Best USA-Canadian Compact Motorhomes

Best Class C Motorhome Reviews – USA & Canadian Models

winnebago rialta
Winnebago Rialta Class C Motorhome

See our top RV Show 2025 Schedule

We have just posted a 2023 Update to our Best Compact Motorhomes – so check it out for the latest recommendations.

However if you are in market for a pre-owned compact motorhome, the following reviews can be helpful. PS. Two of the units we previously liked are no longer being produced.

In an earlier post (top compact European motorhomes – see article) I discussed some criteria my wife and I have should we elect to replace our aging Winnebago Rialta motorhome. Class C Motorhomes made in the USA and Canada lack many of the features we now enjoy. On the other hand several European motor home manufacturers offer a number of compact full-featured motorhomes (see our article) that we would consider as viable replacements.

In this article I review the Best USA/Canadian motorhomes that come the closest to having the features that made the Rialta so desirable to many RV buyers who want a compact but full-featured motor home.

These Rialta features are:

  • Low profile, aerodynamic and attractive body style
  • Short length (21 feet) enables parking in a conventional automobile parking space
  • Driving and maneuvering it is as easy as a pickup truck
  • Doubles as a deluxe passenger van with seating for up to 5 passengers
  • Large coach windows, with natural light lending an open feeling to the interior
  • Large rear-facing picture window with view from the driver’s seat
  • Good gas mileage: 17 – 19 highway
  • Has the same coach accessories/conveniences of much bigger units.

Here’s our reviews of best small class C motorhomes under 25 feet.

Editor Note: Since the original publication of this article, some models have been discontinued. However for those looking for a Good Used Compact Motorhomes, these are some good choices.

–List Prices in the article are from a few years ago – –

Winnebago Trend


Winnebago Trend


At 24′ 4″ long the Trend is close to being too long for ease of parking and fitting into compact campsites. The 23L floorplan is the most viable for us. It has a defined bedroom with a 49″ wide bed that can remain made-up and a dinette seating that will handle 3 people (maybe a 4th in a pinch). It has seat belts for five people. So two positive gains over the Rialta: the daily bed making chores will be reduced and the Dodge Promaster Chassis and engine which will be easier to find good service than we now experience. Negatives are: 1) we lose some gas mileage 2) we lose our beautiful expansive rear picture window 3) less natural interior light, 4) the truncated corner bed is slightly smaller than a conventional double bed, 5) somewhat boxy appearance, and 6) the list price is above $100,000 (but you should be able to find one for under $85,000).

PS The Trend was later replaced by the Winnebago Fuse, which uses a Ford Transit chassis.



Looking for a Roomy but compact Travel Trailer?
See our article on the Airstream Bambi and other top rated compact travel trailers


Thor Compass

Thor Compass Motorhome

Pictured at the top of this page, at 23′ 6″ long the Thor Compass fits within our specs for maximum length. The 23TK model has a comfortable 4 person dinette and a dedicated bedroom with a 49″ wide corner bed setup similar to the Winnebago Trend. (The 23TB model gives you a flip-up queen size bed but the dining area becomes only a two person pedestal table (which I find too small) in front of a couch.) It has a large European style “garage” external storage compartment which I like. The chassis and engine are Ford Transit which should give even better service options than the Dodge Promaster. The Ford is also a diesel which should offer a bit more miles per gallon than the Dodge gas engine. Negative: List price is above 100,000 but you may be able to find one for around $75,000.

For 2020-22 The Compass has been upgraded (see article) with many nice features.

GulfStream BT Cruiser

GulfStream BT Cruiser


At 24′ 5″ long the model 5245 pushes our limit on vehicle length. Likewise at 10′ 6″ high it is on upper end. But it has a separate queen bed and a four person dinette, and overall an attractive floor plan and amenities. Its Ford E350 Engine and Chassis will be easy to service. It doesn’t have the more aerodynamic and newer Ford Trend chassis and I’d expect less MPG than the Trend chassis but the E350 is well established and easy to service. It’s retail price is under $100,000 and I’ve seen advertised prices under $80,000. A decent value.

