• 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 »

Our Partners

Logo of the Natchez Trace Compact

Logo of the Natchez Trace Compact.

The Natchez Trace Compact

In an ambitious effort to promote visitation to the communities located on either side of the historic route, the Natchez Trace Compact, Inc. was formed in 1999.

Initially composed of five Mississippi cities - Natchez, Jackson, Ridgeland, Kosciusko and Tupelo, the Compact has now added the Mississippi cities of Port Gibson, Raymond, Clinton, and French Camp, the Alabama cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, and the Tennessee cities of Nashville, Franklin, Leiper's Fork, Hohenwald, Collinwood, and Brentwood. Additional communities in each of the states will be added to the Compact as the program's outreach expands.

In addition to the above cities, the state Tourism offices of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee are Compact members as well and work together to ensure a strong marketing partnership. The organization operates under a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the organization and the National Park Service.

Learn more about the communities along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

 
Mississippi hills national heritage area logo. contains green hills, white cloud, blue sky

The official logo for the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area

Logo courtesy of Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area.

The Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area (MHNHA) represents a distinctive cultural landscape shaped largely by the dynamic intersection of Appalachian and Delta cultures, an intersection which produced a powerful concentration of nationally-significant cultural icons. Lasting contributions to our country's musical and literary legacies were forged by Hills natives Elvis Presley, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Howlin' Wolf, and Tammy Wynette.

MHNHA seeks to interpret and share the stories of these individuals, as well as the legacies of Civil Rights pioneers James Meredith and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. MHNHA also focuses on lesser-known figures of historical and cultural interest, as well as events of significance to our nation's history that took place within our borders.

MHNHA is filled with vibrant communities that share a common geography and history, and we invite you to learn about our rich and diverse culture, as well as our people, places, and defining moments. MHNHA is your window on this compelling portion of America's past, and this website highlights the historic, cultural, natural, scenic, and recreational treasures of the Mississippi Hills.

Did You Know?

The view from Little Mountain, one of the highest points along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The terrain along the Natchez Trace Parkway changes from 70 to 1,100 feet in elevation and passes through 5 degrees of latitude.