Natchez Trace Parkway ⓘ

The Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Natchez are some of the most historically significant and influential groups of people to have lived along the Natchez Trace. These American Indian nations were some of the first to establish the Natchez Trace, ushering in an era of trade and travel through this region for centuries. Along what is now the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Chickasaw people lived in the northmost region, the Choctaw were in the central area, and the Natchez were the southermost of these three tribes. The people of the Chickasaw Nation , the Choctaw Nation and the people of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians are alive and well today. Visit their webpages to learn more about these modern American Indian tribes.

When you visit Natchez, MS you are visiting the heart of the ancient Natchez homelands. This great nation once thrived in this area, traversing the waterways, establishing trade and travel along the Natchez Trace, and excelling in warfare and diplomacy for years.

The prophets (hopayi') directed their people to move from the west, so the brothers Chiksa' and Chahta led the tribes to the southeast. When the brothers parted ways, Chiksa' became the leader of the Chickasaw people. Skilled traders and warriors, they descended from ancient mound building societies. During the Woodland and Mississippian periods, those people constructed earthen work sacred places for their communities. Many mounds can still be seen today along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The Chickasaw people settled in the thick forests of the areas of what we now call northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, northwestern Alabama, and southwestern Kentucky. They built homes for their families using poles sunk into the ground which supported mud and reed daub walls with thatched roofs. The Chickasaw people nurtured their lands, and ornithologist Alexander Wilson described the land they cared for as park-like settings. Waterways were naturally plentiful and used for sustenance and travel routes for trade. The American Indians of this area also developed a network of trails (traces), the Old Natchez Trace being a main corridor. The corridor was used heavily for trading by tribes from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. Chickasaw communities governed by a democratic process. Minkos (chiefs) led councils of elders. The councils met in council houses and discussed decisions regarding their nation. Along the Parkway you can visit the commemorative site of a Chickasaw Council House at milepost 251.1. The Natchez Trace Parkway, and the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, commemorate and protect remaining portions of the ancient trail. The old trail was likely originally part of the trails of mastodons, giant bison, and other prehistoric and more modern animals.

The richness of the area attracted European explorers who encountered Chickasaw communities. These first Europeans did not make a good impression. Hernando de Soto led a Spanish expedition through southeastern North America in the 1500s. In the Chickasaw homelands, de Soto and his soldiers camped near the town of Chicaza (thought to have been near the region of modern-day Starkville, MS). The Chickasaw minko (chief) presented the Spaniards with deer skins and supplies. The Spanish then demanded 200 burden bearers (people they could enslave) from the minko to complete their journey. The Chickasaw protected their people by launching a surprise attack on the Spanish soldiers, decimating livestock and several of their men, forcing them to flee the territory. During the early 1700s the Chickasaw warriors allied with European forces, especially with the British. One of the more notable allied battles was the Battle of Ackia in 1736, where the Chickasaw aligned with the British to defeat the French who had enlisted the aid of the Choctaw. Some European settlers integrated with the Chickasaw people. During the early 1800s. James Logan Colbert, from a Jacobite Scot family, married into the Chickasaw leadership in northwest Alabama. The Chickasaw’s matrilineal traditions enabled James's children to inherit the status of their Chickasaw mothers. The Colberts were fluent in both English and Chickasaw. James's sons, George Colbert (Tootemastubbe) and Levi Colbert (Ittawamba), were principal negotiators between the Chickasaw tribe and the United States.The Colberts owned and operated a large plantation and inn for travelers along the Old Trace in Northwestern Alabama. George ran an important ferry business which provided passage of merchants, travelers, and troops across the mighty Tennessee River. He also owned agricultural land in north Mississippi, and his wife, Selichi, ran a respected inn in what is now Tupelo, MS. George Colbert served under Andrew Jackson during the Creek War of 1813-1814. The Alabama inn was primarily run by Levi. Levi was determined to see that his tribe was rightfully compensated when they were forced to remove to Oklahoma. He died prior to the relocation of the Chickasaw people. Colbert descendants remain influential in today’s Chickasaw Nation. Visitors to the Natchez Trace Parkway can explore the site of Levi’s inn and lands at Buzzard Roost Spring at milepost 320.3, and the sites of the plantation and George’s ferry at Colbert’s Ferry at milepost 327.3.

With the influx of European colonizers settling in the southern United States, American Indians were displaced from their homelands, sometimes by treaties and political manipulation, and other times by force. These methods of colonization slowly encroached on the homelands of the Chickasaw people. Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830, required the Chickasaw people, along with all the other eastern American Indian tribes, to move to the western territory. If they chose to remain, they were required to abandon their heritage and traditions and be assimilated into the new culture. Chickasaw people who remained were often ostracized by the white settlers.The Chickasaws were the last tribe to withdrawn to Oklahoma Territory. They had learned about the hardships experienced by other tribes. Encamping near Pontotoc, Mississippi, they waited until they could negotiate an apparently suitable relocation process. They also received funds from the sale of their homelands, which in turn they had to pay for their removal. A large Chickasaw congregation left from Memphis, Tennessee, on July 4, 1838. Like other tribes, the Chickasaws were traumatized and lost many people along the way to their territory in Oklahoma.