Leisure Travel Wonder

Leisure Travel Wonder

The Leisure Travel Wonder has a low profile, sleek appearance. It is just under 10 feet high but is 24′ 9″ long, barely under our 25 feet maximum. It is very spacious with lots of storage inside and out. The kitchen is well laid out with good counter space and the bath has a separate roomy shower. Roomy exterior storage space will easily hold our two golf bags. The murphy bed model is a unique feature. It allows you to keep a made up bed, yet not have the bed taking up all that useable floor space during the day. A skylight and larger windows give it an airy feeling inside. Besides it being a little on the long side, the only downside feature is the dining area is limited to two persons. This also limits it seating for day travel to 4 persons. It’s built on a Ford Transit Chassis with a 3.2 liter Turbo Diesel. List price is above $100,000 ($108 to 115K) but you may be able to find a deal for under $100,000.

Phoenix Cruiser

Phoenix Cruiser


The Phoenix 2100 is the most compact full-featured Canadian or American-made Class C we’ve found. In terms of providing useable space and conveniences in a modest-size footprint it is the most space efficient USA motorhome we’ve come across. It’s a compact 21′ 7″ long and under 10′ in height including the AC unit. It has a four person dinette and a full dry bath with a separate shower. Adequate size kitchen with a counter top extension. The slide-out contains a full-size walk around bed that in the daytime folds up into a sofa.

The Phoenix provides seat belts and seating for 6 people so it works as Van alternative for comfortable day trips. In comparison to the Rialta, we’d lose our nice big rear picture window and quite a bit in MPG. I’m also unsure about exterior storage; a must-have for us is the ability to carry two golf bags. The Chassis is the Ford E350 with the 6.8 Liter V-10 gas engine (gas mpg?). Comes factory direct with a nice selection of premium convenience options for under $100,000.

Phoenix Cruiser 2100
The 2100 offers a lot of features in a small space

Pleasure-Way Plateau . . . really Sharp, but expensive, compact Class C RV

PleasureWay Plateau

After I wrote this original version of this article I saw a video of the Pleasure-Way Plateau XLTS (see my review) and saw some nice features that would challenge the top Compact Class Cs featured in this post. Except that MSRP is $145,000 plus! But if you’ve got the cash and desire a full-featured compact Class C, it might be the unit for you.

Another new 2018 compact motorhome I am anxious to see up close is the North American Hymer Aktiv 2.0. It is a Class B, but from the pictures I’ve seen it seems more spacious and airy inside than the usual Class B. See our report here on Best Class B RVs or Van Campers

Concluding Remarks. The Phoenix Cruiser and the Thor Compass come closer than other US-Canadian RV makers to the European standard of right-sizing RVs, but not good enough in our opinion. Guess we’ll have to wait for the US-Canadian RV market to change before we can seriously consider replacing our Rialta. We are looking for a model under 23 feet, under $100,000 price, external storage for at least two golf bags, with all the usual RV accessories and comforts, and most of the the criteria we listed at the beginning of this article as plus-features of the Rialta. Know of any model that comes close? Write me in the comments.

See our Update of Best Compact Motorhomes

More Motorhome Reviews: 

MotorHome Manufacturer Links:


RV Traveling & Camping

Cedar Key a hidden gem of the Gulf Coast. See our article on camping, hiking, and interesting things to see and do in and around this unique Florida Gulf Coast community.

More RVing Resources

See our calendar of Best RV Shows for 2024

See our recommended RV & Scenic Travel Guides.

What are your favorite compact Class C motorhomes? Let me know in the comments below.

