Mom's Adventures (Amy's Road Trips)

Monday, August 19, 2013

Natchez Trace Parkway #2 - 3 Day Trip

Natchez Trace Parkway - Mile Post 122 to Mile Post 145.1

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN. It can be revised to fit your location.

For this trip it is imperative that you get yourself a Natchez Trace Parkway brochure/map.

One you learn how to navigate it, this is a really helpful site: Natchez Trace Travel

Day One:

8am: Leave

12pm to 1pm - Birthplace of Kermit the Frog - S. Deer Creek Drive, Leland, MS

Hours: Winter Hours: After Labor Day, Mon-Sat 10a.m.-4p.m. Summer Hours: After Memorial Day, Mon-Sat 10a.m.-5p.m.
Admission: Free

*Kermit's house was neat. It took us about 30 minutes to look at the things inside. They have display cases with old school toys and other memorabilia, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and photos relating to the Muppets.

We had a picnic lunch in the grass by the creek and took a few pictures and were on our way. Nice stop to eat your lunch or stretch your legs.

2:30pm to 4:30pm - Mississippi Petrified Forest - 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, MS

"The Frog"

Hours: 9am to 6pm

Admission: Adults $7, Kids $6
6 Block Nature Trail
Museum

*MS Petrified Forest was a little bit of a dissapointment. I guess for the price I was expecting a bit more than the 5 or 6 pieces of petrified wood along the trail. There was 26 stops on the nature trail guide but even half of them had what we came to see.

"Caveman's Bench"

The gift shop was really nice...and huge...and the things weren't all that expensive either.

5pm - Lefleur's Bluff State Park - 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS

Site 12

Mayes Lake Campground $18 night
This is where we will be camping.

This was a really great campsite. Our tent was about 12 feet from the edge of the lake and about the bathhouse was close enough but far enough. It was perfect.

After sundown the first night we saw an alligator in the water...it was really neat to see.

Day Two:

8:30am - 9:00am - Follow Purple, Red and Yellow Trail to Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

Purple Trail - 0.49 mile
Red Trail - 0.32 mile
Yellow Trail - 0.16 mile

The trail to the museum was a little over a mile and it had A LOT of spider webs but otherwise it was a nice trail. It was mostly flat and not strenuous at all.

9:00am to 12:00pm - Mississippi Museum of Natural Science - 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS

Two-Headed Snake

Admission: Adults $6, Kids $4
Hours: Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

We went for the Special Exhibit: "Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly"

The museum was good but it wouldn't have been much with out the special exhibit...which was awesome.

Ari made friends with a 20 foot Reticulated Python.

We saw a cobra, alligator, crocodile, lots of different snakes, geckos, chameleon, gila monster, a bearded dragon and a snake-necked turtle.

12:00pm to 12:30pm - Blue Trail and Yellow Trail

12:30pm to 1:00pm - Follow Red and Purple Trails back to Camp

1:00pm to 2:00pm - *Have Lunch

2:30pm - 4:00pm - Cypress Swamp - MP 122 on Natchez Trace Parkway

We saw 3 alligators here and it was AWESOME!

4:30pm - Camp

Day Three:

8:00am - Leave Camp

9:00am to 1:30pm - Vicksburg National Military Park - 3201 Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS

Illinois Monument

Hours: Daily 8am to 5pm
Admission: $8 Car
Allow 2 hours Driving Tour and Extra time for gift shop and museum.

This was a really nice military park...it was huge. It took us about 3 hours to drive the whole park.

The Illinois Monument was our favoite. It was absolutely beautiful, inside and out.

USS Cairo Exhibit and Museum, Hours: 930am to 5pm

The USS Cairo was really cool. The museum had a lot of information and the actually ship was fun to get on and imagine what it would have been like before it was sunk.

