A 28-mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway in northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama was closed for repaving starting November 3, 2021.
The closure and detour is between mileposts 293.4 and 321 near the towns of Belmont, MS, Tishomingo, MS and Cherokee, AL.
Phase Two of the paving project is scheduled to begin May 9, 2022.
- During the paving project no tourism activities from milepost 293.4 to 321 will be allowed on the parkway. Bicyclists will not be allowed in the closed area.
- The detour route (see map below) setup by the national park service, marked with signs (Marked Detour Route), takes vehicles on US 72, MS 25 and MS 4.
- None of these roads are safe for bicycle travel.
- US 72 is a four-lane, divided highway. Fortunately, there is a wide shoulder in both directions that cyclists can bike on. However, large trucks will be driving at high speeds just a few feet away.
- MS 25 in the Tishomingo and Belmont areas sees a lot of truck traffic and the road has no shoulder.
- MS 4 also has a lot of truck traffic and no shoulder. I had hoped that part of MS 4 could be used as part of the alternate bike route – but on a recent visit, I saw three logging trucks in five minutes, one passed around me while I was driving 50 mph.
- We have created an Alternate Bicycle Detour Route on two-lane county roads that are lightly traveled. There is one short (less than half a mile) segment on US 72.
- If you are biking with a support vehicle we recommend that you shuttle around the paving project using the Marked Detour Route.
- When cycling always wear brightly colored clothing and have both front and rear lights on your bicycle.
- The Marked Detour Route is 35.8 miles long.
- The Alternate Bicycle Detour Route is 38.1 miles long.
Please be aware of dogs on the bicycle route as dogs also like lightly travelled, country roads. You might want to take an air horn to scare dogs away.
There are four maps included here for the closure/detour. An Overview Map that shows the entire area. Three detailed maps dividing the entire area into three sections – Northern, Central and Southern. Directions for the Alternate Bicycle Detour Route for each section are also included. Below the maps and bicycle route directions are Ride with GPS routes for both "north to south" and "south to north".
Overview Map
South to North Driving Directions:
- Exit the parkway at milepost 293.4 onto John Rankin Hwy (CR 1).
- Turn left onto John Rankin Hwy and go north 1 mile to MS Hwy 4.
- Turn right onto MS 4 and go east 6.7 miles to MS Hwy 25.
- Turn left onto MS 25 and go north 16.5 miles to US 72.
- Turn right onto US 72 and go east 11.6 miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway on ramp.
- Re-enter the parkway at milepost 321 and continue traveling north.
North to South Driving Directions:
Northern Section
US 72/Parkway intersection - Mississippi / Alabama state line
Alternate Bicycle Detour Route Directions
South to North Bicycle Directions:
- County Road 958 in MS becomes Old Natchez Trace Road on the AL side of the stateline.
The Old Trace went thru this area! - Bike northeast 1 mile on Old Natchez Trace Road.
Old Natchez Trace Road ends. - Continue straight onto Allsboro Road, bike north 3.8 miles on Allsboro to Buddy Durham Road.
- Turn right onto Buddy Durham and bike east 0.6 miles to Asphalt Rock Road.
Buddy Durham crosses a river. - Turn left onto Asphalt Rock and bike east 1.5 miles to Sutton Hill Road.
- Turn right onto Sutton Hill and bike east 1.4 miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway overpass.
- Continue on Sutton Hill Road - biking under the Natchez Trace Parkway and bike east 1.7 miles to Mt Hester Road/County Road 15.
- Turn left onto Mt Hester Road and bike north 1.4 miles to Old Covered Bridge Road E.
- Continue straight onto Old Covered Bridge Road E and bike northwest 0.6 miles to Cedar Lane/County Road 7.
Mt Hester Road also goes right (east) at the intersection with Old Covered Bridge Road. Don't turn right, go straight.
Cedar Lane might also be labeled as Fossick Lane. - Turn right onto Cedar Lane and bike north 0.4 miles to US 72.
There is an Exxon market here. Stock up here as there are no markets/restaurants close to the parkway to the north until Collinwood, TN (milepost 355). - Cross the eastbound lanes of US 72 to the westbound lanes. Bike west on the wide shoulder for 0.4 miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway on ramp.
US 72 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Re-enter the parkway at milepost 321 and continue biking north.
North to South Bicycle Directions:
- Exit the parkway at milepost 321 onto US 72.
- Turn right onto US 72 and bike east 0.4 miles on the wide shoulder to an Exxon station on the right.
Note: the Marked Detour Route directs vehicles to the west on US 72.
US 72 is a heavily travelled road – be careful.
Stock up at the market as there are no markets/restaurants close to the Alternate Bicycle Detour Route for the next 19+ miles. - Just past the Exxon station turn right onto Cedar Lane/County Road 7.
Street sign says Fossick Lane. - Bike south 0.4 miles on Cedar Lane to Old Covered Bridge Road E/County Road 15.
- Turn LEFT onto Old Covered Bridge Road E and bike southeast 0.6 miles to Mt Hester Road/County Road 15.
Do NOT turn right onto Old Covered Bridge Road. Old Covered Bridge Road dead-ends a mile to the west. - Continue straight onto Mt Hester Road and bike south 1.4 miles to Sutton Hill Road/County Road 4.
Mt Hester Road also goes left (east) at the intersection with Old Covered Bridge Road. Don't turn left, continue straight onto Mt Hester. - Turn right onto Sutton Hill Road and bike west 1.7 miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway overpass.
Mt Hester Road also goes left at the intersection with Sutton Hill Road. Turn right onto Sutton Hill. - Continue on Sutton Hill Road - biking under the Natchez Trace Parkway and bike west 1.4 miles to Asphalt Road Road.
