Old Natchez Trace: War of 1812 Memorial to Garrison Creek

This 1.7-mile point-to-point walk runs from the War of 1812 Memorial to Garrison Creek on the Highland Rim section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. It follows the Old Trace through shaded hardwood forest, staying fairly level for most of the way before dropping toward Garrison Creek. Plan on about 50 minutes one way, with extra time at the memorial. The mapped path is about 1.7 miles; the park's description rounds the section to two miles. If you leave one car, walk back on the same line for about 3.4 miles total.

Start at the War of 1812 Memorial, where the walking route enters the trees at the edge of the clearing. The forest keeps most of the trail shaded and the route relatively even. Near Garrison Creek, it descends to the trailhead. The payoff is a stretch of historic corridor between two named Parkway stops, rather than a summit or waterfall destination.

The memorial honors Tennessee volunteers who marched along the Trace during the War of 1812, including soldiers buried in unmarked graves along the route. The mapped trail follows a part of the old corridor, so the memorial's story continues underfoot after you leave the clearing.

The memorial is at Parkway milepost 426.3 and has auto parking and a picnic table. Garrison Creek, at milepost 427.6, has auto and bus/RV parking, drinking water, flush toilets, benches and a picnic area. This is a point-to-point walk, so arrange a vehicle at each end or retrace the same line. A return on foot reverses the final descent from Garrison Creek. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet; clean up after them.