Sunken Trace

At milepost 41.5 near Port Gibson, a short trail drops into a deeply eroded, preserved cut of the Old Trace. The path runs along the bottom of a narrow, tree-shaded gully with steep eroded banks rising on both sides, in places roughly 15 feet high. The effect is almost tunnel-like, and the perspective makes this a natural photo stop: you are standing in a road that was worn down by feet, hooves, and wagon wheels rather than dug by machines.

What you see here is a preserved segment, not the entire original route.

• The corridor began as animal trails, later used by American Indian tribes traveling the region.
• As the United States pushed west in the late 1700s and early 1800s, steady traffic trampled the rough route into a marked road.
• The local loess soil is fine and soft, so thousands of walkers, riders, and wagons ground the surface lower and lower until sections sank well below the surrounding forest floor.

From the parking area the trail starts with a short but fairly steep descent. Once you reach the bottom it becomes an easy, mostly level stroll on soft ground, and the short paths end after about a hundred yards. Plan on five to thirty minutes depending on how long you linger and take pictures.

This is a brief stop, not a hike. The best perspective requires that steep little descent, which will not suit everyone, and visitors who expect a long trail will be through it in minutes. Treat it as one strong stop folded into a longer Parkway drive.