a restroom and a picnic area). From Coles Creek you can bike either north or south on the Parkway to Highway 553.

Directions:

At the south end of the loop exit the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 10.3 (the Emerald Mound exit). After a tenth of a mile Highway 553 bears to the right (road to Emerald Mound goes straight). Christ Church is 6.5 miles to the north. Continue north on Highway 553 past the entrance to Springfield Plantation and the highway heads east back to the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 20. See RidewithGPS route at the bottom of this page.

Services:

There is one convenience store along the loop route - Church Hill Variety is open Monday thru Saturday from 6am to 6pm, serving lunch starting at 11am.

Both Coles Creek and Mount Locust stops on the Trace have a bathroom facility, drinking fountain and a picnic area.

Nearby Lodging:

Brandon Hall Plantation Bed and Breakfast

Church Hill Loop Route Photo Gallery

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