Southern Natchez Trace Bicycle Tour

April 7 - 13, 2025

Enjoy the southern charm of Mississippi and the Antebellum South while cycling the Natchez Trace Parkway and connecting rural roads. BIKEternity tour guides will provide a one-of-a-kind bicycle adventure and access to the best of the Trace and surrounding towns. The easy to moderate riding will leave you with plenty of energy to explore the deep history of this area and indulge in all the southern cuisine you will encounter along the way. 

• Description
• Itinerary
• Planning

• This 7-Day tour explores the deep history of the Natchez Trace and the pre-Civil War era known as the Antebellum South. The Trace has long been a vital conduit for Southern Pride and offers outstanding cycling opportunities with its rolling hills, incredible scenery, and ample stretches of road with light motorized traffic. Experience 350 miles of this cycling paradise. Each day you’ll enjoy cuisine of the region and the unique culture of the American South. This area is also a favorite of both US Civil War and antebellum home enthusiasts with an abundance of history from the early days of Native American and European influences along the Trace and Mississippi River.

  Whether you are a new or veteran cyclist, this region and tour is ideal for you. Our fully supported tour will provide a one-of-a kind bicycle adventure and access to all the best parts of this area.

  What to Expect:

  The Natchez Trace is known for its flatter terrain. The areas around Vicksburg and Port Gibson are dotted with rolling hills, especially inside the Vicksburg National Military Park. Daily mileages range from 25 – 55 miles, with shorter options available. Bike rentals are available. Temperatures in the area range from the low 50’s in the evening to the upper 70’s to lower 80's during the day.

  What’s Included:

  • Welcome reception and orientation
  • 6 nights in Hotels
  • 19 meals – 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners
  • Van support during the course of the trip
  • Professional guide services by two BIKEternity trip leaders
  • Daily route directions and maps, including GPX files for your GPS
  • Several sightseeing and cultural activities may be included depending on group interest, including:
  • Guided bicycle tour of the Vicksburg National Military Park
  • Walking tour of Vicksburg
  • Tour of the USS Cairo Museum
  • Visits to Windsor Ruins and Alcorn University
  • Grand Village of the Natchez Indians
  • Guided tour of one antebellum home in Natchez
  • Native American Burial Mounds
  • Mississippi Craft Center
    

  
  

  Not Included:

  • Airfare is not included in the cost of the tour.
  • Travel to and from our start point is the responsibility of each individual.
  • Airport transfers.
  • Insurance of any kind.
  • Alcoholic beverages.
  • Items of a personal nature.

  
  

• Airport Information

  Start/End: Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport(JAN)

   

• Day 1: Ridgeland Meetup, Natchez Trace / Mississipi Crafts Center

  Miles: 24-52 · Elevation: +1,795’ / -1,795'
  Terrain: Flat with a few small hills

  Meet group morning of March 29 at our startpoint meetup hotel in Ridgeland, MS 8-9 AM ready to ride for the day. Today we'll do an out and back ride on the Natchez Trace north of Jackson, MS. We'll ride one of the most beautiful parts of the Trace past Ross Barnett Reservoir and the Cypress Swamp. Depending on the temperature you may see a few alligators as you walk the boardwalk through the swamp. Some will shuttle and others will return down the trace to the Mississippi Craft Center before we return to the hotel.

  Day 2: Ridgeland to Vicksburg

  Miles: 33-48 · Elevation: +1,609’ / -1,716'
  Terrain: Flat with a few small rolling hills

  We’ll head west out of Ridgeland toward the historic town of Vicksburg. We’ll ride rural Mississippi country roads as we make our way toward the mighty Mississippi River, passing through the sometimes forgotten towns of Bolton, Edwards, and Bovina. All the towns along the route were on the old Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad and suffered damage during the Civil War as a result. We'll finish the day with a walking tour of Vicksburg before we have a south inspired dinner.

