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Jun 14, 20184 min read

Collecting National Parks - Natchez Trace Parkway Day Six

Missed the previous installment of this series?



We didn't have to go far for the first adventure of the day. We camped at the Meriwether Lewis site which has plenty of hiking trails. We did one (a steep hike down a hollow and then back out again. There were lots of no-see'ums (I don't know the scientifically-correct name for this insect, but it's what my dad always called those annoying bugs that swarm your face but are too small to actually swat away), and the boys moaned about it the whole way and couldn't wait to get up to the car. Not every hike is a bed of roses...


Near the entrance to the site is the grave of Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark) who unfortunately committed suicide at an inn that used to stand near the site. The visitor center had a lovely interpretive center that told about his life and at the gift shop, we splurged and bought a CD of songs all about the Lewis and Clark expedition, along with its companion book. The songs are so catchy and we listened to it over and over for the rest of the day.





Destination: Northern Terminus in Nashville, TN (mi 444)
Planned stops: Phosphate Mine, Fall Hollow, Jackson Falls, Tobacco Farm / Old Trace Drive, Gordon House

Phosphate Mine (mi 390)

Nothing spectacular about this stop, but it was a great chance to stretch the legs, run and see an old phosphate strip mine, and grab a snack from the trunk before heading out again.


Fall Hollow (mi 391)


The kids went nuts with excitement as soon as we pulled off the Parkway. They could see the top of the falls across a big ravine and they went tearing off before I could get the stroller out and the baby strapped in. (Note: this was the first stroller-UNfriendly trail we encountered on the Trace). The trail was steep and gnarly but there were enough hand holds to keep from slipping.







There were two sets of falls. This picture is at the first one. The boys slipped behind the water and got splashed a little. The second falls is even more impressive - with a big carved out space behind the falls and a little pool at the base where you can safely stand under the shower. Big hit!


Tobacco Farm / Gordon House / Old Trace Drive (mi 401 - 407)


There are two spots where you can drive (northbound) on the actual Old Trace and it's worthwhile to do it! This Tennessee section of the Trace is so beautiful (especially to flat swamp-conditioned folks) and the Old Trace follows ridges that dump into steep hollows on either side of you. You can get a great feel for how the Trace followed the natural geography of the terrain.


Tobacco Farm and Gordon House are two stops that are quick, allow you to read a sign, wander around a solitary site and then get back in the car. I missed both due to diaper-changing needs, but the kids (and sign-reading Engineer) enjoyed them.


Jackson Falls (mi 404)



We really went out with a bang. I mean, it was a finale to end all finales. Jackson Falls is a steep descent along a nicely-paved path. There is an upper section of the falls, where it pools on a slippery plateau and then drops off another lip onto another slippery plateau before finally sloughing off to meander away through a creek bed. The Engineer took the the three big boys scrambling up the hill to get to the top of the upper falls and I took the littles to the bottom of the lower falls to splash around.


After awhile, I heard a lot of shouting and I craned my neck to see the bottom of the upper falls where I saw my 9-year-old son standing with blood pouring down his arm. When I finally made it up to him, he was shaking with adrenaline but the bleeding had slowed. At the top of the falls, he had sat down, thought about sliding down, changed his mind, but it was super slick and gravity had already taken the reigns. The Engineer counted him lucky that he hadn't broken his nose when he spun around to his stomach to try to stop himself. I counted the other boys lucky that they didn't follow him down the falls (they are featherweights compared to his bulk and I don't think they would have been able to stop at the first plateau...they would have rocketed off the next set of falls).


It was terrifying, but also the most memorable moment of the trip for the lucky kid and he counts it as one of the most exciting moments of his life. :)


Northern Terminus (mi 444)


We did it! Five Days and Five Nights on the Natchez Trace Parkway! So many beautiful sights and opportunities for learning and precious memories. This style of trip was so much to our liking that we've decided that a grand goal to shoot for is to someday do a similar trip along the Oregon Trail. About five times the distance and not as convenient for us to access at this point in life, but, hey, #goals, right? :)



That raps up our Natchez Trace Parkway adventure! Did you ever chance a vacation at a spot you weren't exactly sure you'd like? How did it turn out? Sharing is caring! Leave a comment and tell me about it. :)



Check out some of my other travel posts:

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Jun 14, 20182 min read

Collecting National Parks - Natchez Trace Parkway Day Five

Missed the first installment of this series?



The kids were so sad to say goodbye to Tishomingo State Park. They loved the campsite with it's great view of the lake and close proximity to the bathhouse. We had a lot planned for the day, though, so we set out!

