Natchez Trace Day 3 continued

Continuing Sunday, March 19

Mount Locust, seen from the entrance path.

Back in the truck after stopping for the section of old sunken Trace, we headed for just two more stops before the end of our journey. The first was Mount Locust at MM 15.5. This home, built in 1780, is one of the oldest dwellings in Mississippi. It was both a working plantation and an inn used by travelers on the Trace. For just 25 cents, a traveler could get a place to sleep (most likely on the Mount Locust grounds) and a meal of corn mush and milk.

The room most likely used as a dining room for visitors to Mount Locust.

Smoky loved the old tools in this room.

Mount Locust has been restored to its 1890 appearance. We checked out all the rooms on the first floor, strolled around the house on a lovely brick walkway, and wandered through the slave cemetery in a wooded area just beyond the field in the back of the house. As we walked back to the house, we noticed the expansive panoramic view of the house and couldn't resist trying out the iPhone camera's panoramic setting.

Panoramic view of the back of Mount Locust, shot from the path
leading to the slave cemetery.

At MM 10.3, Emerald Mound is the largest of seven groups of mounds along the Trace. In fact, it is huge compared with the others. It covers 8 acres and stands about 70 ft high at the highest point. Smoky stood on the highest point of the mound and shot a panorama of the rest of the mound.

Panoramic view of Emerald Mound, shot from the highest point looking
out over the rest of the mound top.

At the end of the Trace (for us), MM 1.

We couldn't resist taking one final shot of our truck and trailer with the sign at the southern terminus of the Trace in the background. This trip down the full 440 miles of beautiful scenic roadway was a treat.

We arrived at River View campground in Vidalia, Louisiana, just over the bridge from Natchez, Mississippi, in time to take a walk along the river and enjoy the lights of the bridge reflected in the river.

Natchez-Vidalia Bridge showing off its beautiful lights.

Grain handling facility on the Mississippi River.

-- Shann