Natchez Trace Thousand Trails

We were a little nervous heading to Natchez Trace in Hohenwald, Tennessee after reading some of the less than complimentary reviews in some Facebook groups. And after spending a week there, our opinion doesn’t match that consensus - we really liked it!

The campground is beautiful, and while it isn’t walkable, there is plenty to explore right within the Phase 2 camping area. We love state parks and this TT definitely matches that vibe. It’s a super-quick drive to the front of the park to visit the beach, dog park, etc. You will want to be careful when driving in as the hills are very steep.

We found a quiet area on Dogwood (first right in phase 2) and barely had any neighbors. While our site was only 30 amp, it did have sewer, and we only had one day where it was an issue to run both of our a/c units, and it was pushing 90 degrees outside. The 50 amp sites with FHU are limited, so if that is non-negotiable for you, you are less likely to be happy camping.There are many permanent sites here, and they seemed decently friendly and well-maintained.

The staff was very kind and helpful. We had great AT&T service, but t-mobile was weak, so we used their (really nice) quiet workroom for a few days. (Starlinkers might not prefer this wooded campground, there are some spots with clearings but of course there is not guarantee!) The first day, the internet was down and a ranger came immediately to get it running. While she was there, she opened the craft room for our girls and offered a ton of take home crafts and also let us rent some games from the rec office

We attended a craft event that included glue, so our kids were happy. The community spaces are some of the nicest that we have seen, with a tiny kids play space, a little library, and a game room with air hockey, foosball, and billiards. Additionally, their office accepts packages for $2 each and the staff members were always helpful and friendly. I will also mention that their pool will be closed for the entire 2023 season, unfortunately.

A quick drive (15 mins) from the park is the burial site of Merriwhether Lewis. There is a small cabin with some artifacts and also a hiking trail. The trail led us through a beautiful forest with some decent elevation changes, but we turned around early due to the ticks being out of control. We had 2 types of bug spray on (one with deet) and we still pulled off dozens in a short amount of time. At the car, we pulled off another 15. And then we found at least 10 over the next few days back at the RV. So, hike this one at your own risk! You can also just make a quick visit to the monument and the walk would only be about .5 mile roundtrip.

Details:

• Loop

• Can be as long as 4.5 miles, or a shorter loop (shortcut) around 2 miles

• Around 475 ft of elevation gain

• Well-blazed, dirt (shortcut is not clearly marked, so you must be prepared to turn left)

• Coordinates: 36.18577 N, 87.47597 W

• Dogs are welcome

• Bathrooms and Trash are available

A stunning waterfall trail (Stillhouse Hollow) is about 25 minutes from the campground near Summertown. It’s only about 2 miles round trip and good for kids that are cautious (there are some cliff side portions.) The waterfall is unique - you can hike to the top and catch a great view of the brink. If you or your (trustworthy) kids like creek walking, there are some opportunities both before and after the falls. And, we only spotted 1 tick on this trail! Careful with your timing, though. This trail is popular on weekends and only has enough room for about a dozen vehicles.

Details:

• Out & back

• About 1.5 miles roundtrip

• Around 230 ft of elevation gain

• Well-blazed, dirt

• Coordinates: 36.39905 N, 87.50527 W

• Dogs are welcome (can get crowded and you will need to pass other hikers since this is an out & back)

• No bathrooms, no trash

The drive to Nashville is pretty easy and takes around 80 minutes. We went on a Friday afternoon and while the bachelorette parties were already going pretty hard, we found a quiet, kid friendly hangout on 2nd Ave (Cerveza Jack’s). The bar wasn’t extraordinary but the music was absolutely incredible. We ran into a bunch of other kids and tried some line dancing at Wildhorse Saloon across the street, which does have a kids menu. We took a short walk to Puckett’s for dinner, where we found a good, reasonably priced meal and great service. They also have a kids menu and the staff wasn’t even phased when our 3 year old spilled her water everywhere before falling out of her chair.

Back in Hohenwald, there is a cute natural history museum (Lewis County Museum and Discovery Center) that is great for kids, with a little local history and a caboose to check out. (Careful, it is closed on Sundays and Mondays.) There are some cute shops and plenty of restaurants to choose from, too! In the area, there is also (shockingly) an elephant sanctuary. While you can’t visit the elephants, there is a discovery center in town to learn more.

Winos will be happy to follow the Natchez Trace winery trail. There are 3 within about 30 minutes and you can find at least 2 more if you’re willing to drive an hour. We enjoyed our visit to Amber Falls, a beautiful vineyard with (family and dog friendly!) live music on the weekends. Don’t make the mistake we did though- get gas (well, if you’re low) in Hohenwald before venturing to the winery. Maps app led us to believe we could fill up in Hampshire.. but when we arrived, it was clear those pumps hadn’t been functioning in quite some time. We were panicking- this was the closest we have ever gotten to running out of gas. When we asked about the closest gas station to the Winery, they graciously led us to their barn and hooked us up. We would not have made it to the pump, we were so grateful!

This blog post would definitely not be complete if we didn’t mention the infamous bridge. There is a low clearance bridge (11 feet) on the main road to access the campground from the north. If you are coming from the South, you won’t have to worry (for example- Hidden Cove) If you are driving from the North, you will want to make adjustments - do not trust your navigation app! If you are drivin on Natchez Trace from the North, take the M. Lewis museum turnoff, turn left at the stop sign, turn left again, cross the bridge and then go to Napier Rd., where you will turn right.

Tell us what else we should check out when we return to Natchez Trace/Hohenwald!