Jeff Busby Park Picnic Area on the Natchez Trace Parkway
Jeff Busby Park has one of the larger picnic areas on the Natchez Trace Parkway. It is typically open year-round and has tables and grills. The entire picnic area is shaded, and all tables are located close to the parking areas. There is a restroom building, but it was closed when I visited, and in truth, it looks like it’s closed for good.
Dilapidated restroom building at Jeff Busby Park Picnic Area
After entering Jeff Busby Park, take the second road on your right to get to the picnic area. Right away you’ll come to a small curbside parking area near three tables and one grill. However, the grill is not near any one table, and the tables are bolted to the ground. I suppose this makes it clear that the grill for this area is first come, first served.
The next group of picnic tables is located near the restroom building. There are four tables and four grills, and in this case, each grill is close to a table. One of the tables and grills is on a paved path from the parking area and is reserved for disabled visitors. There is also a water fountain and garbage can.
Picnic table for disabled visitors to Jeff Busby Park Picnic Area
A third group of tables, while still close to the parking area, is located at the top of a small hill, so access is not as easy. Here you will find five more picnic tables and four grills, plus a water fountain. This picnic area has its own parking lot.
Hilltop picnic area at Jeff Busby Park on the Natchez Trace Parkway
The rest of the picnic tables are situated in three groups around the loop at the end of the picnic area road, and each has its own parking area. The first section has one table and one grill; the second has two tables and a grill; and the third section has a lone table with no grill. The first and third sections are located on a hill, whereas the middle section is on level ground and so close to the parking spots that you are basically tailgating. However, the grill is crooked. I was talking to a group that was picnicking there, and the man doing the cooking told me that his sausages almost rolled off the grill and onto the ground.
Crooked grill at the roadside picnic table at Jeff Busby Park
To the best of my knowledge, like all picnic areas on the Natchez Trace Parkway, the tables at Jeff Busby Park are taken on a first come, first served basis. If you wish to hold some type of group outing, you must show up early and grab your tables before the crowds show up.
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Last updated on December 5, 2021
