One of our bucket list items was to drive the entirety of the Natchez Trace Parkway. We crossed that item off our list when we finished the journey on March 22, 2014 at the north terminus of the Trace, near Nashville.
But the journey started 13 days and 444 miles earlier, south of that point in Natchez, MS where the Trace begins.
Natchez, MS along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi RiverWe only drive on the weekends, since we do client work from Meriwether during the week. So we needed a place to stay for the week before we began the journey up the Parkway. After looking around at our options, we landed on Natchez State Park.
When given a choice (meaning it has good Internet connectivity and sites large enough for Meriwether), we’ll always choose a National, State or County park. They are treasures of our country.
General RV Park Information: Natchez State Park
Taken from the top of Meriwether, this is an overview of part of the campground at Natchez State Park- GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 31.606964 Longitude: -91.196134
- Physical Address: 230-B Wickliff Rd, Natchez, Mississippi 39120
- For Reservations: Online via their official site here.
- Phone Number for Information: (601) 442-2658
- Rate as of March 10, 2014: $18 per night for Standard Hookups which include water and electricity, $20 per night for Full Hookups which include water, electricity and sewer. Sites have 30 and 50 AMP service available.
- Weekly Rate: None
- Monthly Rate: Yes. $360 for Standard Hookups (water and electricity), $400 for Full Hookups (water, electricity, sewer)
- Military Discounts: No.
- Other Discounts: Yes, there is a discounted rate for Senior Citizens 65+ and Disabled Citizens of $13 per night for Standard Hookups (water and electricity), $14 per night for Full Hookups (water, electricity, sewer)
RV Site Details: Natchez State Park
Paved campground site at Natchez State Park- Site Pad Material: Gravel or paved, depending on site
- Water: Yes, included with daily rate
- Electricity: Yes, included with daily rate
- Sewer: Only on some sites
- Laundry: No
- Cable TV: No
- Wi-fi: No
- Dump Station: Yes
- Propane: No
- Pull Throughs: Yes
- Back In: Yes
- Big Rig Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: Yes
Particulars of Our Stay
Two of the most fun people you ever want to meet on the road. Lynn and Clark Bonelli of Tales From The Mutiny. Totally enjoyed having RV Wanderlust and Tales together!- Dates of our Stay: March 9-14, 2014
- Site Number: #18
- Additional Amenities: Picnic table, charcoal grill, trash can all on site.
- Cellular Coverage: We received strong Verizon and AT&T signals in the park
- Most Memorable Moment: Walking in Downtown Natchez, MS and looking out upon the majesty of the Mississippi River.
- Other Awesome Moments: It rained heavily one day, but we didn’t let that stop us from going out to see some of the historical sites in and near Natchez, MS, including Emerald Mound and Forks of the Road.
- Least Fun Moment: Some crazy guy we dubbed “Evel Knievel.” Apparently Evel thought the Natchez State Park roads were his own test track for his broken down truck. It was loud and obnoxious as all get out and the truck spewed enough smog to warrant a federal investigation by the EPA.
- Fun People We Met: Clark and Lynn Bonelli of Tales From The Mutiny! We had no idea they were in the park. But we logged onto RVillage.com for the very first time and saw that they too were checked into Natchez State Park. Funny because I’d been cyber-stalking them for sometime (I love their blog), and when we found out we were in the same park, we made it a point to get together. Our favorite stop with them was a place called Under the Hill Saloon. Add that one to your list!
Personal Reflections on Our Stay
What is not to love about staying in a State Park? Ok well, other than Evel Knievel making an appearance. Natchez State Park was great. It was a little far from Natchez, maybe about 10 miles or so, but for the price and beauty, it couldn’t be beat.
The trees surrounded our campground at Natchez State ParkThe sites were mostly level, you are surrounded by trees, the signal from Verizon and AT&T were great in our area, and the people were friendly.
As a matter of fact, when I first hooked up to the electricity, I wasn’t getting any juice. One of the park rangers came by and replaced the breaker immediately. All in all, we were really happy with Natchez State Park.
Incidentally, for any of your fishermen out there, the Mississippi State Record for the largest largemouth bass was set right there in the park. An 18.15 lb whopper was caught in Natchez Lake in 1992.
The restroom facilities were clean and well stocked. And it’s quiet! The park is so far off the main road that no road noise can be heard. Unless of course Evel Knievel is still around…
Things to Do in the Natchez, MS Area
There are quite a few things to do in the area. Here are some suggestions you may enjoy:
1. Walk along the Mississippi River downtown. (Free)
Brittany with the Mighty Mississippi. As a public service announcement, Brittany would like to remind everyone to sing “Old Man River” whenever you cross the Mississippi River.2. Eat at the Pig Out Inn. Go with the sausage and pulled pork, the ribs and brisket were good, but not the best. But hey, we’re from Texas and our standards are pretty high. (Not so free)
BBQ from the Pig Out Inn, Natchez, MS3. Drive around and look at all the Antebellum Homes and read up on the history of the area. (Free, other than gas)
Beautiful and stately Antebellum homes are all over Natchez, MS.4. Check out Emerald Mound. It was a lot cooler than I thought it would be! It is the second largest temple mound in the United States. (Free)
I almost didn’t go to Emerald Mound, but Brittany convinced me. I’m glad she did. It was well worth the short trip. Oh, and it is very close to Natchez State Park.5. Take a drive along the Natchez Trace Parkway and visit Mount Locust. It is the last standing inn of over 50 that travelers used while journeying along the Natchez Trace. (Free)
A shot of the interior of Mount Locust which is on the Natchez Trace Parkway6. Stop by Forks of the Road. Appearing on maps as early as 1808, this site was the center of trade in Natchez, one of the busiest slave trading towns in the nation. (Free)
A very sad place, but important to our history as a nation. Forks of the Road in Natchez, MS.Final Thoughts on Natchez State Park for RVers
Thanks Natchez State Park, we really enjoyed our visit. Hope others who read this will too!If you are looking for affordability and nature and if you are willing to live without direct sewer connections, laundry, and cable while you are camping. If you want good signal coverage, opportunities for fishing and hiking, and to be within a short drive of Natchez, MS this place is for you.
Do you have anything to add? Any other thoughts on Natchez State Park? Maybe you have a question. We love comments, so please don’t hesitate!
-Eric
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