American Location 4 – Natchez Trace Parkway north-central segment

This trip is from the northern terminus of Natchez Trace National Road and off it at the southern terminus into Mississippi and Louisiana.

We started the day by exploring the campground. We were too tired to do much of that when we arrived. There was an inn on the Trace here. Merriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame, stayed here on one of his treks. Sadly, he committed suicide here for unknown reasons. This cabin is a replica of the one that was here at the time.

There is also a memorial.

We soon left the campground and continued south on the Trace. We stopped at another ford (app. MM384). This one had steps so you could cross without getting your feet wet.

Somewhere along the Trace we found a beaver dam.

After driving out of Tennessee into Alabama, our first stop in this state was at Colbert Ferry (app. MM324). This was the site of a ferry across the Tennessee River, which we had just crossed, before a bridge was constructed.

We stopped for a short hike to see Buzzard Roost Spring (app. MM320).

Also for a scenic overlook at Freedom Hills (app. MM317). We had a close encounter with a large hive of bees here. Needless to say, we fled.

We weren’t in Alabama for long. Shortly after crossing into Mississippi (app. MM310), we came to the first of several Native American burial mounds, Bear Creek Mound (app. MM309).