At over 400 miles, the Natchez Trace Parkway boasts some incredible sites – one of which is the Sunken Trace. Part of the original Natchez Trace, this portion of the famous pathway appears sunken – a feature that’s attributed to a combination of easily eroded soil and thousands of years worth of travelers. Take a look:

Today, the Natchez Trace Parkway is paved and marked with signage, making it easy to navigate. However, it wasn’t always that way.

The Natchez Trace was a main thoroughfare in the late-1700s – mid-1800s; however, that didn’t mean it was easy to traverse. Travelers along the Trace faced countless hardships, including heat, mosquitoes, lack of accommodations, poor food, and more. And don’t forget about the criminals that lurked along the trail, preying on unsuspecting travelers.

The modern-day Natchez Trace Parkway follows the path of the original Trace.

Much of the Old Trace has been plowed over or developed; however, there are several places where you can still experience the original trail – and the Sunken Trace is one of them.

Located at milepost 41.5, the Sunken Trace is one of the most photographed sites on the Natchez Trace Parkway – and it’s easy to see why.

Just as the name implies, this section of the trail is sunken, which is the direct result of the immense amount of traffic the trail has seen throughout the centuries.

That’s right; the countless humans, wagons, and animals that traversed the pathway eventually created a gully in the trail, which is about 10’ deep in some spots.

The soil also played a role in the trail’s sunken appearance. Known as loess, the soil has a sandy consistency, which means it erodes easily.

Offering a unique visual, the sunken section of the Trace, serves as a reminder of the abundance of people and wildlife that have walked along the historic pathway.

The Natchez Trace was travelled by people from all walks of life, including some well-known historical figures, such as Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, and General Andrew Jackson.

The Sunken Trace isn’t the only portion of the Trace that’s been altered by thousands of years of traffic, though.

There are several others, including the Potkopinu Trail (milepost 17), which has some embankments over 25’ high!

Ready to take a walk on this historic trail? To learn more about the Sunken Trace, visit the National Park Service website. You can also check out Natchez Trace Travel here.

So, did you know about the Sunken Trace? Ever walked along it? If so, what’d you think? Know of another trail loaded with history? Tell us in the comments section.

This isn’t the only trek that combines nature and history. Read about another here.