Natchez Trace Digression

2025-04-12
MS/AL/TN Tristate Area

Today I started back on the Natchez Trace Parkway, driving to the Pharr Indian Mounds. These are ancient burial mounds near what was a fairly large city at the time. Sometimes I wonder about the effort to do this before metal spades and wheelbarrows.

A bit bigger than gopher mounds
A bit bigger than gopher mounds

Next up was Tishomingo State Park, which is right on the Trace. They have seven hikes, and a few of them looked fun. However, my knee popped as I was getting into bed last night and I have no idea what that means but it is a little painful this morning. Thus I decided to take it easy and not do the planned three mile hike. (Future Chuck notes that the knee continues to feel better as the day goes on and is not noticeable in a couple days). Instead I did a half a mile by the river, and got to cross their CCC "swinging bridge," so at least there was that.

The Brady Bunch would have been way over the limit
The Brady Bunch would have been way over the limit
Swinging bridge, not to be confused with swaying or wobbly bridges.
Swinging bridge, not to be confused with swaying or wobbly bridges.

From here I went to Natural Bridge, Alabama. Compared to the one in Virginia this wasn't a whole lot. The attraction opened in 1956 and I feel that progress on the facilities has slowed over the years. Again I chose to shorten the trail to half a mile, but I did get to see both the "rock that looks like an Indian" and the bridge itself. By the way, a natural bridge is a subset of an arch, and Utah is full of the latter (and some of the former) most of which are better. You do get to walk around the inside of the cave at least.

If you squint it looks like an Indian who just ate a beignet to cause all the white.
If you squint it looks like an Indian who just ate a beignet to cause all the white.
Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge

The plan was to visit Dismals Canyon next, but their construction project is not finished yet so they are closed. Checking my preplanned alternatives, I went to Rattlesnake Canyon for lunch. This is a restaurant that is literally in a cave. The burger was decent, and the camp sites were packed for some event. A cool stop. Still, I have to admit today feels like one of those days that google says "You can get there by taking these two roads. However, it will save 6 seconds if you use these 17 roads instead..."

The
The "taxi" bringing down a dozen people from the parking lot
Yup, it's literally in a cave. Literally literally, not literally figuratively.
Yup, it's literally in a cave. Literally literally, not literally figuratively.

Onward to Shiloh National Military Park. This was again a lot of canons and obelisks. They did an excellent job with the tour signage, and I took the driving tour, stopping to ponder the various battle sites. This park is fine for what it is, but I keep expecting them to be more like Gettysburg, with a big museum. I think in this case I probably should have gone with the other option and visited Corinth. I can't say it's better, but I know that this park wasn't worth the travel time.

Typical monument at Shiloh
Typical monument at Shiloh

I got a room outside of Muscle Shoals AL for the night. I picked it because it's close to the Trace. Don't ask me about the music scene. I wouldn't avoid it, but I didn't seek it out either.

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