Place

Witch Dance, Milepost 233.2

Trail and Picnic Area at Witch Dance
A wooded trail with picnic tables to the sides.

NPS

Quick Facts
Location:
Natchez Trace Parkway, Milepost 233.2
Significance:
Horse Trail access, picnic area, restrooms, local folklore

Accessible Sites, Benches/Seating, Grill, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Hitching Post/Corral, Information, Information - Maps Available, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Picnic Table, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Toilet - Flush, Trailhead, Trash Dumpster, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Wheelchair Accessible

Witch Dance is a stop along the Parkway steeped in local folklore and many opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities. The site features amenities such as bathrooms, picnic tables, and access to miles and miles of hiking and horseback riding trails through the Tombigbee National Forest. 

Local folklore tells of witch craft and rituals that possibly took place in this area. Legend has it that the places their feet touched in their ceremonies caused the grass to wither away and never grow again. 

While these stories are simply local legends and folklore passed down through generations, keep a lookout as you explore the area. Who knows, you may come across some areas of bare ground! 

Witch Dance has two shaded picnic areas, one at the horse trailer parking (5 tables-shown in photo), and another upper picnic area 150 yards past the horse trailer parking where horses are not allowed. The upper picnic area has nine tables and grills, including an accessible picnic spot, spread around a shady 250-yard paved loop with parking for cars and RVs. 

The two trailheads near the horsetrail picnic area enter Tombigbee National Forest and lead to a horse camp and the fifteen miles of loops and cross-over trails maintained by US Forest Service. The trails are not accessible. 

Natchez Trace Parkway

Last updated: January 11, 2024