Your Travel Guide: Ross Reinhold

Reviewing the Airstream Bambi and its competitors

airstream bambi travel trailer

Is Airstream the Best Compact Tow Behind RV? What else comes close? The Airstream Travel Trailer is the benchmark in quality and luxury among RV campers. But before you buy there are 7 other brands and models you should consider before buying an Airstream. In this article, I review the 20 foot Airstream Bambi and … Read more

Camping at Fort Pickens National Park

Fort Pickens Beach Sunset

Fort Pickens Campground RV Park Review, Pensacola Beach Florida Pros & Cons, What to like and not like about camping at Fort Pickens. See campground maps, pictures, information and links below. The Fort Pickens Gulf Islands National Park RV park and campground is set about a half mile east of the old fort, nestled between … Read more

Big Lagoon State Park | Likes Dislikes

big lagoon state park boardwalk

Review: RV Camping, Hiking & Recreation Pensacola’s Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park is located along the Gulf Beach Highway that connects Fort Morgan and Gulf Shores at the western end to Pensacola and then east to Destin, Panama City Beach and beyond. Technically it is not on the Gulf but on the mainland side of the “big lagoon” formed by Perdido Key which forms a barrier island between it and the Gulf of Mexico. The park does offer some sand beach swimming areas on the lagoon but they don’t compare to what you find in nearby Pensacola Beach.

boardwalk big lagoon state park
A view from the park tower of one of the many boardwalks that are part of the hiking trail system at Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola Florida

Big Lagoon Amenities and Activities

The lagoon and the interior lakes within the park offer lots of protected-water paddling territory for canoeing and kayaking. If you don’t have your own watercraft, kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available from the Ranger Station.

The hiking trails through the coastal forest and boardwalks along the shoreline plus a three-story observation tower provide lots of bird-watching and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. There are over 5 miles of varied hiking and nature trails plus several boardwalks.

big lagoon state park
If you stand just outside the little camp store, you can get free Wi-Fi
big lagoon state park hiking
The hiking trails are wide and sandy or are wooden boardwalks.
big lagoon state park boardwalk
One of the Boardwalk/Nature Trails in the park

The park offers a full-boat launch area giving access to the lagoon and gulf for fishing and boating.

Biking is another popular recreational activity along over 3 miles of lightly traveled paved park roads. Gulf Beach Highway borders the North edge of the park. It provides additional biking opportunities as there’s a sidewalk running adjacent to the highway. That sidewal allowed us to safely bike to Shopping Plaza a mile or two West of the park entrance to do some shopping. If you are ambitious enough, you might also be able to bike across the Theo Baers Bridge all the way to Rosamond Johnson Beach along the gulf on Perdido Key. There you can enjoy a day on the outstanding several mile long white sand gulf side beach that is part of the National Gulf Island Seashore Park.

big lagoon state park
Lots of trails for biking and hiking plus several picnic areas

March 2023 Note: On our recent visit to Big Lagoon, we found, due to storm damage, the East Beach area and the central pavilion section of the park was closed. So some of the swimming, hiking, biking, and boardwalk area was off-limits. Unsure how long it will be before repairs are completed.

Review: Big Lagoon RV Campground Facilities

The campground has 75 campsites with 30 & 50 amp service and is served by 3 full-service restrooms. The main park roads are paved but the campsites themselves are sand with some gravel. Most of the sites have good plant screening providing some privacy separation. Some of the sites along the edge of marsh are subject to flooding in heavier rains. The maximum RV length is 40 feet. Several areas of the park, including the washrooms, are wheelchair accessible and there are a few designated accessible camp sites that are paved.

big lagoon state park
Typical Big Lagoon Campsite

There is a small camp store with limited hours at the eastern end of the campground. But a decent sized shopping center including grocery and adult beverage stores is only about a mile from the park entrance. Also nearby is one of our favorite Pensacola Golf Courses – Perdido Bay GC and Triggers Restaurant – a great family owned seafood restaurant. A library that offers Wi-Fi is located just across the street from the park entrance. Other popular Pensacola attractions, like the fantastic Naval Air Museum, Fort Barrancas, and the Pensacola Lighthouse Museum are about 8 miles east along the Gulf Beach Highway.

What to Like or Not Like about Big Lagoon State Park and Campgrouond

Pros: The Hiking, Nature and Boardwalk Trails. Easy access from Gulf highway, convenient to shopping and many Pensacola area visitor attractions. Modest camping fees and less competition for reservations, compared to Fort Pickens and other popular State Parks.

