Start of the Hurricane Creek Nature Trail on the Natchez Trace Parkway

A .2-mile loop trail near Mile Post 164 on the Natchez Trace Parkway leads to a swampy area created by Hurricane Creek. Since creeks are usually at the lowest point of the terrain, it should come as no surprise that to reach Hurricane Creek you must hike down into a ravine, and of course back up at the end of the hike. The steepest side is to the left of the Hurricane Creek identification sign. The hill on the right (where a railing is located and the path is paved) is very short and not as steep. Since I have bad knees and walking down a hill is difficult, I was lucky I started out hiking to the right—counter clockwise—down the smaller hill. (Note that if you start on the left, the trail is level for a short ways before coming to the steep hill.)

Identification sign for the Hurricane Creek stop on the Natchez Trace Parkway

Short but steep hills lead to and from Hurricane Creek

Along the path of the Hurricane Creek Nature Trail are information signs about the trees and other vegetation in the area. The point of the trail is to demonstrate the variety of trees that grow between a dry area (the top of the hill at the parking lot) and a wet area (at creek level). Other than the cypress trees in the swampy area, I personally found it of little interest because I grew up in the south and have seen and read about these trees many times.