My love of the Natchez Trace Parkway is well documented. I love all 444 miles, and the way the landscape changes between Natchez, Miss. and Nashville. But the section of the National Park Service-managed roadway that runs through Williamson County is an absolute gem. It takes only minutes to get away from the congestion of Brentwood and the buzz in downtown Franklin to be cycling or driving through rolling hills with no commercial businesses, no billboards, no distractions. Jump on near mile marker 440 at the Double Arch Bridge at the intersection of TN-96 and exit around mile marker 399 after Sheboss Place. You’ll get the chance to take in scenic overlooks, historic markers and Creekside hikes, as well as reset your brain. It’s like going on vacation in your own backyard.Â