Day 5 - Durant, MS

We found Heritage Acres RV Park in our campground directory.  The directory's rating and reality are often quite different.  This selection was a pleasant surprise.  It looked very plain when we pulled in ... access roads and spaces were all gravel.  They had no grass, trees or shrubbery.  But ... it had great utilities and the nicest rest rooms and showers we've ever seen!

Site #46 - Heritage Acres RV Park

We headed back to "The Trace" at 10:15am and spent the day driving south, enjoying its many views.  We ended the day 225 miles later at the Holmes County State Park just outside Durant, MS.

The Trace
The National Park Service does a wonderful job of maintaining the parkway.  The road is smooth and well marked.  Grass berms are groomed and litter free.  Historic points of interest are frequent and described nicely in brochures and signage.

We traveled 155 miles on "The Trace" today.  Highlights include: the John Coffee Memorial Bridge, Pharr Mounds, Dogwood Valley, Chickasaw Council House, Bynum Mounds and French Camp.

John Coffee Memorial Bridge
The Parkway's longest bridge crosses
the Tennessee River - milepost 328.6

3 of 8 Pharr Mounds - milepost 286.7

Wild flowers at Pharr Mounds

Carol can't find any dogwoods in bloom
in Dogwood Valley - milepost 275.2

But there are plenty in bloom along the road

It was in this area - milepost 251.1

Wildflowers at Chickasaw Council House

Controlled burn south of the
Chickasaw Council House

1 of 2 Bynum Mounds - milepost 232.4

French Camp - milepost 180.7
Our last stop on "The Trace" today was a special treat.  French Camp was founded around 1810 when Louis LeFleur and his family opened a tavern and inn.  Today, the French Camp Academy provides help for young students with troubled lives.  The academy students work in the French Camp Historic District.

Huffman Log Cabin (circa 1840)

Carriage House
Holds the 1800' carriage of Greenwood LeFleur

James Drane Farmhouse (circa 1848)

Upstairs room in
James Drane Farmhouse

Old French Camp Post Office

Out building - possibly used for storage

Out building - possibly used for crafts
or slave quarters

Blacksmith Shop

Barn and antique tools

This used to be a tractor or, this is a used tractor
(Fred Hitzhusen may be interested) 

Alumni Museum (circa 1855)

French Camp Bed and Breakfast Inn
(circa 1820)

Camping options right on "The Trace" are pretty limited.  We chose to leave the Parkway and try a campground near Durant, MS.  We're at Site #12 in the Holmes County State Park campground.  It's great ... large sites have concrete pads, water and electric service, a picnic table and a grill.  They have showers and a dump site.  The campground is deep in a forest, at least 2 miles from the nearest highway.  All for $13/night.