Day 6: The Natchez Trace Parkway Arches

At the 438 mile marker the Natchez Trace crosses Birdsong Hollow 155 feet above the valley on the 1,648 foot Highway 96 double Arch Bridge; also known as the Natchez Trace Parkway Arches.

While not as high as some bridges that cross waterways, such as the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay, Florida, there is an impressive since of grandeur about the expanse over a picturesque valley. While the Natchez bridge is not as high as the Tampa Bay Bridge (at 430 feet) it is 400 feet longer. In addition it is permissible to park and walk across the beautiful bridge for an impressive view of the valley. On one side of the bridge is a hidden treasure that can be found by venturing under the span for an additional view near the overlook.

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Day 6: Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery

On my last day on the Natchez Trace I ventured off the Trace in Alabama to locate a place that I had read about years before: the Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery near Cherokee, Alabama. It was a winding drive that was longer than anticipated and wasn’t as well marked as advertised. Just about the time I started hearing the tune from deliverance in the back of my head I arrived.

While there I met a couple of sisters and a husband who had traveled further than me to this out of the way memorial. They were from Michigan and North Carolina and like me were driving the Natchez Trace. The rest of the drive to the end of the trail we would cross paths at several stops along the way.

 

For more information on the Cemetery visit: http://www.coondogcemetery.com/

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