3:30pm to 4:00pm - Kosciusko Museum and Visitor Center - Exit 160 on Natchez Trace Parkway

4:10pm to 4:30pm - Redbud Springs Park - approx. 207 S Natchez St, Kosciusko, MS

Tadeusz Kosciuszko statue

4:40pm to 5:00pm - Buffalo United Methodist Church - Mississippi 12, Kosciusko, MS

Oprah Winfrey's First Church

About 2 blocks up the road, Oprah Winfrey Road, it a big white sign that marks the site of Oprah's First Home. There isn't anything there but the sign and a woodsy area.

9:00pm - Home

We had a really fun time. And we would have been home right on time...except that the headlights on our car stopped working and we ended up having to stay in a hotel in Senatobia, MS for the night.

or Alternative 2-Day Trip:

Day One:

7am - Leave Jackson, TN

12:00pm to 1:30pm - Lefleur's Bluff State Park - 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS
Mayes Lake Campground $18 night
This is where we will be camping. The plan is to set up our tent and have some lunch.

1:30pm to 2:00pm - Follow Purple, Red and Yellow Trail to Mississippii Museum of Natural Science

Purple Trail - 0.49 mile
Red Trail - 0.32 mile
Yellow Trail - 0.16 mile

2:00pm to 4:30pm - Mississippi Museum of Natural Science - 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS
Admission: Adults $6, Kids $4
Hours: Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

4:30pm to 5:00pm - Blue Trail

5:00pm to 5:30pm - Follow Red and Purple Trails back to Camp

Day Two:

8:30am - Leave Camp

9:00am to 12:00pm - Mississippi Petrified Forest - 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, MS

Hours: 9am to 6pm

Admission: Adults $7, Kids $6
6 Block Nature Trail
Museum
Gem Mining - $4 per person

1:30pm to 2:30pm - Cypress Swamp - MP 122

1/2 mile Trail

3:30pm to 4:15pm - Kosciusko Museum and Visitor Center - Exit 160 on Natchez Trace Parkway
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Free

4:30pm to 4:45pm - Redbud Springs Park - approx. 207 S Natchez St, Kosciusko, MS
Tadeusz Kosciuszko statue

5:00pm to 5:15pm - Buffalo United Methodist Church - Mississippi 12, Kosciusko, MS
Oprah Winfrey's First Church

9pm - Arrive Jackson, TN

If you would like to make it a longer trip, Holly Springs National Forest isn't far.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

3 Mamas, 8 Kids and a 12 Seater

This trip is planned from New Brighton, MN

Day 1:

7:00am - Leave New Brighton, MN

8:45am to 10:00am - Minneopa State Park - 54497 Gadwall Rd Mankato, MN 56001
8:45am - 9:00am - Seppmann Windmill
9:15am - 10:00am - Waterfall Trail Loop - 0.5 mile
Hours: 9am to 3pm
Admission: Free

12:30pm to 2:00pm - Falls Park - 131 E Falls Park Dr., Sioux Falls, SD
Hours: 5am to 10pm
Admission: Free

3:15pm to 4:30pm - Corn Palace - 612 N Main St., Mitchell, SD
Hours: 8am to 9pm
Admission: Free

5:40pm to 6:30pm - Pizza Ranch - 801 7th St Platte, SD 57369
Dinner Buffet - $8 Adults

9:30pm - Hotel in Wall, SD
America's Best Value Inn, 201 S Blvd, Wall, SD

Day One Cost:
Gas: 591 Miles - $197
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $70
Admissions: $0
Hotel: 3 Rooms $211
Total: $498

Day 2:

8:00am - Leave Hotel

9:00am to 11:00am - Bear County USA - 13820 S Highway 16, Rapid City, SD
Hours: 9am to 4pm
Admission: Adults $16, Kids $10

11:05am to 3:30pm - Reptile Gardens - 8955 S Highway 16, Rapid City, SD
Hours: 8am to 6pm
Admission: $16, Kids $11
Eat a packed lunch

3:45pm to 5:30pm - City of Presidents - 631 Main St., Rapid City, SD
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 12pm to 9pm