Cons: The sandy campsites mean you track a lot of sand into your rig. And those sites along the South edge of the campground can be wet. While there are some swimming beaches, they are less attractive than those on the Gulf itself and you have to keep an eye out for Alligators.

Rosamond Johnson Beach
Rosamond Johnson Beach on the Gulf is about 3 miles from the State Park

Things to see and do in the Pensacola area

Surprisingly Available RV Campground

Buccaneer State Park RV Site

Are you a Snowbird having trouble finding an RV site along the Gulf Coast? For Snowbird’s finding a decent and affordable Winter RV campground along the Gulf of Mexico drive from Mississippi to Florida is a challenge. We’ve found having to make a reservation a year in advance is normal. That degree of advance planning … Read more

Shell Mound Campground – Cedar Key, Florida

Our rialta at shell mound campground

RV & Tent Camping: Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge and Shell Mound Park

Can’t find a vacancy at Cedar Key RV Campgrounds? Or you are choking on the prices. Here’s an alternative to check out.

Our favorite place to RV camp when visiting the fun and artsy Gulf Beach Town of Cedar Keys, is the Levy County Shell Mound Park. It is located about 8 miles North and East of the town of Cedar Key in Florida’s Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge.

Shell Mound offers both RV campsites and tent campsites at prices considerably less than the fare in Cedar Key proper. There’s a pair of nice hiking/nature trails and a fishing pier nearby in the Wildlife Refuge and a boat launch for canoes and kayaks. 

Most of Shell Mound’s RV sites have both electricity and water-hookups, but some are electric only and there are a few tent sites with no utilities. There is a full-service washroom/shower building and an RV dump site. The campground also has its own boat launch and a place to park trailers.  The campground managers are on-site during the day and we found themvanc very friendly and helpful.

Beside reasonable price, another outstanding feature of Shell Mound is there are no advance reservations, site occupancy is first come, first served. There’s a 7 day maximum stay, So even during popular times of the year, you might be able to get a site there. The camping fees are reasonable, even with a recent 50% increase.

shell mound campground cedar key florida
Shell Mound Campground
google map shell mound campground
campground – google maps

Since the campground is set within the Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge it is remote, surrounded by woods and is generally quite quiet. The only noise we heard during our stay there was when an airboat launched at the boat landing. Some of the RV sites have a decent slope to them so some leveling blocks would be necessary for these particular sites. The road that circles through the park is paved and many sites are graveled. The camping sites  generally have some shade, and offer adequate separation from neighboring sites. The sites that are electric-only (no water and lower priced) are more open and on grass vs. partially graveled.

sunset shell mound county park
A pretty sunset behind our campsite at Shell Mound County Park

Directions to Shell Mound

From the town of Cedar Key it is about an 8 mile drive to the Shell Mound campground. You go north on Highway 24 about 3 miles, then left on Highway 347 for about 3 miles, and then turn left when you get to Highway 326. The park is near the end of the road.

There’s a short trail near the boat launch that leads out to a spit of land providing a view of the bayou and islands of Suwannee Sound.

Bayou Trail, Shell Mount County Park
A trail behind our campsite led out to this spit of land
surrounded by water where we could watch the sun setting over the Gulf

Nearby Hiking Trails in the Wildlife Refuge

While technically not in the Levy County Park, within walking distance down the road are two interesting hiking/nature trails in the Cedar Key Wildlife Refuge that surrounds the county park.

Review: What to Like and Not Like About the Shell Mound County Campground

Likes

Reasonable Price.  Although the County increased the RV site rate 50% between our stay in 2018 and the recent one in 2020, it remains quite a bit more reasonable than those in or nearer the town of Cedar Key.

Convenient to the attractive Gulf Beach town of Cedar Key. It is less than a 10 mile drive to Cedar Key. Some campers with bikes will bike to town. The only portion where you might encounter any traffic is on Hwy 24 before the Cedar Key bridge. Once in town, you have slower speed limits and a bike path.

