About 30 miles southwest of Jackson Mississippi, near Port Gibson, the Rocky Springs section offers eight miles of trail extending from the Utica-Regantown Rd. trailhead (Milepost 59 on the Natchez Trace Parkway) south to the Rocky Springs Campground (Milepost 54 point 8) that is open to horseback riding. This 8-mile steep and challenging horse trail contains creeks and ravines. Riders will need to cross the Parkway motor road one time on this trail. The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail continues on for two miles to Owens Creek Waterfall, but this section is open to hikers only.
Trailers are permitted on the Parkway when used non-commercially to transport horses for recreational riding, and must be properly equipped with red taillights, red stoplights, and mechanical turn signals. Clearance lights are required on trailers over six feet high.
Trailers carrying over one ton must be properly equipped with brakes designed so as to be applied by the driver of a towing motor vehicle from its cab and so connected that in case of an accidental breakaway of the towed vehicle the brakes will be applied automatically.
All trailers must be connected to the towing vehicle by means of a safety chain or equivalent device and may not exceed a total length of 55 feet (including vehicle and trailer).
The loading and unloading of horses and pack animals is permitted only at designated horse trailheads, referred to as staging areas on Parkway maps.
All horses transported to or ridden on any park trail shall be accompanied by either the original or a copy of an official negative test for equine infectious anemia (EIA) (aka "Coggins test") administered within the previous 12 months.
Only one rider per horse is permitted.