Little Ceasers - 1601 Mount Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD

5:40pm - Hotel in Rapid City, SD
Super 8, 2124 N Lacrosse St., Rapid City, SD

Day Two Cost:
Gas: 78 Miles - $26
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $15
Admissions: $179
Hotel: 3 Rooms $211
Total: $451

Day 3:

7:00am - Leave Hotel

8:00am to 9:00am - Crook County Courthouse - 309 Cleveland St., Sundance, WY
Hours: 8am to 4pm
Admission: Free
Sundance Kid Statue and Jail

9:30am to 12:00pm - Devils Tower National Monument - US Hwy 14, Devils Tower, WY
Hours: 9am to 4pm
Admission: $10 Car
Tower Trail - 1.5 hours/1.3 miles

12:00pm to 12:30pm - Picnic Lunch

2:45pm to 4:30pm - Black Hills Institute Museum - 117 Main St., Hill City, SD
Hours: 9am to 7pm
Admission: Adults $8, Kids $4

4:45pm to 9:00pm - Crazy Horse Mountain Memorial - 12151 Ave of the Chiefs, Crazy Hourse, SD
Hours: 8am to Dark
Admission: $27 car
Museums
Laser Light Show at Dark
Dinner at Laughing Water Restuarant

10:00pm - Hotel in Custer, SD
Days Inn Custer, 519 Crook St., Custer, SD

Day Three Cost:
Gas: 239 Miles - $80
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions: $84
Hotel: 3 Rooms $224
Total: $508

Day 4:

8:00am - Leave Hotel

8:20am to 10:00am - Jewel Cave National Monument - 11149 US Hwy 16 B-12, Custer, SD
Visitor Center Hours: 8:30am to 5:30pm
Cave Tour: Discovery Tour - 9:35am (20 minutes) Adults $4, Kids Free

10:30am to 11:00am - Custer State Park - Gordon Stockyard - Stockyard Lake Dr, Custer, SD

11:15am to 11:45am - Custer State Park - Mt. Coolidge FireTower - Off SD-897 S, Custer, SD

12:15pm to 1:00pm - Wind Cave National Park - Rankin Ridge Trail - SD-87 S & Rankin Ridge Rd.
1 Mile Loop Trail - 14 Interpretive Stops

1:15pm - 3:10pm - Wind Cave National Park - 26611 US 385, Hot Springs, SD
Hours: 8am to 6pm
Admission: Free
Cave Tour: Fairgrounds Cave Tour - 1:40pm (1.50 hours) Adults $9, Kids $4.50
Junior Ranger Program

3:30pm to 5:30pm - Mammoth Site - 1800 US 18 Bypass, Hot Springs, SD
Hours: 8am to 8pm
Admission: Adults $9, Kids $7

5:30pm - Hotel in Hot Springs, SD
Super 8, 800 Mammoth St., Hot Springs, SD

Day Four Cost:
Gas: 71 Miles - $24
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions: $144
Hotel: 3 Rooms $252
Total: $540

Day 5:

8:00am - Leave Hotel

8:45am to 11:45am - Custer State Park - Entrance Station - SD-87 N & Wildlife Loop Rd, Custer, SD

9:15 - Buffalo Corrals
9:45 - Peter Norbeck Visitor Center - 30 minutes
10:30 - Badger Hole - 30 minutes
11:15 - Tunnel 6
11:25 - Tunnel 5 and Needles Eye - 15 minutes
11:45 - Tunnel 4

12:15pm to 1:30pm - Mount Rushmore National Monument - 12000 S Dakota 244, Keystone, SD
Hours: 8am to 10pm
Admission: $11 Car
Junior Ranger Program

1:45pm to 2:30pm - Cosmos Mystery Area - 24040 Cosmos Rd, Rapids City, SD
Hours: 8am to Dusk
Admission: 12+ $10, Under 12 Free

