Lewis County: History and Nature along the Natchez Trace

History along the Natchez Trace and natural areas give Lewis County distinctive starting points for a stay. At milepost 385.9 of the Natchez Trace Parkway, near Hohenwald, Tennessee, you’ll find the Meriwether Lewis Burial Monument. The monument was erected in 1848 with funding from the Tennessee government. The Meriwether Lewis Death and Burial Site, with its Footsteps Through History Trail, is also at the same milepost.

Following the Natchez Trace

The Footsteps Through History Trail leads to a preserved section of the Old Trace, where Meriwether Lewis took his final steps. A visit therefore includes both a specific historic stretch of trail and the monument. One notable detail is its shaft: the broken-off top was deliberately designed to symbolize a life cut short by a premature death.

One side of the cabin at the Meriwether Lewis site houses museum exhibits about the Corps of Discovery and Meriwether Lewis’s final days along the Natchez Trace. The monument, trail, and exhibit offer different points of interest: you can explore the site through its history, the monument’s design, or the preserved section of the Old Trace.

Natural Areas and Scenery

Devil’s Backbone is a 950-acre Class I state natural area for scenic and recreational use in Lewis County. On the Devil’s Backbone Trail, visitors can look for forest birds, white-tailed deer, raccoons, box turtles, and frogs. These animals give an idea of the variety of wildlife that may be observed, without guaranteeing any particular sighting.

The Lewis State Forest covers 1,288 acres on the Western Highland Rim in Lewis County, making it larger than Devil’s Backbone. A public-use map of the forest was updated in April 2026. The Buffalo River is also part of the Tennessee Blueways Program, offering another option for travelers considering river landscapes.

Museums, Wildlife, and Local Arts

The Lewis County Museum combines local history exhibits with an outdoor visit: after exploring the museum, visitors can follow the Discovery Trail. The exhibits include prehistoric artifacts from Lewis County, among them some of the oldest pottery discovered in the southeastern United States. These finds add the region’s prehistory to the story told along the Natchez Trace.

The Maddox Wildlife Collection offers a self-guided video and audio safari. Younger visitors can choose missions that send them searching for particular animals. The Elephant Discovery Center is also self-guided, and walk-ins are welcome during opening hours. One important point to know before visiting: the elephants’ habitats at the sanctuary are closed to the public. Visitors to the center do not see or interact with elephants.

In Hohenwald, the Strand Theatre is a local venue celebrating the arts. The theater and gallery are part of an ongoing nonprofit arts project; individual programs may vary. Travelers looking to include culture in their trip will find a different focus here than at the historical exhibits or natural areas.

Practical Information

The Meriwether Lewis Area has a large parking lot, restrooms, and access to the Footsteps Through History Trail. There is also a 32-site campground at the site. All sites are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’d like to stay overnight, check availability before your visit. This information can help you plan a visit to the Natchez Trace; when choosing where to stay, you can also consider whether history, wildlife viewing, or museum visits should be the focus.

Discover more destinations: Hohenwald, Gibson, Union County, Warren County, Davidson, Grainger County, Mcminn County, Haywood County.

For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.