The Cedar Keys Nature Area & Hiking. The park is surrounded by the Shell Mound portion of the National Wildlife Refuge. Within walking distance down the dead end road that runs past the campground are the trail heads for two hiking/nature trails within the Refuge. There’s also small park there with boardwalk leading to an observation deck overlooking a portion of the Keys and a canoe/kayak launch area.

First Come, First Served Reservations. We like the fact the park offers no advance reservations. During the winter-spring season, it can be very difficult to get a campsite near a popular place like Cedar Key due to sites being reserved in advance. So the Shell Mound park means we have a chance to score a campsite mid-week at the last minute. During the day there is an office phone # you can call to see if the campground is full or not.

Review: What Not to Like About the Shell Mound County Campground

Airboat Noise. The boat ramp is apparently a popular launching site for locals who own flat bottomed airboats that are driven by huge aircraft propellers. While impressive to see, for those who have never seen on up close, the noise they make when taking off or arriving at the landing is deafening. You’ll most likely be treated to this experience Fridays – Sundays. The noise doesn’t last that long. Mainly it upsets people because it is such a stark contrast to what is otherwise a very peaceful and serene setting.

Sloping or Wet Campsites. Unless you get to the park early enough and/or during a non-busy period, your only site choices will be one of the very sloping campsites (so bring levelers) or parking on one of the low land, grass-covered sites that could get wet with a significant rainfall. So far, we’ve been lucky.

Old Washroom/Showers. While in general we’ve found the bathroom and showers clean, the washroom and showers fixtures are old and showing their age, and the building itself is a rustic cider block construction. But as I said it is clean and we found the hot water came quickly in the showers. 

Shell Mound Camping Rates and Reservation Information:

Shell Mound 2020 Rates

Other Cedar Keys Area RV Campgrounds

If you don’t mind paying a premium and being in a busier, more crowded campground here are your three choices:

More Good RV Campground Options Close enough to Cedar Key

A little further away (29 miles from Cedar Key) is Chiefland, Florida where the are some good RV Park & Camping options. During our previous stays in the Cedar Keys area we have also camped at the Manatee Springs State Park campground which is about 33 miles from the center of town. Manatee Springs has an excellent campground, reasonably-priced and offers other amenities we like. They do offer reservations so if you want to guarantee a camping spot for your visit to Cedar Keys, this is a good option.

Another very good RV camping option in Chiefland is Strawberry Fields RV Campground (see our review), a new facility on the East edge of town.

More Articles on Cedar Key Visitor Attractions:

Best Compact RV Motorhomes from Winnebago

Winnebago Grand National Rally

Review of top small Class C and Class B Winnebago motorhomes for 2022 The 2021 Winnebago Grand National Rally in Forest City, Iowa provided my wife Jo and I an opportunity to personally inspect the 2022 offerings from Winnebago in the compact motorhome and camper van market segment. I not only wanted informative content for … Read more

Best Camper Vans

Interior of Winnebago Solis

Camper Vans Reviews in this article: Winnebago Solis & Solis PX, Solis Pocket, PleasureWay Tofino, and Thor Tollaro In an earlier article on featuring Modular Conversion Camper Vans, I commented that major RV manufacturers need to create what is essentially a successor to the venerable VW Bus-Camper Van, an affordable camper van that doesn’t require … Read more

Best Like New Compact RV Motorhomes

Thor Compass RV

Buying a used small motorhome This is an older article reviewing the best of small motorhomes. I am republishing it for the benefit of RVers who are looking for a good used or pre-owned compact motorhome. Ross Reinhold, editor and publisher For new smaller, compact motorhomes see our 2021-22 Update to our Best Compact RV … Read more

Traveling The Modern Natchez Trace Parkway

A Great Road Trip

One of the most scenic and stress free road trips you can take. In the Spring you can catch the blooming Red Buds, Dogwoods, and wildflowers. In the fall beautiful colors as the leaves are changing.