Destination: Meriwether Lewis Site (mi 385)
Planned stops: Cave Spring, Ivy Green, Glenrock Branch
Soundtrack: Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (audiobook)


Cave Spring (mi 309)


The awesome thing about the Natchez Trace Parkway is that there are literally dozens of quick pull-offs (all notated on the map and by road very clear road signage) that allow you to explore old Indian mounds, or abandoned mines or camps or camps or nature paths...or caves! It wasn't safe to go into these caves, but that didn't stop the boys from lighting up their small kerosene lantern and poking their heads in as deep as they could stretch,


Ivy Green (Helen Keller's Birthplace)


Helen Keller's childhood home is in Tuscumbia, Alabama - another attraction a little jaunt off of the Trace, but since we were so close, we couldn't turn it down.

Shiloh Military Park Battlefield at Natchez Trace Parkway Family Vacation

The house is so much smaller than we expected it would be. Not the sprawling mansion I expected. A docent gave us a tour and pointed out so many interesting things ("This is the china that the Keller family used...the ones that Helen didn't manage to break, anyway."), then we explored the grounds outside, including the cottage where Helen and Annie secluded themselves (it's just outside of the right hand side of the picture - just a few paces from the house!), and, of course, the pump. I've always loved the story of Helen Keller. I've read her autobiography and watched both versions of The Miracle Worker multiple times and the play was one of the first times I was ever exposed to live theater. It was so moving to be in the space where a teacher literally reached into a little girls' silent world and brought her into the light. The boys each bought a braille card from the gift shop and spent the rest of the day in the car trying to learn the letters with their eyes squeezed closed.


Glenrock Branch (mi 364)


This wasn't a planned stop initially, but the baby was getting antsy so we pulled off and found this refreshing creek, stripped shoes and socks off and went wading. Just perfect!


We arrived at Meriwether Lewis site (free, no shower) and picked a great site. Since it was our last night on the trail, we lit a huge bonfire and sang songs and told stories and recounted our highlights. It was probably the most memorable night.



Next up is Day Six of our Natchez Trace Parkway adventure! Did you ever chance a vacation at a spot you weren't exactly sure you'd like? How did it turn out? Sharing is caring! Leave a comment and tell me about it. :)



Check out some of my other travel posts:

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Jun 14, 20182 min read

Collecting National Parks - Natchez Trace Parkway Day Four

Missed the first installment of this series?



For the first time on our trip, we didn't have to start the morning by packing up our campsite. We decided to stay two nights at Tishomingo because of all the things there were to do in the are. Starting with the State Park itself!

Destination: Tishomingo State Park (mi 305)
Planned stops: Shiloh National Military Park
Soundtrack: 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson (audiobook)

Tishomingo State Park


Tishomingo State Part at Natchez Trace Parkway

We live below sea level. Suffice it to say that we get really excited when we hear words like "outcroppings", "drop-offs", "strenuous hike". We could've easily spent the day hiking, but we limited it to a few short-ish trails. They were so much fun that even the three-year-old managed over two miles of up and down terrain on his own two legs. We did the Outcroppings Trail and the Saddleback Ridge Trail.


Shiloh National Military Park


It was about 45 minutes off the Trace, but since it was an opportunity to collect another stamp in our National Park Passport Album, we set aside the afternoon to do it.


We should have set aside an entire day. The visitor center itself it wonderful - artifacts and an amazing 45-minute video (the boys had I had watched it on YouTube before the trip, but we were happy to watch it again, it was that good). But it's the driving tour that's really where it's at. We should have set aside about four hours if we wanted to see everything (and that's if we continued along at a fairly steady pace!) We had only about hour until the park closed.


Shiloh Military Park Battlefield at Natchez Trace Parkway Family Vacation

At the visitor's center, we downloaded an app that provided Park Ranger videos at points along the way and we prioritized the things each of us most wanted to see: Shiloh church, the Hornet's Nest, the spot were Albert Sidney Johnston died. There are dozens and dozens of monuments - where high-high ranking officers fell, where battalions were encamped, monuments for each state's soldiers. We took along the Junior Ranger booklets which had the kids keep an eye out for certain monuments that had key information that they needed to fill in their booklets in order to earn their badges. I can't recommend this stop highly enough. And watching the video (maybe several times) was really the key to having the driving tour be more than just driving through fields and woods.


Stay tuned for Day 5 of our Natchez Trace Parkway adventure! Did you ever chance a vacation at a spot you weren't exactly sure you'd like? How did it turn out? Sharing is caring! Leave a comment and tell me about it. :)



Check out some of my other travel posts:

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