• A curve along the Natchez Trace Parkway with fall colors

    Natchez Trace

    Parkway AL,MS,TN

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  • Sequestration Effects on the Parkway

    On March 1, 2013, the Parkway was required to reduce its annual budget by five percent, in accordance with the sequestration provision of the Budget Control Act of 2011. Click the link to learn about visitor center, restroom, and services impacts. More »

  • Portion of National Scenic Trail Near Tupelo Closed to Hikers

    Part of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (NOT the Parkway) near Tupelo, MS, has been closed until 2015 due to construction under Tupelo's Major Thoroughfare Construction Project. Parkway travelers may expect delays, but no detours are expected. More »

Mammals

White-tail deer

White-tailed deer are often seen along the Natchez Trace Parkway, especially around sunrise and sunset.  Visitors should use extra caution when traveling along the Parkway after dark.  

US Fish and Wildlife Image

As a 444-mile long National Park, the Natchez Trace Parkway provides a safe corridor for wildlife to move between neighboring National Forests, State Parks, and other public lands. The diversity of the 33 confirmed mammal species along the Parkway is outstanding. While traveling on the Parkway, visitors may see mammals on the move, especially around dawn and dusk. Deer are quite common, but a lucky traveler may have a chance to see a coyote, fox, or armadillo. While black bear have been confirmed on the Parkway, due to their large habitat requirements, a bear sighting is extremely rare.

For those interested in seeing mammals at a slower pace, a short walk on a nature trail will provide an opportunity to get off the roadway and see things that many visitors miss.

Download a complete list of mammals of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Did You Know?

Boatmen from the Ohio River Valley walked along the Natchez Trace.

The "Kaintucks", or boatmen from the Ohio River Valley, would walk approximately 500 miles from Natchez to Nashville along the Natchez Trace in about 30 days.