Leo dropped us an email the other day...

Hi, we are first time visitors in the Southern States of the US. We are planning a trip from NYC to Miami, visiting the Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Pwy. On our way to Jackson/New Orleans we planned to stay in Tupelo overnight and driving down the NTP. We will be there mid-September. Will the leaves be changing colors then? Or is this too early? Do you have some tips which are a must cruising down the NTP? Thank you

-- Leo from the Netherlands

My answer below...

Imagine what it would be like if God dropped a million boxes of crayons from the blue sky above, and they landed on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

That's what it was like this week, as I witnessed peak colors of red, orange and golden yellow on the northern end of the Parkway near Nashville.

More photos below...

There's hardly a sight more beautiful...

For tomorrow's Dierks Bentley celebrity motorcycle ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway, here's where you'll find me...

The Natchez Trace Parkway bridge that spans across Highway 96 in Franklin, Tennessee is not only my favorite bridge on that parkway.

It quickly becomes the favorite of almost everyone who sees it... firsthand.

I already wrote about my favorite roadtrip to take on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

My second favorite stretch of roadway along the Natchez Trace Parkway is the part that goes from Highway 96 in Franklin to just past Highway 46 exit in Leiper's Fork -- heading South.

A popular turnaround spot is the Garrison Creek rest area, about a mile past the Leiper's Fork exit.

The Natchez Trace Parkway map is nice, but it doesn't show all of the stops along the way. It only shows the largest and most pertinent ones -- in the eyes of the National Park Service.

I thought I'd share with you some of the "hidden gems" that can be found along the Trace, most of which are not included on the official map.

The following Natchez Trace Parkway sightseeing locations are numbered in order, as if you're entering the Trace at Highway 100 (Nashville/Bellevue, TN), then heading north and exiting at Highway 96 (Franklin, TN). This route spans just over 5 miles (one way).

The very first (or very last, depending on which direction you're heading) gas station on the Natchez Trace Parkway is the Shell Station near the intersection of Highway 100 and the Natchez Trace Parkway.

There is also a cut-through to/from Bellevue using McCrory Lane, which intersects Highway 100 right next to the Shell Station.

I can't speak for the entire parkway, but on the northern end, near Nashville, it does!

This is the first time I ever ventured out onto the Natchez Trace hours after a freshly fallen snow -- with camera in hand.

Here's what I saw...