The Natchez Trace Trail is a designated National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail is a designation for protected areas in the United States that consist of trails of particular natural beauty.National Scenic Trails were authorized under the National Trails System Act of 1968 along with National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 whose route generally follows sections of the 444 miles (714.5 km) Natchez Trace Parkway

Natchez Trace Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service unit in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail....

 through the states of Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

, and Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

. Unlike other national scenic trails, however, the trail is not envisioned as a long, continuous footpath, as is the case with other national scenic trails including, notably, the Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...

. Rather, only a limited number of trail segments along the route, currently totaling 62 miles (99.8 km), have been developed for use, primarily hiking, in four areas along the Natchez Trace Parkway.