Today, the Chickasaw Nation continues to be strong and resolute in preserving its historical connection with North Mississippi and the Natchez Trace Parkway. You can learn about the Chickasaw Nation of the 21st century through the Chickasaw Nation website and enjoy artistic and informative teaching videos at Home | Chickasaw.tv

Nearly 39,000 of the Natchez Trace Parkway's 52,000 acres are maintained in a "natural" condition, i.e., forests, non-agricultural fields, and open water. The majority of these lands are contained within the narrow 800 foot wide boundary that parallels the parkway itself. While it is by no way an intact, pristine ecosystem, the park is still exceptional from a natural resources standpoint. The Natchez Trace Parkway forms an almost continuous greenway, or transect, from the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee to the loess soil bluffs of the lower Mississippi River. Over its length it crosses four ecosystem provinces, eight major watersheds, and twelve physiographic regions. Forest types range generally from oak-beech in the far south, to oak-pine mixes covering the vast middle section, to oak-hickory dominating in the north. Habitats represented within the park are diverse and include: streams, lakes, swamps, riparian woodlands, bottomland hardwood forests, upland hardwood forests, pine and mixed hardwood forests, prairie, fallow fields, and agricultural croplands. These habitats are preserved as living laboratories for scientific research, but are also available for the enjoyment and education of the visiting public.

From highland and ravines, to Blackland Prairie, to swamps & farmlands, the Parkway includes an impressive number of plant species.

Foot hills of the Appalachians, blackland prairie, swamps, bottomlands, over 444 miles from southwest to northeast.

Birding opportunities abound along our 444 miles of Parkway! As the Parkway winds through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, it crosses several distinct ecoregions which means there is the potential to see just about any type of bird found in the Southeast U.S. We have hardwood forests, pine forests, prairie, wetlands, swamps, rivers, and more so whatever type of bird you are interested in, we probably have it! For a comprehensive list of bird species found along the Parkway, visit our “Animals” page and set the species category to “Birds.”

If you are new to birding, a great place to start is the Beginner Birding page on the NPS website . You don’t need anything but a love for birds and some patience to start birding, but a good field guide and a pair of binoculars will help a lot. We have bird field guides available for purchase in our Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo, MS. You can also ask for a handout on common birds on the Parkway at the front desk. The best way to see birds is to find a spot with good habitat, be still and quiet, and simply wait. Good habitat means a place with abundant plant and insect life and preferably a source of water nearby. However, birds can be found just about anywhere. Even in our parking lot and lawn around the Visitor Center, we see a large and diverse number of birds.

Sweetwater Branch (MP 363) -Songbirds and woodpeckers abound at this short nature trail with a bubbling stream. Rock Spring (MP 330.2) -A fascinating nature trail that sees hordes of hummingbirds in the late summer when the jewelweed is blooming. Colbert Ferry (MP 327.3) -This site along the Tennessee River is great for waterbirds of all kinds including ducks, grebes, herons, anhinga, kingfishers, and shorebirds. Chickasaw Village (MP 261.8) -The blackland prairie here attracts sparrows, indigo buntings, prairie warblers, and more while the open skies are often dotted with red-shouldered hawks and vultures. Jeff Busby (MP 193.1) -Chickasaw plum and other native plants along the nature trail attracts all sorts of woodland birds. River Bend (MP 122.6) -Where the Pearl River meets the Ross Barnett Reservoir. You can see ducks, herons, and the occasional eagle here.

Cypress Swamp (MP 122) -Woodpeckers and swamp birds like hooded warblers and red-winged blackbirds can be found here. In this mysterious area, who knows what you might see!

While watching birds can deepen our connection to nature and our community, it can also help scientists conserve birds—if you share what you see. Learn more about sharing your data and observations .

Learning about birds and sharing what you see is a great way to start helping birds. However, there is so much more we can do to help out our feathered friends! From simple acts like turning off outdoor lights at night to more involved ones like making your windows bird-safe, there are many ways to help birds. You can find out more about how to help birds on the NPS Conservation at Home site .

The Natchez Trace Parkway manages three campgrounds along the length of the 444 mile Parkway. Those campgrounds are Meriwether Lewis at Milepost 385.9, Jeff Busby at Milepost 193.1 and Rocky Springs at Milepost 54. The three Parkway campgrounds are free, primitive, and available on a first come, first serve basis. They do not offer electricity, showers, or dump stations. The maximum stay at our campgrounds is 14 days per campground per calendar year. All camping must take place within designated campgrounds. The Natchez Trace Parkway does not allow dispersed camping. Those who are biking the Parkway may be interested in the bicycle-only campgrounds along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Note: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has banned the transport of firewood from some states to prevent the spread of highly destructive insects.

Meriwether Lewis Campground, milepost 385.9 The campground closest to Nashville, TN Check out the current weather, and monthly averages for temperature and precipitation here.

Jeff Busby Campground, milepost 193.1 1 1/2 hours south of Tupelo, MS and 1 3/4 hours north of Jackson, MS Check out the current weather and monthy averages for temperatures and percipitation here.

Rocky Springs Campground, milepost 54.8 This campground is an hour north of Natchez, MS, and an hour south of Jackson, MS Check out the current weather and monthly averages for temperature and precipitation here.

Many non-NPS campgrounds along the Parkway corridor offer electricity, showers, and dump stations. Check the complete updated list of all the campgrounds along the Parkway for the locations and services offered by private and public campgrounds at Campgrounds on or Adjacent to the Parkway .

662 680-4027 The Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo, MS, is open 9am-4:30pm seven days a week. The visitor center is closed Thanksgiving, December 25th and January 1st.