3:00pm to 5:00pm - South Dakota Air & Space Museum - 2890 Davis Dr., Ellsworth AFB, SD
Hours: 8:30am to 6pm
Admission: Free

5:15pm to 6:30pm - Arnold's Classic Diner - 1940 N Lacrosse St., Rapid City, SD

6:30pm - Hotel in Rapid City, SD
Super 8, 2124 N Lacrosse St., Rapid City, SD

Day Five Cost:
Gas: 129 Miles - $43
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions: $51
Hotel: 3 Rooms $211
Total: $425

Day 6:

8:00am - Leave Hotel

9:15am to 2:00pm - Badlands National Park - 25216 Ben Reifel Rd, Interior, SD
Hours: 7am to 7pm
Admission: $15 Car
GPS Adventure Activity Book
1-Notch Trail - 1.5 miles - 2 hours RT
2-Cliff Shelf Nature Trail - 0.5 miles - 30 minutes RT
3-Saber Site
4-Erosion Study
5-Sea of Grass

2:30pm to 4:30pm - Wall Drug - 510 Main St., Wall, SD
Hours: 7am to 10pm
Admission: Free + Lunch Cost

5:00pm to 6:00pm - Wall Drug Restuarant

6:15pm - Hotel in Wall, SD
Americas Best Value Inn, 201 S Blvd, Wall, SD

Day Six Cost:
Gas: 109 Miles - $37
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions: $15
Hotel: 3 Rooms $ 211
Total: $383

Day 7:

7:00am - Leave Hotel

8:00am to 11:00am - Minuteman Missle National Historic Site - 21280 SD Hwy 240, Phillip, SD
Hours: 8am to 4:30pm
Admission: Free
Guided Delta-01 Tour
Self Guided Delta-09 Tour

11:30am to 12:00pm - Picnic Lunch

12:00pm to 2:00pm - Badlands Petrified Garden - 23104 SD Hwy 248, Kadoka, SD
Hours: 7am to 7pm
Admission: Adults $5, Kids $3

5:30pm - Hotel in Sioux Falls, SD
Microtel Inn and Suites, 2901 S Carolyn Ave, Sioux Falls, SD

Day Seven Cost:
Gas: 295 Miles - $99
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions: $39
Hotel: 3 Rooms $193
Total: $451

Day 8:

9:30am - Leave Hotel

10:00am to 11:00am - USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial - 2705 12th St., Sioux Falls, SD
Hours: 10am to 6pm
Admission: Free

11:30pm to 1:30pm - Devils Gulch Park - Devils Gulch Park Rd., Garretson, SD
(5th St) Near Split Rock Park

2:30pm to 5:00pm - Pipestone National Monument - 36 North Reservation Ave, Pipestone, MN
Hours: 8am to 5pm
Admission: $3
Junior Ranger Program
The Circle Trail/The Old Stone Face

9:00pm - Arrive at Moms - New Brighton, MN

Day Eight Cost:
Gas: 265 Miles - $89
Food: Lunch $20, Dinner $100
Admissions:$9
Hotel: None
Total: $218

Total Trip Cost: All
Ford Econline 350 or similar Rental - $1500 ($1482)
Day 1: $500 ($498)
Day 2: $450 ($451)
Day 3: $510 ($508)
Day 4: $540
Day 5: $430 ($425)
Day 6: $390 ($383)
Day 7: $450 ($451)
Day 8: $220 ($218)
Total: $4990 ($4956)
Divided by 3: $1664 ($1652)

Total Trip Cost: Individual
Amy: Van - $500
D1: $174, D2: $165, D3: $186, D4: $202.50, D5: $159.50, D6: $140.50, D7: $164, D8: $85
Amy's Total: $1776.50

Sarah: Van - $500
D1: $159, D2: $138, D3: $154, D4: $153, D5: $130, D6: $120.50, D7: $135, D8: $65
Sarah's Total: $1554.50

Keri: Van - $500
D1: $164, D2: $149, D3: $157, D4: $164, D5: $125, D6: $115.50, D7: $136, D8: $60
Keri's Total: $1570.50

Mammoth Cave National Park - 2 Day Trip

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN. It can be revised to fit your location.

