Natchez Trace and Deals Gap; Friday June 10 – Monday, June 18
The Ride: Easyglide, Boots, Lisa, Aviator, Don and Dave covered over 2600 miles during nine days through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia to Natchez, The Natchez Trace, Nashville, Deals Gap, The Tail of the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, The Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Maggie Valley, Muscle Shoals, Joe Wheeler State Park, Rogersville and Vicksburg.
Day 1 – Sunday, June 10: Depart 6 am: Austin to Natchez, Miss 438 mi,. 11 – 11 ½
290 to 21 to 30 to 190 to 63 to 8 to 71 to I 49 to 167 to 28 to 84 to Natchez
Quick Breakfast Stop: McDonalds in Elgin
Gas Stops: Bryan; Huntsville; Jasper; Burkville (Crossroads Grocery); Alexandria
Lodging in Natchez (Twin Oaks B & B)
Dining /Pub Options: Biscuits and Blues 315 Main St; Castle Restaurant & Pub (behind Dunleith Plantation); King’s Tavern
POI: Dunleith Plantation; King’s Tavern
Day 2 – Monday, June 11: Natchez Trace to Tupelo, Miss 294 mi., 7 ½ - 8 hrs
POI: Mammy’s Cupboard; 555 Hwy 61 South, prior to start of Trace
MP 10.3 Emerald’s Mound
MP 15.5 Mount Locust Inn
MP 30/41 exit Windsor Ruins (1 ¼ hr. side trip; Hwy 552 W 10 mi.to Ruins; Port Gibson
POI: Port Gibson side trip (Too beautiful to burn per Ulysses S. Grant)
Rocky Springs
Jackson Exit (Gas Stop)
MP 105: Ron Barrett Reservoir Overlook
MP 122: Cypress Swamp
Kosciusko
MP 180 French Camp
MP 190 Jeff Busby Camp (Gas Stop)
MP 203.5: Pigeon Roost
MP 266 Tupelo (Hwy 178 Exit)
Overnight Lodging: Holiday Inn Express
POI: Trace Visitor’s Center
POI: Elvis Birthplace home
POI: Tupelo National Battlefield (1 mile east of N. Gloster/Main st.)
Day 3 – Tuesday, June 12: Tupelo to Nashville, TN; 205 mi., 5 ½ - 6 hrs (Leisure Day)
Tupelo Trace Visitor’s Center
MP: 269.4: Confederate Soldiers Gravesite
MP 320: Shiloh National Military (Hwy 72 West); Optional Stop
Hwy 72 (Gas Stop)
MP 327 Colbert’s Ferry/John Coffey Bridge
MP 350 Sunken Trace
MP 385: Meriwether Lewis Gravesite
MP 438: Birdsong Hollow Double Arch Bridge
Take Right on Hwy 100 to Loveless Cafe
POI: Loveless Café on Left (8400 Hwy 100)
Nashville
Overnight Lodging: Hampton Inn
POI: Ryman Auditorium; Parthenon; Second St.; Wildhorse Saloon
Day 4 – Wednesday, June 13: Nashville to Deals Gap, NC., 250 mi., 5 ½ hrs
I 40 East; right on I 140E; Exit 11A Airport Hwy to right; left on Hwy 129
POI: Cheoah Dam; Tail of the Dragon; Tree of Shame; Topoco Lodge; Crossroads of Time Motorcycle Campground/Store
Day 5 – Thursday June 14: Deals Gap Riding
Morning Ride: Cherohala Skyway; TOTD; 123 mi. 4 - 4 ½ hrs
129 South; right on 143
POI: Hoopers Bald
Continue to 165 to Tellico Plains
POI: Tellico Plains Gas Stop, if needed
Backtrack on 165; Left on 360 north; right on 411; right on 72; right on 129 to lodge
Afternoon Ride:Wayah Road; Franklin Loop, 120 mi. 4 hrs (Optional, if time).
129 South to Robbinsville; left on 74 north;
Right on Wayah Rd
Right on Patton Rd; Exit right on to 64 North to Franklin
Franklin Gas Stop
Continue 28 north; left on 74; right on 28 to Almond; Stecoah; Fontana Village
Fontana Village
Fontana Dam (largest dam east of the Rockies)
Fugitive Bridge
Tail of the Dragon
Topoco Lodge
Day 6 – Friday: Smoky Mountains Loop; Maggie Valley; Blue Ridge Prky; 200 mi., 6 ½ hrs
North on 129
Right on Foothills Parkway
Right on 321
Right on Little River Road
Right on 441
Clingman’s Dome Turnoff
Bear Right to Clingman’s Dome Rd 7 mi.
POI: Clingman’s Dome
Backtrack to 441; take right
Left on Blue Ridge Parkway
Exit to Hwy 19 North to Maggie Valley
POI: Maggie Valley; Gas & Lunch Stop
POI: Wheel of Time Museum
Backtrack west on 19 to Blue Ridge Parkway
Right on Blue Ridge Parkway North
Left on 441 south
Left on 1166
Right on Hwy 74; right on 28
Stecoah
Left on 129 to Lodge
Overlook by Calderwood Dam
Cheoah (Fugitive) Dam
Lunch Options: Dragon’s Den Barbecue; Maggie Valley: Granny’s Cherokee (441 @ 19)
Topoco Lodge
Day 7 – Saturday: First leg Back to Austin: Deals Gap to Rogersville, Ala; 316 mi., 7 ½ - 8 hrs
Southwestern North Carolina; Northern Georgia; Chattachoochee National Forest
Hwy 129 South to 74 south
Murphy
Left on 60 southwest
Right on 76 to Hwy 5
Right on Hwy 53
Fairmont Gas Stop
Right on 140; Right on 27
Right on 48 to Summerville
Summerville; Mentone
Continue to 117 to 40 to Lake Guntersville
Right on 35 to Scottsboro
Left on 72 to Huntsville
Continue 72 West (via IH 565)
French Mill
Athens Turnoff (Gas Stop)
Joe Wheeler State Lodge, Rogersville, Ala
Day 8 – Sunday: Second Leg Back: Muscle Shoals/Vicksburg, MS; 349 mi; 8 ½ hrs
Left on 72 West
Continue to 43 to Florence
Muscle Shoals: Gas Stop
POI: Ivy Green-Home of Helen Keller
Continue south on N. Main/43
Right on 72 West
Left on 247 Southwest to CD Cemetery (Alt: continue 72 W to NT)
POI: Coon Dog Cemetery
Backtrack to 247; take right and go south
Right on 24 to 23; left on 178; right on 23
Right on 78 west
Hwy 78 Gas Stop
Left on Natchez Trace south
Exit right Hwy 82 West
Left on 55 South
Right on 220 Southwest
Right on I 20 East
POI: Vicksburg National Military Park
Dining Options: Andre’s Restaurant; Borrello’s
Lodging: Battlefield Inn, Vickburg, MS
Day 9 – Monday: Last leg home Vicksburg, MS to Austin 483 mi., 10 ½ hrs
Left on Village St
Right on I 20 West
Take 220 loop around Shreveport
Exit south to Hwy 43 to 259 to 79 to Austin |
