| Scenic Byway: Trace Elements
(Note: For those who've heard the sales pitch for scenic byways -- including the promise of 'tourism dollars' for those whose lives, cultures and jobs are decimated by the arrival of such -- it is important to note that there are No Motels and only one gas station in all 444 miles of this 'scenic byway.' Also, since no billboards are 'allowed,' how is a business located nearby to let travelers on the 'scenic byway' know that it exists? And, they chortle, ninety percent of their glorified footpath is complete! Think you that this does not preclude putting the peons -- that's US -- back on shoe leather? Think again! Ah, the language deception, how it abounds) September/October 2003 By Lynn Grisard Fullman, freelance writer from Birmingham, Alabama Home & Away Magazine (AAA Miami Valley) http://www.homeandawaymagazine.com From Natchez to Nashville, the 444-mile Devil's Backbone is a parkway into the past. They called it the Devil's Backbone. Remote and thickly forested, it was home to deadly snakes and equally dangerous bandits. Solo travelers took extra caution: one careless step could lead to broken bones, and chances were slim that a Good Samaritan would happen along. Despite the dangers, the trail -- also known as the Old Natchez Trace -- was a popular route for those traveling across Mississippi, through a corner of Alabama to the final stop in Nashville, Tennessee. The 444 miles of today's Natchez Trace Parkway is a peaceful path through forests, cypress swamps, farmland, rock-studded hills, marsh, and bottomland. Commercial traffic, businesses and billboards are not allowed, and the speed limit is 50 mph. Since the late 1930s, the National Park Service (NPS) has labored to construct a modern parkway that closely follows the course of the original trace and preserves examples of natural and cultural history. With more than 90 percent of the parkway completed, travelers -- whether cyclists, hikers, horseback riders, or motorists -- find an unhurried route; one they can traverse at their leisure and exit often to visit surrounding cities. On Your Mark Mile markers along the trace direct visitors to historic sites where they can pause and take a closer look. This is perhaps the best way to feel the pulse of the long and winding road. Anchoring the northern end of the trace is Garrison Creek, Tennessee, at mile marker 427. Named for a nearby Army post that dates to the early 1800s, the stop is a trailhead for horseback riders and hikers who travel a nearby 24-mile path that meanders through the highlands. Back in 1810, stands -- places that offered crude shelter and simple meals -- were established up and down the trace. One such stand, found today at marker 400.2, was named Sheboss. The story goes (that) the owner was a Chickasaw (Indian) who spoke little English. When asked a question, he would point to his wife and say, "She boss." The name stuck. Farther down the road at marker 385.9 is Grinder's Stand, where Meriwether Lewis met his death on October 11, 1809. A monument in the shape of a broken shaft marks his grave; some folks say Lewis still roams the area. Also at the site is a campground, picnic area, restrooms and ranger station. Although the stretch of trace through Alabama measures just a bit more than thirty miles, there are plenty of places to stop, including Rock Spring, where a self-guided trail takes walkers on a 20-minute walk around Colbert Creek. The mile-long John Coffee Memorial Bridge begins at marker 328.6. A short hop from the bridge is the Colbert Ferry, where George Colbert reportedly charged Andrew Jackson $75,000 to transport Jackson's army across the Tennessee River. Colbert did so in order to recoup money (that) the government owed him from a land relinquishment deal. At Buzzard Roost Spring, exhibits tell the story of George's brother, Chickasaw Chief Levi Colbert, a wealthy landowner. Levi negotiated treaties with the government that were supposed to benefit his people, but which, some historians say, benefited himself. Keep Moving A picnic area at Bear Creek marks the Alabama-Mississippi state line. Close by is the Bear Creek Mound and Village Site, which features a mound that was built between 1100 and 1300 B.C. for ceremonial use. If you favor water sports, be sure to stop at Tishomingo State Park, just over the border in Mississippi. Named after a Chickasaw chief, the 1,530-acre park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s; it offers camping, picnicking, swimming, canoeing and fishing. The Tupelo Visitor Center, at marker 266, is also the Natchez Trace Parkway headquarters. Visitors can pick up information about the area here, plus take a nature walk through trees. If you have some extra time in Tupelo, go off the parkway to visit Elvis Presley's birthplace, which is part of the Elvis Presley Center that includes museum, chapel, park and gift shop. More Elvis is on display at the recently opened Tupelo Automobile Museum in the form of a 1976 blue Lincoln, which Presley gave to a Denver police captain. The museum houses more than 100 other cars, including a Tucker, an Edsel and a 1948 Jaguar. The last 200-plus miles of the trace have plenty of notable sites. Brashear's Stand at marker 104.5 contains a sunken section of the original Natchez Trace. A few miles south lies the Mississippi Crafts Center, which hosts demonstrations and festivals, and sells woven work, quilts, pottery and jewelry. The southern terminus of the trace ends a few miles out of Natchez, a town renowned for its antebellum mansions. In today's fast-paced world, it is a welcome respite to discover a sanctuary where the only noises belong to nature, the only danger is running low on gas, and the only urgency is of your own making. Before You Go: The tracks of the Trace: There are no motels on the parkway, so make plans to overnight in nearby towns. Gas up: The parkway's only service station is at (mile) marker 193.1. Slow down: The speed limit is 50 mph. Keep an eye out for deer. How long: Plan on two days. Road updates: Contact the Natchez State Parkway for information and road construction updates at 800-305-7417 or http://www.nps.gov/natr |