Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites

Overview

About Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites

Why stop

Preserved sunken stretch of the Old Trace
Thirteen grave markers give the history a tangible focus

Heads up

700-foot approach is somewhat steep
Gravel and a narrowing path beyond the pavement

This is a quick, quiet history stop at milepost 269.4, easy to fold into a drive without losing much time. A short walk takes you off the modern roadway and onto a preserved original section of the Old Trace, ending at the gravesites of 13 unknown Confederate soldiers. If you want to stretch your legs and stand on the actual historic route rather than just read about it, this is one of the more meaningful brief stops in the Tupelo area.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop here

Map

Where it is

Loading the Natchez Trace map

Full map

SightOld Trace and Confederate Gravesites34.36495, -88.67451

Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Come in daylight, when the interpretive sign and the markers are easy to read. Cooler parts of the day are more comfortable for the uphill return, and softer light through the trees makes the sunken Trace easier to appreciate and photograph.

Getting there and the walk

The stop is not visible from the road, so watch for the milepost and the sign. The walk is about 700 feet on a paved path described as somewhat steep, and visitors commonly report reaching the markers in around five minutes each way. Beyond the paved portion, the surface changes to gravel and the path narrows. Because the old roadbed is sunken, you may find yourself at roughly eye level with the fronts of the markers, and a side path continues behind them if you want a fuller look.

4 active Natchez Trace alerts

ClosureParkway sections closed for bridge and road constructionTwo Natchez Trace Parkway sections are closed to through traffic; follow the signed detours.Official details
ClosureMount Locust historic stand closedThe historic stand at Mount Locust Inn & Plantation (MP 15.5) is closed because of structural concerns.Official details

See all 4 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Natchez Trace Tour Guide

Your drive to Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Natchez Trace Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this place

Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites

0:00 / 0:27

“Up ahead is the Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites, where a short walk takes you onto a surviving stretch of the historic route. Thirteen replacement markers stand beside the sunken roadbed.”

Plays as you drive up to Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites in the Parkwolf Natchez Trace Tour Guide.

More about Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites

What you will seeA short original segment of the Old Trace, worn down into a shallow trench through the woods by…

A short original segment of the Old Trace, worn down into a shallow trench through the woods by generations of travel.
Thirteen modern grave markers set beside the old roadbed.
Interpretive information explaining the site and what is known about the burials.
A shaded, wooded setting that also works as a simple photo spot, especially where the sunken Trace curves away through the trees.

The historyDuring the Civil War, several soldiers died here along the Old Trace.

During the Civil War, several soldiers died here along the Old Trace. No one is certain how they died, and time wore the names off the original headstones. Tradition holds that they were Confederate soldiers who marched and camped along the Trace, but their identities and the circumstances of their deaths are not settled facts. The markers you see today are replacements, standing for men whose names were lost. Treat the site as a burial ground and visit it respectfully.

Honest drawbacksPlan your approach to parking.

Plan your approach to parking. The pull-through parking area is small, which could be awkward for large vehicles or on busier travel days.
An accessible entrance and accessible parking are documented. For the full walk to the markers, factor in the somewhat steep grade, the gravel surface, and the narrowing path beyond the paved section.
This is a modest roadside stop, not a long hike or a sweeping overlook. Most visitors are done in well under half an hour.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Natchez Trace

All Natchez Trace wildlife maps

39 sightingsAmerican AlligatorMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

35 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

53 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

28 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

29 sightingsRed-headed WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

32 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Natchez Trace. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.