Southern Section · Mississippi

Natchez Trace
Lower Trace

Jackson to Natchez. Six days, five nights, historic inns and the quiet roads between.

Est. 150-190 Miles 6 Days Vicksburg Windsor Ruins Historic Inns
150-190Miles (est.)
1State
6Days
NPSProtected Parkway
AnyBike Works
ModerateDifficulty

Map: the Natchez Trace Parkway between Jackson and Natchez. The tour also uses state and county roads, including MS 27 into Vicksburg and MS 552 to Canemount.

Elevation Profile
-Total Gain
-Total Loss
-Max Elevation
-Min Elevation
Jackson, MSNatchez, MS
StartJackson, MS
EndNatchez, MS
Best SeasonsMar, Apr & Oct
Fly-In AirportJackson, MS (JAN)
LogisticsWay home from Natchez
LodgingHistoric Inns
SurfacePaved: Trace + State Roads
Prefer to ride north? The tour is written southbound, but the road is the same →
Route Overview

About the Lower Trace

The southern end of the Natchez Trace is where the history is thickest. The tour runs from Jackson to Natchez, one of the oldest cities on the Mississippi. On the way you pass the Vicksburg battlefield, Port Gibson, the Windsor Ruins and Emerald Mound, the second largest Native American ceremonial mound in the US, built around 1400 CE.

"By Day 2 you stop waiting for the roar that never comes. The silence is the whole point."

The terrain is gentle. Rollers through Spanish moss-draped forest, almost no commercial traffic, and smooth NPS pavement on the Trace itself. About half the tour is on state and county roads, and the tour page flags every stretch where the shoulder is unconfirmed. Six days, five nights, four towns, and you finish in Natchez.

Lower Trace At a Glance
DistanceEst. 150-190 Miles
Duration6 Days, 5 Nights
Best ForRiders with base fitness
DifficultyModerate
LodgingHistoric inns
Best MonthsMar · Apr · Oct
Free sample day
Sample Guide · Cue Sheet
See the tour, $19 →
Full tour page in your account
Print any day
📍 From the trail

Real riders. Real phones. Real trip.

Cyclists at the Natchez Trace Parkway sign
POV shot from the bike looking down the Natchez Trace
Cyclist at a Natchez Trace milepost marker
Cyclist silhouetted against sunset on the Natchez Trace
Morning coffee on a B&B porch on the Natchez Trace
Group of cyclists celebrating finishing the Natchez Trace
Post-ride dinner at a Mississippi restaurant
Couple timer photo on the Natchez Trace Parkway
Morning at Rocky Springs campground on the Natchez Trace

Natchez Trace Inn-to-Inn: Jackson to Natchez

6 Days · 5 Nights · Est. 150-190 Miles

Four towns, five nights, all in historic inns. Arrive Sunday, ride Monday to Thursday, take a layover day in Vicksburg and another in Natchez, and head home Saturday. Best in March, April and October.

0

Jackson

Sunday night · Jackson, MS

Fly into Jackson (JAN) and sleep in a historic downtown inn. On Monday you ride out through Clinton to the Trace.

Jackson, MS · The Start
1-2

Vicksburg

Est. 50-60 miles, then a layover day

Ride south on the Trace, then west on MS 27 into Vicksburg. The next day is the 16-mile National Military Park loop, or no bike at all.

Vicksburg, MS · Two Nights
3

Canemount, Lorman

Est. 45-60 miles · The longest day

Vicksburg to Port Gibson and the Windsor Ruins, then a quiet road to Canemount, the only inn in Lorman. Book early. It has six rooms.

Windsor Ruins · Near Port Gibson
4-5

Natchez

Est. 44 miles, then a layover day

Thirty miles of the best road on the Trace, ending at the southern end of the parkway. Then a full day in a town built for walking. Day 6 is home.

Natchez, MS · The Finish

See the full tour, $19 →

Must-See

Six Stops on the Tour

Vicksburg
National Military Park

A 16-mile loop through the siege lines. The park fee is $10 per cyclist, card only.

Milepost 54.8
Rocky Springs

A ghost town swallowed by forest. The original 1837 church is still standing.

Milepost 39.2
Port Gibson

The town Ulysses Grant called too beautiful to burn. Antebellum architecture and the famous golden hand church steeple.

Just off Milepost 41
Windsor Ruins

23 Corinthian columns standing in the forest. All that is left of Mississippi's grandest antebellum mansion after an 1890 fire.

Milepost 10.3
Emerald Mound

Second largest Native American ceremonial mound in the US. Built around 1400 CE. It adds 2 miles and is worth it.

Natchez
The Bluff

Antebellum homes, the river bluff, and the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. Two nights, so you can walk it.

