Taken from the Old Trace

"Leave a place the way you found it...take nothing with you..." Things a Park Ranger has told us for 300 Alex... but sometimes it can not be helped!

Along the Natchez Trace Parkway there are small sections of the original 444 mile trail accessible to hikers.  One of these sections, about 20 miles north of Natchez, MS, is  called the Potkopinu.

 This three-mile section of the Old Trace was once traveled by boatman on their way home.  Before that, the Native Americans used the Trace to follow herds of animals to warmer weather.  Now it is a very peaceful hike on a warm spring day!

I tricked convinced my sister into tagging along with me and my two boys (five and two).  I was not totally convinced that they could handle a three mile trek...but we set off in good spirits!

Things I learned while on this hike:

1. Having a backpack of bottled water and a good pair of tennis shoes does not a seasoned hiker make.
2. Snakes are not the only animals that come out in the Spring.
3. Downed trees can make for an interesting hike.

Now, allow me to elaborate on the above list.

I thought I was pretty well prepared for this short hike through the woods.  I had a backpack, bottled water, a cell phone, and a first aid kit.  What else would you need?  How about a walking stick...or bug spray...or a stroller for when your two year old decides three miles is just to much for him!. I was pretty unprepared in the ways of the hikers...

I knew snakes would be out.  I went into the hike LOOKING for snakes and the Potkopinu did not disappoint.  Luckily we only saw one!

Yeah...that's a poisonous one! Good thing my five year old saw it first and screamed like a girl, causing me to scream, and my sister to go into attack mode.  Sense took over quickly and we let coiled snakes lie...we gave it a WIDE berth and hurried along. 

Let me tell you what was more abundant than the snake...more aggravating...and enjoyed rides home with us...

TICKS! Good Golly Miss Molly! THE TICKS!!!

We were plucking the jokers off left and right the whole three miles.  Big ticks...little ticks...fast ticks...ticks already having dinner...it was terrible!

(Cue Brad Paisley's "Check You for Ticks" song)

We basically stripped the children in the parking area to debug. Once home we still found a dozen more!  Needless to say, bug spray will now be applied religiously before any more outings! If you see us out and about (hiking, touring, shopping), we will most likely smell of bug spray from here on out...

The original portions of the Trace are pretty much left to their own devices.  As you hike, you can see a few places were someone with a chainsaw came through and cut up fallen logs in the path.  This has not happened recently.

This is an example of a fallen tree that is above the trail.  Not all trees were so lucky.  We climbed over, and in some cases, crawled under, several downed trees during our walk.  My five year old considered each obstacle a challenge that he personally had to figure out how the group was going to pass.  

All in all it was an adventure to remember and we really enjoyed it!  The trail is well marked..this means about the time you start questioning your location, an arrow appears to reaffirm you are traveling in the correct direction. The scenery varied from deep trail to creek beds to forest floors.  I was more focused on bugs and critters than pictures so I didn't take to many.  But I did get this one...

My boys...racing to the car at the first sign of civilization... at the end of the three mile trek along the Potkopinu.

Until next time

~Rosemary