Nataches trace

[Fritz The Cat]

I've always wanted to do it but it's a loooooong ride to get there.

Is it worth it?

Thanks

[CajunRider]

It's not the Dragon's Tail... but it's quite a nice ride with beautiful scenery. 

I wouldn't go thousands of miles out of my way for it, but if you're passing anywhere near it, I highly recommend riding at least part of it. 

 

Wish I had a few pictures of it for you, but I never took out my camera.   

[..]

Well the top 40 or 50 miles are OK

Then it's flat, deer, straight, deer, boring, deer, police, deer

Have you ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway???

[BF]

Google images for Natchez Trace Parkway.......

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1008&bih=586&oq=Nataches+trace+&gs_l=img.12...2223.2223.0.3591.1.1.0.0.0.0.128.128.0j1.1.0....0...1ac.2.32.img..1.0.0.V2SVej8c-VM&q=Nataches%20trace#hl=en&q=Natachez+Trace+Parkway&tbm=isch&imgdii=_

[alph]

here you go, check out the cycle on their home page!!  it scrolls to a bunch of other pictures like the big white bridge, a bunch of people riding bicycles, then some guy on a Valkyrie!!

cool!

http://www.scenictrace.com/

[Jess Tolbirt]

I live here at the top end of the trace just outside of nashville. if you like trees you will love the trace.. trees trees trees and more trees,,o yea and an occasional bend in the road too.. and bicycles,, hundreds of them,,,and a 45 mile per hour limit for most of it..my driveway is more exciting than the trace.. but if you want a slow leisurely ride on a bright summers day this is a good one...i would sat the cherola (sp) skyway would be a heck of a lot better.. or the blue ridge as stated above,,

[BF]

I live here at the top end of the trace just outside of nashville. if you like trees you will love the trace.. trees trees trees and more trees,,o yea and an occasional bend in the road too.. and bicycles,, hundreds of them,,,and a 45 mile per hour limit for most of it..my driveway is more exciting than the trace.. but if you want a slow leisurely ride on a bright summers day this is a good one...i would sat the cherola (sp) skyway would be a heck of a lot better.. or the blue ridge as stated above,,

That would be me.  I'm not a "spirited" rider by any means.  Sounds like I'd like the Trace.  

[sandy]

The scenery on the trace is only part of the ride. You need to take your time and stop at most of the turnouts. Most of them have history of the trace and some Civil War history too. Native American burial mounds are in the area.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Well the top 40 or 50 miles are OK

Then it's flat, deer, straight, deer, boring, deer, police, deer

Have you ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway???

I second this....top part in TN is the best  

[hubcapsc]

A big crowd of us went the whole way  a few years ago...

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php?topic=20416.0

Britman's right, we had a bad deer incident. And there's a police story: there were 50 or 70 of
us, I was at the tail end. We were going 60 or 65 mph... all of a sudden there was a white SUV
on my tail... tailgating me real bad. So I slowed down a bunch as an indication that I didn't
really like having him that close. He went around me, and I saw that it said "Law Enforcement"
on the back of his vehicle.

So I sped back up... Now there's  a line of Valkyries, an SUV and then another Valkyrie going
15 or 20 mph over the speed limit down the Trace. The SUV blipped his lights, nobody slowed
down, nothing changed. On we went. He blipped his lights again. On we went. I wondered
where this was leading... maybe a road block up ahead? Finally he gave up or something,
and pulled off. The line of Valkyries continued on down the Trace, speed unchanged 

-Mike

[Pete]

The Trace is a quiet peaceful ride. It has great scenery from one end to the other.
Not much traffic, no commercial traffic, no red lights or stop signs.
Lots of wildlife.

Lots of history, so do a little of reading before and a lot of stopping and reading of the historical markers.

Speed limit is typically 50.

Riding in the spring, lots of stuff in bloom, in the fall lots of leaf colors. In the summer ride early and hit a hotel/swimming pool by 2:00 PM because of the heat. I would not ride it at night - herds of deer.

Plan your stops as services are off the Trace, mostly.
Have fun.

[Fritz The Cat]

Thanks all. I've done the BRP several times and it's my idea of the ultimate ride. I absolutely hate straight roads but the Trace seems like it has a lot to offer in spite of them. Gonna do it in the spring.

[..]

Thanks all. I've done the BRP several times and it's my idea of the ultimate ride. I absolutely hate straight roads but the Trace seems like it has a lot to offer in spite of them. Gonna do it in the spring.

You might join the many who bailed at Tupelo due to the boooooooooooooooooooooredom.

Do watch out for local PD, DNR and other Govt agencies who use the Trace as a revenue source.

[CajunRider]

That would be me.  I'm not a "spirited" rider by any means.  Sounds like I'd like the Trace.  

Yeah... I forgot to mention the speed limit and deer as mentioned above.

The good thing is that the speed limit makes it easy to avoid deer.  You'll have plenty of time to slow down if you see one.   

But, yes... a nice ride if you're aiming for a nice slow and easy "look at the pretty trees" type of ride. 

You're NOT going to get an adrenalin rush.  But I still recommend riding at least part of it if you happen to pass close by. 

[Billinva]

Nice ride but not very exciting. Like someone said, " Trees. trees, and more trees". You've got to want to do the Trace to enjoy it. For me it was completing the last of American Motorcycle Association's top 15 roads.

[Fritz The Cat]

Thanks all. I've done the BRP several times and it's my idea of the ultimate ride. I absolutely hate straight roads but the Trace seems like it has a lot to offer in spite of them. Gonna do it in the spring.

You might join the many who bailed at Tupelo due to the boooooooooooooooooooooredom.

Do watch out for local PD, DNR and other Govt agencies who use the Trace as a revenue source.

This is do not like. I'm no speeder but being amongst highway thieves does not a fun ride make.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Thanks all. I've done the BRP several times and it's my idea of the ultimate ride. I absolutely hate straight roads but the Trace seems like it has a lot to offer in spite of them. Gonna do it in the spring.

If you are into camping there are 3 free campsites along the Trace. No water or electric at sites but toilets and water at the restrooms. Rocky Springs at mile post 54, Jeff Busby at 193.1 (Where I stayed) and Meriwether Lewis mile post 385.


Dinner 

[bill-jr]

I rode a good part thru Tennessee this summer with the wife on back slow and leasurely I like fit for a Daytrip didn't see any police at all and hardly any cars maybe a dozen total mostly just bikes... Stopped at the turn offs hiked to see some water falls and such not a bad little road being as it's in my back yard