The Natchez Trace Parkway begins north of the city of Natchez (see our article on Visiting historic Natchez, Mississippi), the oldest town on the Mississippi River and the southern terminus of the historic Natchez Trace. The parkway runs 444 miles, through three States, ending south of Nashville, Tennessee.

There are some interesting small towns along the route and hundreds of wayside stops with some sort of scenic or historical interest along the Parkway. Rated by Mike and Jen of RVlifestyle.com as their favorite RV road trip in the US. We agree and highlight below some of our favorite points of interest along the Trace.

The rooms in the old Mount Locust Inn, with period furnishings, are open for viewing.
The rooms in the old Mount Locust Inn, with period furnishings, are open for viewing.

Our Favorite Points of Interest Along the Natchez Trace:

Mount Locust, Milepost 15.5

Traveling north from Natchez, one of the first stops you should make along the Trace is at Mount Locust, milepost 15.5. Back in the day, this was Day 1 on the Boatman’s trip back to the Ohio Valley. The stand was originally constructed as a farm homestead in 1780. But being in the right place at the right time encouraged later owners, the William Ferguson family, to open up a crude inn to serve the growing number of travelers. Eventually an annex was constructed to better meet the need. The Inn has been restored and is open for daily tours from February through November. See link to Mt. Locust Brochure.

Sunken Trace, Milepost 41.5 – At several points along the parkway the “old Trace” intersects with or comes close to the Parkway. At mile marker 41.5 is one of many rest stops where you can walk to and through a portion of the original Trace.

Old Natchez Trace sunken trail

Rocky Springs, Milepost 54.8 – The former community of Rocky Springs is now a park, picnic site and rustic campground. A self-guided trail leads to the location of the former village and to the graveyard and old church that are all that remain of a village that once held over 2000 souls. Map of Rocky Springs Campground & Historical Site

Cypress Swamp, Milepost 122.0 – At mile marker 122 you’ll have an opportunity to stretch your legs with a half-mile loop annotated nature trail through a Cypress and Water Tupelo Swamp. We saw a baby alligator sunning itself on a little island in the swamp pond.

cypress swamp natchez trace
The nature trail begins with a boardwalk through the center of the swamp.

Holly Hill Rest Stop, Mile Marker 154.3 – One of 44 picnic areas along the Trace. There is picnic tables and accessible rest rooms.

Holly Hill Rest Stop, Natchez Trace
Holly Hill Rest Stop, Mile Marker 154.3, one of 44 picnic areas along the Natchez Trace

French Camp, Milepost 180.7 – A “stand” (inn) was established here in 1812 serving travelers along the Trace. Later in 1822 it added a school, which exists to this day. Included in the restored complex, joined by a boardwalk, are a cafe, gift shop, visitor center, log cabin, crafts center, and sorghum making center. An interesting historical stop, an opportunity to stretch your legs, and get a bite to eat.

Link to Historic French Camp Village website

French Camp, Natchez Trace
Blacksmith Shop and Barn of the French Camp
French Camp
The Drane House, an 1845 restored antebellum home is open for tours

Jeff Busby Park, Milepost 193.1 – Named for Mississippi Congressman Thomas Jefferson Busby (whose bill created the Parkway), the park has a visitor exhibit area, a nice picnic area with tables, grills, and parking, a 22 site campground, restrooms, hiking trails, and a mountain top overlook that is one of the highest points in Mississippi.

Jeff Busby Campground & Picnic Area Map – Jeff-Busby-map

Jeff Busby Overlook
The Scenic Overlook picnic area at the Jeff Busby Trace Park.

Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center, Tupelo, Mississippi, Milepost 266.0

The Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center has a twelve-minute orientation film, interpretive displays about the natural and cultural history of the Natchez Trace, as well as an Eastern National Bookstore. A park ranger is available from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (except Christmas Day) to answer any questions you may have. This is also the location to get your passport stamps for the Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Tupelo National Battlefield, and Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield.

Visitor Center Events Calendar


Visit the Shiloh National Military Park
Exit at Mile Marker 293
Visitor Centers at Corinth &
Shiloh Battlefield


Detour – As of April 4, 2022 a section of the Trace between mile markers 293 and 321
remains closed for repairs. Here is the detour route.


