27,595 10:05 Back on the Trace, our first stop was at French Camp Historic Village. Morning mist was giving way to bright sunshine as we wandered through the complex.
Donkeys and miniature horses were the only signs of life. Students and residents must have been elsewhere.
The old school house at French Camp.
27,564 11:11AM Cypress Swamp Trail was a nice chance to stretch our legs and hear some birdsong. Boardwalks through the swamp proved unnecessary as the drought made for an unusual setting for cypress trees.
27,676 1:00 PM The Mississippi Craft Center in Ridgeland had, as one would expect, crafts on display. Zombies taking coffee breaks from a movie being filmed behind the center were a surprise.
Not a zombie, but my favorite work of art in the museum shop, this dragon represents how I feel before having my first cup of coffee in the morning.
The nearby Roseland Reservoir was a pleasant place to stop and make lunch.
The bicycle trail that begins at this reservoir was getting some heavy use by recumbent cyclists.
27,732 2:45PM Rock Springs Campground, another free National Park campground, looked a little run down. Not as nice as Jeff Busby Campground, sites were not very level and are in need of repaving. I hope the park service gets the funding needed to renovate.
27,759 3:30PM Grand Gulf Military Park, a short detour off the parkway, was the spot Beth found for the night. Checking in at the museum, the docents were very welcoming. Our $25 fee included museum admission and a site with full hook-ups.
Staying at the campground has the benefit of access to the park after it is closed. We put in a load of laundry before wandering the grounds. The park has a collection of historic buildings rescued from the Mississippi River floodplain that lies just below the hill on which the park is situated.
A circle road takes you to high ground where civil war defenses were stationed. I wouldn’t recommend driving this in anything larger than a class B van as there are tight corners and trees along the route.
A belt connects the working grist mill to the axle of the water powered wheel.
The lowest building in the park, a musty museum, houses an eclectic and interesting collection of local artifacts.
