Traveling Mississippi

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Holderfjr

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
29
Reaction score
13
Location
Hernando, Fl
I am making a 5 day trip from Citrus County Florida, up to Montgomery, Muscle Shoals and then cruising Mississippi for three days. Never really spent anytime there. Looking for scenery, cool towns, with good food. Interested in Natchez trace, blues trail over near clarks dale. Any recommendations?

Thanks

 
Don't stop at the "Dewdrop Inn."
smile.png


 
I know my way around Mississippi. While it's never going to be Arkansas, Georgia, or North Carolina, there are some decent riding to be found in Mississippi.

First, let me offer a few suggestions for things to see:

1. Vicksburg National Military Park:

(Do NOT pass up the USS Cairo display at this place)

https://www.nps.gov/vick/index.htm

2. Just across the river from Vicksburg is Poverty Point National Heritage Site:

https://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-parks/parks/poverty-point-reservoir-state-park/

3. Just north of Natchez is the Windsor Ruins:

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ms-windsorruins.html

4. The Mississippi Petrified Forest is cool:

https://www.mspetrifiedforest.com/index.php

5. You could also take a ride along the Gulf Coast Road. Be advised that Hurricane Nate has just ran through there, so things might not be pristine.

https://www.tripinfo.com/maps/MS-GulfCoast.htm

6. Of course, you can also run the Natchez Trace. But I wouldn't recommend riding the entire MS section. The S/L is 50 mph and it is heavily patrolled. The lower section (first 50 miles out of Natchez) is in my opinion the best part of the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. Plenty of stops along the way. By the time you get to the Jackson area, the trace has worn out it's welcome for me.

I could suggest some other things, but first it would be helpful to hear from you with respect to what you like.

I can also suggest some really good (not GREAT, but good) roads you can take within Mississippi.

Let me know - thanks.

 
Thank you for the reply. Im interested in some of the music history/sites as well as historic sites and towns. I also want to get to see the different terrain of the state. I plan on starting in Muscle shoals Alabama. I could go north before heading back into Mississippi. I have been in the southern coastal region so thats not high on my list.

 
Here's a few good roads to ride in the vicinity of the ideas that I suggest for sights and could allow you to make a route between these sights.

1. Hwy 552 (turns into Rodney Road) between Alcorn State University and Port Gibson

2. Hwy 462 (aka port Gibson Hwy) between Port Gibson and Fisher Ferry Road

3. Fisher Ferry Road between the Port Gibson Hwy and Vicksburg

4. Hwy 22 between Edwards and Canton (passes 1 mile from Petrified National Forest)

5. Hwy 21 between Forest and Philidelphia

6. Out of Muscle Shoals, Hwy 25 down to Tupelo is a nice road. Not too curvy, but scenic and smooth.

These are just a few examples. Once I get a better idea of where you want to be, I can suggest more.

 
I thought about going to Memohis during the day and visiting Bealle st but hear the traffic is really bad. Any easy way in and out ?

 
To my knowledge - NO. Memphis is a PITA and I avoid it like the plaque. My best suggestion would be to run east across the river to Jonesboro, and then head south.

 
If you like the Blues, go to Clarksdale - check out Red's Lounge. It's one of the last TRUE juke joints. Red has real live blues music on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Check with Roger at Cathead about other attractions.

 
Tupelo. Birthplace of The King.

Personally, I think it's cool to ride across the Mississippi River. Some bridges are new and efficient; some bridges are ancient and truly scary to ride across. The Dorena-Hickman ferry may be too far north for you. It was closed when I headed to Colorado for NAFO 5, so it's still on the bucket list.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I now this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add that if you haven't been to Memphis yet, it's not that difficult getting into the Beale Street area and out. From Mississippi, take I-55 N and stay on it as if you're heading to Arkansas. When you are in the vicinity of the river, and you'll know when you see bridges, don't turn to remain on I-55 into Arkansas. Just keep heading north, You will now be on Riverside Dr and passing by Tom Lee Park. Beale Street is on the right. There is parking of all kinds and garages nearby if you don't feel comfortable parking on the street. Very easy navigation to Beale. Get out before midnight and there should be very little danger.

 
Top