Meriwether Lewis Site Milepost 385.9

This is the largest and most impressive of the 3 campground-parks actually on the Trace. It site has a campground, modern washrooms, picnic areas, some decent hiking trails, and a historical exhibit on famed explorer Meriwether Lewis, including a monument erected at the site of his burial and a replication of the Grinder House, the “Stand” where Lewis stayed over-night on his way back East and mysteriously died of gunshot wounds in the middle of the night. Exhibits tell the story of that evening, plus other significant aspects of Lewis’ history.

Merriweather Lewis Campground
Relaxing at the Meriwether Lewis Campground, Natchez Trace Parkway

While the campground has no utilities it has paved and reasonably level parking areas for RVs. Each wooded site has a picnic table, a fire pit, trash bin, and nice separation from adjacent sites. Like all the National Forest Campgrounds along the trace, it is first come, first serve for campsites so best to get there early in the afternoon or it will be full.

See more photos and info on things to do and see at Meriwether Lewis Park and Campground here.


Camping Along the Natchez Trace

The National Park maintains three improved campgrounds along the Trace (all of which were profiled above): Rocky Springs, Jeff Busby, and Meriwether Lewis. In addition there are several rustic campgrounds reserved for bikers or hikers. Within a few miles of the Trace are both private and public campgrounds with utilities for RVs. This page has links to State Parks convenient to the Trace.

Morning Fog across the Lake at Tishomingo State Park along the Natchez Trace Parkway

More Natchez Trace Links & Publications

National Parks Directory – ScenicPathways

Natchez Trace Articles on Scenic Pathways

Meriwether Lewis Park – Natchez Trace

Meriwether Lewis Park Natchez Trace Parkway

Meriwether Lewis Park, Campground & Monument

The Merriwether Lewis Wayside Stop on the Natchez Trace is our favorite of all the significant points of interest. It is the site of Grinders Stand, made famous due to it being the place where famed explorer Meriwether Lewis died of mysterious circumstances. The Meriwether Lewis monument marks his burial site.

Another attraction of the site is being able to walk a portion of the original Old Natchez Trace that runs through the park. The old trace section also intersects with a network of other trails within this wayside stop.

A third attraction is the largest and most nicely landscaped of the 3 campgrounds that are located on the Trace itself.


Natchez Trace Articles on Scenic Pathways
History-Introduction Natchez Trace
Travelogue: Highlights along The Trace Parkway
Meriwether Lewis Natchez Trace  Park (this page)


Grinders Stand and Meriwether Lewis Last Night

On his way to Washington DC to defend himself against charges of improper expenditures, Meriwether Lewis traveled on a portion of the Trace. On October 10th he stayed overnight at Grinders Stand, a wayside inn on the Trace trail.

During the night gunshots were heard and Lewis was found dead of gunshot wounds. Some reports allege he died at his own hand; others suggest he was murdered. A sad and mysterious end to one of America’s most famous explorers.

Lewis is buried about 200 yards from the old inn and along the original Trace. In 1848 the state of Tennessee erected a monument over the grave site. Some exhibits accompany the replica of Grinders Stand built on the site of the original. Exhibits tell the story of that evening, plus other significant aspects of Lewis’ history. See MLewis-Site-Bulletin

A replica of the original Grinders Stand Inn where Lewis spent his last fateful night.
A replica of the original Grinders Stand Inn where Lewis spent his last night.
Meriwether Lewis Gravesite
Corps of Discovery explorer Meriwether Lewis is buried here along the Old Trace.

Meriwether Lewis Hiking Trails

Old Trace Trail
Old Trace Hiking Trail from the Meriwether Lewis grave site.

There is a four mile loop hiking trail that starts at the Lewis grave site and eventually runs along Little Swan Creek where it intersects with the Old Natchez Trace foot trail. A few other spur trails criss-cross this network. We found walking on the Old Trace trail fairly easy to follow from the grave site to one of the picnic grounds in the park. But based on reports I’ve read some other portions of the hiking trail are less well-traveled and more difficult to follow.