*Because of delays in our plans caused by our car getting broken into at the Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, We did not get to do a few things on our schedule. (Cedar Sink Trail, River Styx Spring Trail, Junior Ranger Track)

Day 1:

7:00am - Leave Home

9:00am to 9:30am - Narrows of the Harpeth - Narrows of the Harpeth Rd, Kingston Springs, TN

11:30pm - Mammoth Cave National Park - 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY

Visitor Center Hours: 8am to 6:30pm
Camping: Mammoth Cave Campground $17-20 night

Site #3

Reservations: 270-758-2424
Cave Tour: Historic Tour - 2:45pm - 4:45pm
Cave Tour Admission: Adults $10, Kids $8

Fat Man's Misery

Preventing the spread of White-Nose Syndrome

Junior Ranger Program

Junior Ranger Oath

11:30am to 12:00pm - Cedar Sink Trail
12:05pm to 12:30pm - Sloans Crossing Pond

12:40pm to 1:45pm - Mammoth Cave Campground - Check-In, Lunch, Set-Up
1:50pm to 2:45pm - Visitor Center
2:45pm to 4:45pm - Historic Tour
5:00pm - 5:15pm - Sand Cave Trail

5:30pm - Mammoth Cave Campground - Dinner

Day 2:

9:25am - Leave Camp

9:30am to 10:00am - River Styx Spring Trail

10:30am to 11:15am - Junior Ranger Track

11:30am to 12:30pm - Big Mike's Rock Museum & Gift Shop - 566 Old Mammoth Cave Rd., Cave City, KY

Ari is searching for the perfect rock

Hours: Monday thru Sunday 9am to 8pm
Mystery House Admission: $1

Notice the front legs are in the air

Kerry aka Superman

*The kids and Kerry proclaimed this the highlight of the trip. It really was a cool place, it was well worth more than we paid to get in.

He really can climb the walls!

1:30pmCT/2:30pmET - 3:30pmET - Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek
7120 Bardstown Rd, Hodgenville, KY
Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm ET
Admission: Free

3:45pmET - 4:45pmET - Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park - 2995 Lincoln Farm Rd, Hodgenville, KY
Hours: 8am to 6:45pm ET
Admission: Free

Lincoln Memorial

Sinking Spring

Junior Ranger Program

My Junior Rangers

9:00pm CT - Home

Secondary Plan:

Day 1:

8:00am - Leave Home

10:00am to 10:30am - Worst Train Wreck in US History - White Bridge Rd., Nashville, TN

12:00pm - Mammoth Cave National Park - 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, KY
Visitor Center Hours: 8am to 6:30pm
Camping: Mammoth Cave Campground $17-20 night
Reservations: 270-758-2424
Cave Tour: Frozen Niagara Tour - 1pm, 3:15pm and 4:15pm
Cave Tour Admission: Adults $10, Kids $8

Junior Ranger Program

Trails: Cedar Sink Trail - 0.8 mile
River Styx Spring Trail - 0.6 mile
Sloans Crossing Pond - 0.4 mile
Sand Cave Trail - 0.1 mile

Day 2:

8:45am - Leave Camp

9am to 10am - Big Mike's Rock Museum & Gift Shop - 566 Old Mammoth Cave Rd., Cave City, KY
Hours: Monday thru Sunday 9am to 8pm
Mystery House Admission: $1

10:15am to 3:00pm - Kentucky Down Under - 3700 L and N Turnpike Rd., Horse Cave, KY
Hours: 9am to 4pm
Admission: Adults $22, Kids $13
Outback Cafe

6:30pm - Home

Other lodging options:

Wigwam Village Motel - 601 N Dixie Hwy, Cave City, KY - $50-$70 night