- Turn left onto Asphalt Rock and bike west 1.5 miles to Buddy Durham Road.
- Turn right onto Buddy Durham and bike west 0.6 miles to Allsboro Road.
Buddy Durham crosses a river. - Turn left onto Allsboro and bike south 3.8 miles to Old Natchez Trace Road.
- Bear right onto Old Natchez Trace and bike southwest 1 mile to the MS / AL stateline.
Allsboro bears to the left.
The Old Trace went thru this area! - Old Natchez Trace becomes County Road 958 on the MS side of the stateline.
Central Section
Mississippi / Alabama state line – south of Tishomingo, MS and Tishomingo State Park
Alternate Bicycle Detour Route Directions
South to North Bicycle Directions:
- From County Road 57 turn right onto County Road 23.
- Bike north 0.2 miles on CR 23 to MS Hwy 25.
- Bike across MS 25 to CR 23 on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Continue straight on CR 23, bike north 1.2 miles to MS 25.
- Bike across MS 25 to CR 23 on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Continue straight on CR 23, bike north 1.8 miles to CR 87.
- Continue straight onto CR 87, bike north 0.1 miles to intersection with County Road 90 (State Park Road).
Spur Route to Tishomingo State Park – turn right onto State Park Road and bike east 0.5 miles to Tishomingo SP.
CR 23 veers to the left at intersection with CR 87. Bike straight onto CR 87. - Continue straight on CR 87, bike north 2.4 miles to County Road 106.
- Turn right onto CR 106 and bike east 0.4 miles to MS Hwy 30.
- Turn right onto MS 30 and bike east 400 feet to County Road 958.
There is no street sign at CR 958.
Spur Route to Bear Creek Saloon Guesthouse – turn right onto MS 30 and bike east 1.4 miles to Bear Creek Saloon. - Turn left onto CR 958 and bike north 5.1 miles to the MS / AL stateline.
North to South Bicycle Directions:
- From the MS / AL stateline bike south 5.1 miles on County Road 958 to MS Hwy 30.
- Turn right onto MS 30 and bike west 400 feet to County Road 106.
Spur Route to Bear Creek Saloon Guesthouse – turn left onto MS 30 and bike east 1.4 miles to Bear Creek Saloon. - Turn left onto CR 106 and bike west 0.4 miles to County Road 87.
- Turn left onto CR 87 and bike south 2.4 miles to County Road 90 (State Park Road).
Spur Route to Tishomingo State Park – turn left onto State Park Road and bike east 0.5 miles to Tishomingo SP. - Continue south 0.1 miles to County Road 23.
CR 87 ends at CR 23. - Continue straight onto CR 23, bike south 1.8 miles to MS Hwy 25.
- Bike across MS 25 to CR 23 on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Continue straight on CR 23 and bike south 1.2 miles to MS 25.
- Bike across MS 25 to CR 23 on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful.
Southern Section
south of Tishomingo SP/Belmont, MS – County Road 1/Parkway intersection
Alternate Bicycle Detour Route Directions
South to North Bicycle Directions:
- Exit the parkway at milepost 293.4 onto County Road 1 (John Rankin Hwy).
- Turn right onto CR1 and bike south 0.8 miles to County Road 2.
Note: the Marked Detour Route directs vehicles to the north on CR 1. - Turn left on CR 2 and bike east 4.4 miles to County Road 17.
- Turn left onto CR 17 and bike north 1.6 miles to County Road 16 (Rock Creek Road).
Spur Route to Belmont, MS (restaurants, markets, grocery stores and lodging) – from CR 2, turn right onto County Road 961 (Washington Street in town) and bike east 2.9 miles to Belmont. - Turn right onto CR 16 and bike east 2.4 miles to MS 25.
- Bike across MS 25 to Green Street on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Continue straight on Green Street, bike east 0.2 miles to County Road 35 (Old Highway 25).
- Turn left onto Old Highway 25 and bike northeast 1 mile to County Road 59.
- Continue straight onto CR 59, bike northeast 1.4 miles to County Road 57.
- Continue straight onto CR 57 and bike northwest 1.7 miles to County Road 23.
- Turn right onto CR 23 and bike north 0.2 miles to MS 25.
North to South Bicycle Directions:
- From County Road 23 bike south 0.2 miles to County Road 57.
- Turn left onto CR 57 and bike southeast 1.7 miles to County Road 59.
CR 23 turns right at the intersection with CR 57. Turn left onto CR 57. - Continue straight onto CR 59, bike southwest 1.4 miles to County Road 35 (Old Hwy 25).
- Continue straight onto Old Hwy 25, bike south 1 mile to Green Street.
- Turn right on Green Street and bike west 0.2 miles to MS 25.
Spur Route to Belmont, MS (restaurants, markets, grocery stores and lodging) – continue biking south on Old Hwy 25 for 0.9 miles to Front Street. Turn left onto Front Street and bike south 0.2 miles to Main Street. - Bike across MS 25 to County Road 16 (Rock Creek Road) on the other side.
MS 25 is a heavily travelled road – be careful. - Continue straight on CR 16, bike west 2.4 miles to County Road 17.
- Turn left onto CR 17 and bike south 1.6 miles to County Road 2.
- Turn right onto CR 2 and bike west 4.4 miles to County Road 1 (John Rankin Hwy).
- Turn right on CR 1 and bike north 0.8 miles to the Natchez Trace Parkway on ramp.
- Re-enter the parkway at milepost 293.4 and continue biking south.
Alternate Bicycle Detour GPS Routes
Biking North to South:
Biking South to North:
