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Natchez Trace Parkway
Completion Celebrated
This spring, 67 years after construction of the Natchez Trace Parkway began,
the final 20+ miles of the Parkway will be open to visitors. On Saturday, May
21, the National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, and federal,
state, and local officials will celebrate the completion of construction of the
last two segments of the 444-mile Parkway that travels from Natchez, Miss.,
through the NW corner of Alabama, to Nashville, Tennessee. The last two segments
to be finished, Sections 3P and 3X, are in the Jackson and Natchez, Miss.,
areas.
RVers will find nature trails, portions of the original trace, scenic
overlooks, historic monuments, bridges and visitor centers. The Parkway Visitor
Center is located at milepost 266, near Tupelo, Miss., and is open every day
(except Christmas Day) from 8-5 CST.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by
Natchez Trace Parkway Superin-tendent Wendell Simpson in Natchez, Miss., will
feature Senators Thad Coch-ran and Trent Lott as keynote speakers. The public is
invited to attend the following events celebrating the Parkway's
completion:
- Opening Section 3P, 11-11:30 a.m., Sat., May 21, Natchez Trace
Pkwy. at Pinehaven Rd. in Clinton, Miss.
- Ribbon-cutting celebrating the
completion of the Parkway by opening the Parkway's southern terminus (Section
3X) in Natchez.
- Ribbon-cutting at Section 3X and DAR Marker Dedication,
2-4 p.m., Saturday, May 21.
All business vehicles are prohibited from the
Trace. Hauling is also prohibited except for recreational use (campers, horse
and boat trailers). RVers are cautioned that total length cannot exceed 55 feet
on the Trace. The speed limit is 50 mph unless posted otherwise.
Look for
more on the Natchez Trace in RV Freewheelin' in June's issue.
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