The Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service-managed road that follows an old travel corridor used by Native Americans, traders, and postal riders long before it became a paved scenic route. The Tennessee section from Nashville to the Alabama border has no commercial traffic and a 50 mph limit, so the drive itself is the point rather than a means of getting somewhere. Frequent small pull-offs mark historic trail segments, overlooks, and short walking trails along the route.
| Distance | 100 miles of Tennessee section from Nashville entry to Alabama border |
|---|---|
| Travel time | Full day (no commercial traffic, scenic 50 mph limit) |
| Getting there | Car only; enter parkway at milepost 427 off US-100 south of Nashville. No fuel or food inside the parkway — fill tank and carry provisions before entering. |
| Address | Natchez Trace Pkwy TN entry, US-100 junction, Nashville, TN 37221 |
How to get there
- Mode
- Car
- Detail
- Enter at US-100 south of Nashville or at any listed milepost; free to drive; stop at overlooks and historic wayside exhibits
Location
Natchez Trace Pkwy TN entry, US-100 junction, Nashville, TN 37221
35.9641, -87.2108 View on map
Highlights
- Old Trace segments - short preserved stretches of the original sunken foot-and-wagon trail, walkable from marked pull-offs
- Jackson Falls - a short trail off the parkway leading down to a small waterfall and creek
- The Tennessee Valley Divide and Highland Rim overlooks - marked scenic pull-offs with information on the region's terrain
- Historic Trace mile markers - numbered markers along the route corresponding to points of interest listed on NPS maps