We did a loop following the Old Trace til it intersected with the spur trail to the picnic area and then returned along the road.
We did a loop following the Old Trace til it intersected with the spur trail to the picnic area and then returned along the road.

Meriwether Lewis Campground

Meriwether Lewis campgound
We found a nice level RV site not too far from the washrooms.

Of the three drive-in campgrounds along the Trace, Meriwether Lewis is the largest and most improved. The bathroom building is clean, heated, well lighted with sinks and toilets (not vault toilets). The campground roads and sites are fully paved and the sites are quite level. There’s also a well pump faucet for adding water to your RV. No dump site nor electric service. But otherwise a very well maintained campground with an attractive camping fee – $0.0!

During peak travel times, you may have trouble finding a vacant camping site as this is a very popular stop along the Trace. David Crockett State Park is not too far away and would be an option for those camping or RVing.

Camping Along the Natchez Trace

The National Park maintains three improved campgrounds along the Trace (all of which were profiled above): Rocky Springs, Jeff Busby, and Meriwether Lewis. In addition there are several rustic campgrounds reserved for bikers or hikers. Within a few miles of the Trace are both private and public campgrounds with utilities for RVs. This page has links to State Parks convenient to the Trace.

Natchez Trace Links & Publications


Hot Springs Park Campground

Hot springs naitonal park campground

Review of Gulpha Gorge Campground at Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs Arkansas

The Hot Springs National Park campground is located on the east side of Hot Springs Mountain, in a wooded setting, isolated from the urban area. The Gulpha Gorge creek runs along the edge of the campground and several camp sites overlook the creek.

The Hot Springs Campground is very tidy clean and well-maintained. The roads through the park are fully paved, There are 44 sites with full-hookups, including sewer. All sites have level or close to level paved parking pads. Each site has a concrete picnic table and elevated BBQ grill. There is adequate space between camp sites. Tall trees provide good shade for most sites.

One of the top features we like about the Gulpha Gorge campground is that sites are only available on a first-come, first-served basis. You cannot make reservations in advance. Occupancy is limited to 14 days.

The modern washrooms are well-maintained, but there are no showers. All waste disposal bins are animal proof. There is a RV dump station and fresh water fill station. Other amenities are a day use picnic area and an amphitheater with sturdy bench seating. The park staff occasionally presents programs at the theater.

hot springs campground
Gulpha Gorge Campground, Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs Campground
Hot Springs Campground Map

Hot Springs Hiking Trails

For us a most attractive feature of the campground is the trail head at the Gulpha Gorge Campground has access to the extensive network of trails on Hot Springs Mountain. The trails vary from easy walking trails to more rugged to allow people to progress gradually to more strenuous exercise.

Leading from the campground, the Gulpha Gorge trail goes to the top of the mountain.

One of our favorite day hikes is taking the Gulpha Gorge trail that runs to top of eastern side of Hot Springs Mountain. Part way up is the intersection with the Goat Rock Trail which leads to Goat Rock, an outcropping with a panoramic view east. If you continue on the trail past the Rock, it eventually ends at the top of the Mountain where you can intersect with the Gulpha Gorge trail for your return leg of your hike. A great 90 minute exercise with a number of scenic views.

Jo about to climb the stairs to the Goat Rock overlook.
Great view from the top of Goat Rock.

Another favorite hike is taking the trail all the way to downtown Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row.

Situated in a valley in the Zig-Zag mountain range the city of Hot Springs is surrounded by hills. The Hot Springs National Park (see our article here) begins in the center of the city and encompasses the mountains to the east and west. So only minutes from downtown Hot Springs you can be in the woods several hundred feet above all the hustle and bustle of the city. Hot Springs became a center for physical therapy not only because of its abundant hot springs, but also because an extensive network of hiking trails were built in the hills surrounding the city to provide an exercise program to supplement the hot spring treatment.

Hot Springs National Park Links:

Arkansas Scenic Drives: Highway 7 Scenic Byway

–Ross