Essential Information

Before You Go
Getting There
  • Fly into Jackson, MS (JAN)
  • Day 1: ride out through Clinton to the Trace
  • Home from Natchez: fly out, one-way rental, or a van
  • The tour page has phone numbers and costs
Food & Resupply
  • There is no food on the Trace itself
  • Pack lunch on Days 1 and 4
  • Canemount serves dinner only if you arrange it
  • The Vicksburg park takes cards only
Road Conditions
  • Federally protected, commercial traffic prohibited
  • Smooth NPS-maintained pavement
  • 50 mph speed limit, courteous drivers
  • No shoulder on the Trace, so ride single file
What to Pack
  • Road, hybrid or touring bike, any gearing works
  • Panniers or bikepacking bags both fine
  • Insect repellent, essential in spring
  • Rain gear, afternoon storms are common

Your tour, in your pocket

Included with the tour
On your home screen
  • The tour is a web page, no app store
  • iPhone: Share, then Add to Home Screen
  • Android: browser menu, then Install app
Saved for offline
  • One tap on Wi-Fi saves the whole tour to your phone
  • Days, inns, food stops and phone numbers work with no signal
  • Sign out and the saved copy is removed
Today
  • Set your Day 1 date and the page opens on that day
  • Next food stop, water, warnings
  • Tonight's inn with a call button and directions
Route line and print
  • Days 1 and 4 draw the Trace section of the ride, with your position while the page is open
  • Print any day as a one-page cue sheet
  • No turn-by-turn and no audio

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ride it Natchez to Jackson instead of Jackson to Natchez?
Yes, it is the same road. The tour is written southbound, Jackson to Natchez, so the ride out of Jackson, the layover days and the way home all fit that direction. Winds generally favor riding north, so southbound has some headwind days. The payoff is finishing in Natchez.
Is the Natchez Trace suitable for beginners?
It suits riders with some base fitness. Riding days run roughly 40-60 miles, with two layover days. The Trace itself is smooth NPS pavement with gentle grades and almost no commercial traffic. The biggest challenge is saddle conditioning, not the hills. Start training your sit bones at least 4 weeks before you go.
What is the best time of year to cycle the Natchez Trace?
March to April and October are the best months. Spring brings rain, so carry a real rain jacket. Summer is rideable but hot and humid, so avoid July and August. Book inns 6 to 8 weeks ahead for the good months. Canemount has only six rooms.
Do I need a road bike or can I ride a hybrid or touring bike?
Any bike works. Everything on the tour is paved: about half on the Natchez Trace Parkway and half on state and county roads. Road bikes are fastest, but loaded touring bikes and hybrids are common and comfortable. What matters more than bike type is bike fit. A poorly fitted bike becomes unbearable by the second day. Get a proper fit before your tour, not after.
How do I handle the point-to-point logistics? What do I do with my car?
Fly into Jackson (JAN). On Day 1 you ride out through Clinton to the Trace, about 10 miles on city and suburban streets. A taxi van or a Jackson bike shop may shuttle you to the Clinton Visitor Center instead. Getting home from Natchez is the harder part. You can fly out of Natchez to Houston, pick up an Enterprise one-way rental to Jackson airport (the office is closed Sundays), or book a van ahead. If you drive to Jackson, the airport long-term lot is $13 a day. The tour page lists each option with phone numbers.
What is the bad hour?
Somewhere on your second day in the saddle, usually a dozen or so miles in, you hit a low patch. Legs heavy, head asking why you signed up. It passes. Eat something, drink something, keep turning the pedals. Riders who know it is coming get through it fine.
Can couples with different fitness levels ride together?
Yes, but mismatched fitness is the most common reason tours go badly. The faster rider ends up waiting at every stop, gets cold, and grows resentful. The slower rider feels guilty and pushes too hard. The fix is simple: agree on a meeting system before you leave. Faster rider continues to the next waypoint, stops, eats, rests. Slower rider rides their own pace. You leapfrog the whole route and both riders have a great time.
Is camping available along the route?
Camping is thin on this route, and the tour is built around inns. Natchez State Park has tent sites about 10 miles north of town. Rocky Springs, at milepost 54.8, is a free NPS campsite in a ghost town, but it has no drinkable water. A camping version of the tour would need its own chain of stops.
How much does a self-guided Natchez Trace tour cost?
It depends on where you sleep. Camping keeps it low; inn-to-inn with historic B&Bs runs roughly $150-260 a night per room. Add food, getting to the start in Jackson, and getting home from Natchez. The tour page lists every inn with its price range.
Can I ride the Natchez Trace on an e-bike?
Yes, with planning. Day 3 is the range test, with up to 60 miles of rolling terrain. Charge fully in Vicksburg and ask Canemount about an outlet for overnight charging. Vicksburg National Military Park allows e-bikes under 750W, but not riding on the motor alone.

Ready to Ride Jackson to Natchez?

$19 opens the full tour page: every day, every inn, and every way home from Natchez. Print any day and take it with you.

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