Blackland Prairie Section

Overview

The Blackland Prairie Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (NATT) in Tupelo, Mississippi, is one of the five hiking sections of the NATT that total 65 miles of trail. The NATT runs concurrently with the entire 444-mile long Natchez Trace Parkway. The six-mile long Blackland Prairie Section runs through forested areas (pictured), along bottomlands, and through the Chickasaw Village site at milepost 261.8. The Chickasaw Village site is the location of one of the tribe’s largest early villages and was an active trade site. The Chickasaw Indians used fire to maintain the prairie and the National Park Service continues this tradition. Each season the prairie is covered with distinctive arrays of native wildflowers. Late summer blooms (pictured) include black-eye Susans, and purple prairie clover.