Author: Greg

Greg is a VMI ,MCV and Ohio State graduate. He is a retired prosthodontist (a dental specialist) who enjoys traveling in the Airstream, fishing, national parks, photography and just being outdoors. He rode horses most of his life and loves being around them. He is married to the lovely Martha. Greg and Kelly have been friends since we were 15 years old. Disclaimer: I get no money, kickbacks, rewards or any other favors from anyone.

Natchez Trace From Tishomingo State Park to Hohenwald, Tennessee

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Monday, March 22, 2021

We pulled out of Tishomingo State Park and headed north on the Trace. We were headed for Meriwether Lewis Campground, but it was closed for repairs. We didn’t have far to go, so we stopped at various sites, the first being a walk to the top of a hill. You may take that for granted, but from Natchez to this point, it is very flat, and the road is straight, though quite beautiful, with lush, green grass and farmland. Now the Trace gradually transforms to hill country. Climbing up the hill, we found a nice view. The trees were just starting to turn green.

Driving on, we came to the Tennessee River and were amazed at its size. A ferry would be a very important thing, and a profitable one.

Eight tenths of a mile across
Red buds in bloom

We passed and talked with a bike-rider a couple of times. I wondered how he could cover that much ground. He proudly told us about his Specialized Vado electric bike that he could make 20 mph on. He would ride 30 miles today, 15 miles our and 15 back.

Stopping for lunch at beautiful picnic area called Holly
Holly picnic area
In this area of higher ground, the Trace is inviting
Buffalo River

At beautiful Buffalo Creek, there was a was an iron works. It was also an important crossing of Buffalo Creek due to its rock bottom. This looks like a beautiful stream to float, not to be confused with Buffalo River in Arkansas, a national scenic river.

Buffalo Creek

We drove north to Meriwether Lewis’ death place at Grinder’s Stand (cabin), and walked the Trace for a mile or so in this pretty section.

Old Trace
Jefferson: his courage was undaunted; his firmness and perseverance yielded to nothing but impossibilities, a rigid disciplinarian yet tender as a father to those committed to his charge; honest, disinterested liberal with a sound understanding and a scrupulous fidelity to truth.”

“Why was Meriwether Lewis on the Natchez Trace?  
In September 1809, Meriwether Lewis was living in St. Louis as the appointed Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory. He left St. Louis for Washington, DC, on September 4, 1809, to protest the War Department’s denial of payment vouchers that he had submitted for reimbursement. Lewis traveled with his personal servant, a free African American man named John Pernia (sometimes also spelled Pernier.)” from: https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/exploring-the-meriwether-lewis-site.htm. He stayed at Grinder’s Stand. Two shots were fired in the middle of the night, and Lewis later died of his wounds. It was said to be suicide.

Since Meriwether Lewis Campground was closed, we went just off the parkway to Fall Hollow Campground alongside beautiful the Buffalo River, and that’s all I’ll say about that.

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