Bicycling the Natchez Trace: A Guide to the Natchez Trace Parkway and Nearby Scenic Routes

Warner's guide is the premiere resource for bikers who are contemplating the Natchez Trace Parkway. We just finished an abbreviated tour (you can't plan the weather) and found the guide to be a reliable resource for historical sites, terrain, lodging, and the miscellaneous details important to the long-distance biker. There have been some changes in the cities in regards to lodging and dining options but overall there are more options, not less. This guide is highly recommended and we look forward to using it again for our next adventure.

The terrain and weather are benign, and the logistical issues are straightforward. Others have commented that the author assumes readers will know how to pack a bike and how to undertake simple repairs. I think Wanner's omission is a positive feature--there are other books that do these jobs thoroughly. Bicycling the Natchez Trace excels with the great number of side trips described, which will be most useful for locals who are able to periodically re-visit the Trace. For all of that, Wanner's book doesn't "speak" to me as a cycle tourist; his rhythms and pace do not closely approximate my own. Experienced tourists will understand my comment, and I would encourage beginning bikers to read other books by other authors to discover which ones work best them. For me, Nadine Slavinski works well.

Well written, accurate usable advice for bikers. The historic facts as well as geography ( mileage to stores, attractions, facilities) were right on the money. I used the book to do the northern 125 miles of the trace. I am preparing for a southbound ride next and will use this book.john

Each year I plan one very special and hopefully very memorable ride. Still having to work for a living, and a family to spend time with, the ride I plan must fit all the schedules as well as my expectations. I first became interested in The Natchez Trace from reading some of the southern history. I was hooked! Couldn't find enough literature, maps, or books to satisfy my needs. One of the books I purchased was Glen Wanners' 'Bicycling The Natchez Trace'.. I planned for this ride for the better part of eight months using Glens' book as a guide. As this was my first solo self contained ride I wanted to do it right.When it came down to departure date I started to organize all my gear,I had a stack of maps and literature that weighed in at about 15 lbs!I quickly narrowed this down to one map supplied free from The National Parks Service and Bicycling The Natchez Trace by Glen Wanner. This book was my riding Bible,and was referred to several times each day. My ride covered 670 miles in ten days (the first two weeks in October) from Nashville to Natchez with side trips along the way. My trip was a success!Thanks to Glens' book and all the great people along the way. I would like to see Glen update this book as required so others may enjoy it as I have for years to come.

In May of 1999, a friend and I used Glen Wanner's book to plan and do a ride on our bikes down the Natchez Trace. We biked 420 miles in 6 days. Glen's book was very valuable in planning rest stops and overnight stays. We used the information in this book to plan sightseeing stops as well. There were a few stores that were closed or hotels that were no longer in operation, but, all in all, the book was crucial to the success of our trip. I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about making the trip down the Trace. It would be nice to see Glen come out with an updated version of the book with a few revisions due to changes in some of the cities, but the majority of the info is still valid. Also I would recommend that any serious cyclists plan to ride the Trace. It is an official bike route and is extremely rich in history. We had a blast and would do it again in a minute!!