Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Chickasaw Village Site to Old Town Site Overlook (Blog Hike #892)

Trail: Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
Hike Location: Natchez Trace Parkway, Chickasaw Village Site and Old Town Site Overlook
Geographic Location: Tupelo, MS (34.27877, -88.74196)
Length: 4.9 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2022
Overview: An out-and-back on the best-developed section of the historic Natchez Trace.
Trail Information: https://www.nps.gov/natt/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=903399

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: The Chickasaw Village Site is located at mile marker 261.8 on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  This mile marker is located on the west side of Tupelo 0.8 miles south of SR 178.

The hike: For my introduction to the Natchez Trace, see my hike at Mount Locust Inn near Natchez.  For my final hike on the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail for spring 2022, I chose to hike the well-developed and well-maintained section of trail on the west side of Tupelo.  Unlike some other parts of the Trace, modern intrusions are everywhere on this hike.  Nevertheless, the high trail maintenance makes the hiking here more pleasant than on some other portions of the historic Trace, and I had a nice hike here.

Northbound trailhead at Chickasaw Village Site

            From the Chickasaw Village Site, head north on the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, which heads back toward the Parkway.  A brown metal mileage sign says it is 2 miles to Old Town Overlook and 4 miles to Tupelo Visitor Center, but those mileages are a little low based on my calculations.  A shelter with interpretive signs at the Chickasaw Village Site tells about the Chickasaw people and their way of life.  The trail enters the young woods dominated by red cedar trees at a carsonite post and descends slightly to cross a wetland on a wooden boardwalk.

Wetland boardwalk

            At the north/east end of the boardwalk, the trail curves left to begin paralleling the Parkway, which sits only feet to the right.  Due to this hike's location on the west side of Tupelo, traffic noise is everywhere on this hike.  After passing through a sunny field, you cross a creek that featured some turtles sunning on logs on my visit.  Next the trail heads back into the woods and crosses an active railroad track at a developed crossing.  Of course, you should check for trains before crossing.

Crossing SR 178

            At 0.9 miles, you return to the shoulder of the Parkway and cross SR 178 using the Parkway's bridge.  The shoulder on the bridge is somewhat narrow and Parkway traffic moves fast, but crossing SR 178 this way is better than trying to dodge cars on the 4-lane state highway.  After crossing a Parkway entrance/exit ramp via a marked crosswalk, the trail enters a narrow strip of pine and sweetgum woods with the Parkway close on the right and residential Clayton Road close on the left.  Thus, this hike's urban feel becomes even more apparent here.

Hiking in the narrow woods corridor

            1.7 miles into the hike, you cross residential Lakeshire Drive before continuing north in the narrow woods corridor.  At 2.2 miles, the trail joins the east shoulder of Old Town Road and crosses I-22 on the road's bridge.  Fortunately, this road bridge is not as heavily traveled as the Parkway bridge you used as a highway crossing earlier.

Pond at Old Town Overlook

            The trail does not cross Old Town Road but curves right to reenter the forest on the road's east side.  After dipping through a steep ravine, you come out at the pondside picnic area adjacent to the Old Town Overlook.  The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail continues north, but the scenic picnic area is a good place to turn around after enjoying a snack and rest.  To add a little variety to your return route, just before getting back to the Chickasaw Village Site, a short interpretive loop trail exits right.  The interpretive loop describes some of the common trees in the area, and it comes out behind the Chickasaw Village Site interpretive shelter.