In 2007 our trip down the Trace seemed to be just about perfect with a two month change in seasons over a two day drive from Nashville, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi.
Trying again in 2010 I think we were just a little too early and most of the redbud trees and flowers had not come out yet here in Tennessee. From the farm overview to a small remainder of the original Trace preserved here in the park the trees are bare. I did manage to capture a field of the purple clover which is an early sign that spring is coming.
I am not sure exactly where the waterfall was located but most likely in southern Tennessee. I did not start keeping all my GPS tracks until next year so all I can say is that it's south of the farm and too early to have reached the Tishamingo SP in Mississippi where we spent the first night.
The lake is morning with the mist still burning off so it must be in the state park. We had just purchased a surplus marine combat tent for overnight stays and this was our first time to try it out. While two people are required to setup the big tent, I managed to get this setup and the fire started before Lori could get back from the bathroom. It's just big enough for a good full sized air mattress and a little close but nice and warm if the weather gets brisk.
Again I think we were a little off for the best spring views of the Trace and trying to make Jackson, Mississippi before dark to visit the Mynelle Garden and the Jackson Zoo so I did not make a lot of stops. From the time, these reflections in the cypress swamp were probably from the same swamp north of Jackson I showed in 2007. Still water, soft light and I am easily lost in these lovely shapes so you get another dose this year.
In 2007 we had only followed the Trace to Jackson and then used I-20 to get to dad in Shreveport, Louisiana. This time we followed it all the way to Natchez, Mississippi and then wandered across southern Louisiana on the slower back roads. This far south we were well into spring with the wild flowers blooming in all the fields.
Down near the southern end are some more remaining sections of the Trace. Just as background the Tennessee and Kentucky boys would float a raft of logs and livestock down the spring flood to Natchez where they were sold. A few with horses but mostly walking they made their way home along this path in some places wearing a rut several feet deep. Here in the Spring it looks so quiet and peaceful rather than a cold wet muddy rut with dangerous wildlife of both the four legged and two legged variety as well as plenty of bugs and snakes. This was back in the good old frontier days when real men walked the woods building the new country we enjoy today.
Our first exposure to the Natchez Trace Parkway was exploring the Cypress swamp near Jackson. Mississippi when we visited in February on the way to my photography seminar in Auburn, Alabama. After seeing just small sections we wanted to set aside time to travel the whole thing.
Here in the Mississippi flatlands the park service had several cypress swamp areas to explore. Sheltered from the wind it is difficult to separate trees from reflections. When you have cypress you also have knees sticking up around them. Whether to provide oxygen to the roots or just support the cypress have them.
Even protected the turkeys are running away, the great blue heron is too busy fishing to notice me, and the moss covered log is just a log and not another alligator.
Heading south again at the end of March we picked up the Parkway at the northern end a little southwest of Nashville, Tennessee and followed it back down to Jackson, Mississippi. This is definitely the slow road with speed limits typically 45mph and frequent places to pull off and see special features and area history.
This is also a way to cover two months of spring in two days. Near Nashville the trees had no buds at all and as we kept going south the red buds were out more and more until by Jackson they were in full leaf and there was no pink remaining. All the other trees, grass, and flowers followed the same pattern.
Most of our two days were cloudy with occasional light mist but we were spared heavy rain. After being gloomy for awhile the sun would break through in these God Beams
that are spectacular from the top of a hill. I did try near Jackson to capture a spectacular sunset but the clouds were uncooperative.