Sunken Trace by auntietk
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
The Natchez Trace runs from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Begun in prehistory as a game trail and used as a major highway by the first human inhabitants of the area, by the early 1800s it was an important route for commerce and travel. Steamboats moved the trace into history... there was no point in walking over 400 miles when you could take a boat ... and the area is now a National Park.
The land in Western Mississippi is a huge loess formation. Loess is windborn dust that settles layer upon layer. It is relatively stable due to the formation of the dust grains, but erodes easily.
The loess formation along the southern Trace gave way to these sunken paths as constant traffic wore a groove in the soft soil.
Read the Wiki on the Natchez Trace
And see the National Park website
Here's a Wiki on loess if you're interested in knowing more about the geology.

Comments (30)
really nice
That would be fun to hike along. It's very pretty.
Gorgeous trail. Wouldn't it be fun to see the reaction of those old travelers if they saw our modern transportation methods? Thanks for sharing that lovely photo and history tidbit. :)
Wonderfully historical shot.
What a lovely forest shot, Tara :-) And so green already. :-)))
Hendesse will be jealous - lol
Can you imagine the bootlegging that ran through here :) Nice one Tara.
A super walk through the woods.
Beautiful work.
wonderful and powerful mood in this beauty-shot
Thanks for the history and the image.
This was where my dear friend Christel and her new husband spent their honeymoon last spring! They also did white water rafting, zip wires 100 metres up, alligator spotting, and other domestic pursuits.
Great capture and cool history lesson
Great image and history too
Nicely seen and a beautiful image!
The first thought that comes to my mind as I view your fine photo is the phrase, "a walk through time". Like the mood you've stirred... Nice job Hon.
Superb capture Tara. God bless.
A very beautiful forest image. It would be some trip to Nashville.
You don't think of forests like this when you think of Tennessee. Well, I don't anyway and it's a wonderful surprise!!
Interesting landscape and informations. A superb shot!
Amazing to see and contemplate! What a great capture!
I would love to hike here :)
I now live in the area close to the Trace in Nashville. Many years ago I lived not far from it in the Natchez area but never had the information you just shared. The Trace is one of our favorite ways to get from Nashville to Jackson, Mississippi. Beautiful drive. Thanks for showing us a new view of the Trace.
We vacationed in this area a few years ago. It is a wonderful place. When you go back into one of the places....it is so quiet....you can almost reach out and touch the past. Great photo.
That trail has a really spooky feel about it. I'll bet it's really peaceful, though. Wonderful capture, Tara!
cool
Fantastic forest scene!!!
More fascinating geological history, none of which I knew. And your shot bathes it in deep shadows, almost like time is speaking through your lens. I love to learn that a path has been around for ages, used by peoples long before we Europeans came, and still here now. This path, via your capture, seems gentle, inviting, protected and lush. And the rich red-browns lead to all that green...beautiful contrast. An inward, interior shot of a large exterior path. Very inviting and beautiful.
Brilliant and my kind of place.... with no people of course just a small hut and nature! Lovely shot Tara.. Rob
Great capture Tara. This could be anywhere in Germany!