   

  Day 3: Vicksburg

  Miles: 16
  Terrain: Rolling hills

  After breakfast, we will begin the day with a visit and film at the Vicksburg National Military Park that commemorates the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg in 1863. A beautiful and historic 16-mile guided cycling tour that includes stops at the Illinois Monument, USS Cairo Museum, and Vicksburg National Cemetery will be offered. Beautiful vistas are in abundance throughout this park. After the tour, you will be on your own for lunch in downtown Vicksburg which showcases beautiful shows, historic buildings, and restaurants. In the afternoon, the Maggio Historic Walking Tour of Vicksburg is offered which will take you through one of the most historic districts in the city of Vicksburg. The evening concludes with dinner at the Walnut Hills Restaurant, a Vicksburg icon. Fabulous authentic Southern plantation cuisine served in the atmosphere of an 1880’s home. The world-famous fried chicken is a specialty as are the varied garden vegetables, each prepared from unique recipes.

   

  Day 4: Vicksburg to Port Gibson

  Miles: 24-48 · Elevation: +1,825’ / -1,956'
  Terrain: Large rolling hills, major road

  We’ll head directly south out of Vicksburg, paralleling the Mississippi toward the city that General US Grant declared, “too beautiful to burn”. A morning stop at the Tomato Place south of the city is a must for every cyclist. The atmosphere and southern hospitality are just fun! The smoothies and sandwiches are awesome; the outdoor fruit and vegetable stand adds to the decor. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Port Gibson with its magnificent dome topped courthouse. This once thriving community was actually much closer to the Mississippi River before the river shifted course decades ago. The city saw a lot of activity during the US Civil War. Port Gibson played a big role in the development of blues music in Mississippi and is a part of the Mississippi Blues Trail.

  Day 5: Port Gibson to Natchez

  Miles: 30-55 · Elevation: +2,432’ / -2,355'
  Terrain: A few steep climbs followed by flat-ish cycling into Natchez

  We’ll be off Trace the first part of the day as we ride to, and explore the Windsor Ruins (the largest antebellum Greek Revival mansion ever built in Mississippi) and take a cycling tour of Alcorn State University. Founded in 1871, Alcorn is the oldest public historically black land-grant institution in the United States. The steps of Windsor Ruins can be found at Alcorn State University. We'll ride past Loess Bluff (deposits of the topsoil left by the last Ice Age) and make a stop at Emerald Mound (a ceremonial burial mound built by the ancestors of the Natchez around 1400). We finish with a ride into the beautiful southern city of Natchez, MS.

  Day 6: Natchez, MS

  Miles: 15
  Terrain: Flat with a few small hills

  We’ll begin with an early morning jaunt to the Natchez Visitor Center for “The Natchez Story” film and to browse the exhibits and artifacts. We will move on to a guided tour of an antebellum home, visits to several early African-American historical sites and a tour of the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians State Historic Site. We will gather for dinner at a local establishment.

  Day 7: Port Gibson to Ridgeland

  Miles: 24-49 · Elevation: +2,015’ / -1,850'
  Terrain: Flat with a few small hills
  Transfers: 1 hour

  We start the day with a transfer to the Sunken Trace just outside of Port Gibson. We'll mount up and begin our northbound journey along the Natchez Trace visiting the Rocky Springs Ghost Town ending our day at the Clinton Visitor Center, where we'll load up our bikes and transfer back to our startpoint hotel. Upon arrival, we will celebrate our week together and bid each other farewell.

• Tour Leaders: Arlen Hall and TBD

  Bike Shipping: We will provide a local bike shop in Ridgeland, MS to accept and build-up your bike. We will do the same in Nashville, TN at the end of the tour. We can handle bike pickups and dropoffs but the guest is responsible for any payment arrangements with the bike shop. We can also provide a shop in Nashville, TN for quality bike rentals. We can handle bike pickups and dropoffs for the tour but the guest is responsible for payment arrangements in advance. Pickups will be on March 28 and drop offs on April 5 which may result in an extra day(s) rental.

  Early Arrivals: For those arriving early the day(s) before the tour, we would recommend the following museums:
  

  • Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson, MS, T-S 9-5, S 11-5, closed Monday
  • Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Historic Place, Jackson, MS, T-S 9-4, closed Sunday and Monday

  
  

  Gear List: TBD