Back
Natchez Trace Parkway: Port Gibson to Jackson, Natchez Trace, Mississippi
Photo: Bahaa wali · CC BY 4.0 · cropped

Drives Mississippi The Natchez Trace and Mississippi Hills

Natchez Trace Parkway: Port Gibson to Jackson

Natchez Trace, Mississippi · Port Gibson → Ross Barnett Reservoir

Leisurely65 mi1 hr 30 min2,000 ft climbHigh point ≈ 400 ftOne way
Scan to drive it in CarvePoint a phone's camera here. It opens ready to drive.
Drive it in Carve, free

Opens this route in the app, or where to get it.

Drive this road
in the appOpen

The drive

This stretch of the Natchez Trace Parkway runs north from Port Gibson, where it meets Highway 18, to the Ross Barnett Reservoir on the edge of Jackson, about 65 miles. The National Park Service runs it as a quiet parkway with no commercial traffic.

The best-known stop is Rocky Springs at milepost 54.8. It was a rural community of about 25 square miles, settled from the late 1790s, with a peak population near 2,600; the boll weevil, the Civil War and yellow fever thinned it out, and the last store closed in the 1930s. What remains is a Methodist church and its cemetery, two rusting safes and old cisterns, all reachable from the parkway. Farther north, the overlook at milepost 105.6 looks out over Ross Barnett Reservoir, near Jackson.

The speed limit is 50 mph, dropping to 40 near Ridgeland. This is a relaxed drive with gentle curves under a hardwood canopy, and it continues the Natchez to Port Gibson drive.

Along the way

  1. Port Gibson (Highway 18)
  2. Rocky Springs
  3. Clinton
  4. Ross Barnett Reservoir
Elevation
2,000 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 400 ft
Port GibsonRoss Barnett Reservoir
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Port GibsonRoss Barnett Reservoir
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • There are no entrance fees, and commercial vehicles are prohibited on the parkway.
  • The parkway has no food, gas or lodging; restrooms are maintained along the way, usually no more than 50 miles apart, so fuel up in Port Gibson or Jackson.
  • The Trace is a designated bicycle route, so expect cyclists and pass only when the oncoming lane is clear.
  • The Rocky Springs campground at milepost 54.8 has no camping fee.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Natchez Trace Parkway road and site status (NPS).

Questions about this drive

How long does the Natchez Trace Parkway from Port Gibson to Jackson take?

The Natchez Trace Parkway from Port Gibson to the Ross Barnett Reservoir is 65.2 miles and takes about 1 hr 30 min.

Is there a fee to drive the Natchez Trace Parkway?

No. There are no entrance fees to the Natchez Trace Parkway or any of its facilities.

What is the speed limit on the Natchez Trace Parkway?

The Natchez Trace Parkway speed limit is 50 mph unless otherwise posted, and drops to 40 mph near Ridgeland.

Are trucks allowed on the Natchez Trace Parkway?

No. Commercial vehicles are prohibited on the parkway.

What is Rocky Springs on the Natchez Trace?

Rocky Springs, at milepost 54.8, is an abandoned town site with a church, cemetery and old safes that you can visit from the parkway.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.

Download on theApp StoreEarly access onGoogle Play

More drives near here

All 5 drives in Mississippi ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

+ Plan a new route
Map of Natchez Trace Parkway: Port Gibson to Jackson, from Port Gibson to Ross Barnett Reservoir