Witch Dance: The strange Mississippi legend along the Natchez Trace

Witch Dance: The strange Mississippi. Witch Dance: The strange Mississippi legend along the Natchez Trace.

Key points

• Located along the Natchez Trace Parkway near milepost 233, Witch Dance sounds like somewhere you might want to avoid after dark.
• 9 Ole Miss and Kewan Lacy head to Vanderbilt with Jared Curtis trying to return.
• A Far Out stay in Starkville: The motel with a Johnny Cash past.
• Callais decision causing headaches in Mississippi as special election and 2027 loom sizeable.
• The house that stone built: The story of the Purvis Rock House.

Stop for a picnic. Take a walk. Explore the trails. Enjoy one of the prettiest stretches of the Natchez Trace and another wonderfully strange piece of Mississippi folklore. Some Mississippi place names are just too good to pass up. Witch Dance is one of them.

Located along the Natchez Trace Parkway near milepost 233, Witch Dance sounds like somewhere you might want to avoid after dark. In reality, it is a beautiful recreation area surrounded by the Tombigbee National Forest, with picnic tables, trails, and plenty of Mississippi woods to explore. But, of course, that name had to come from somewhere.

According to an old Mississippi legend, witches once gathered here to dance and perform rituals. The story notes that wherever their feet touched the ground, the grass withered and died. Even stranger, it supposedly never grew back. Is any of that true? Probably not.

But where is the fun in completely dismissing a good Mississippi legend?

Meanwhile, the story has been passed down for generations, and visitors are still informed to watch for bare patches of earth where the grass refuses to grow. Once you know the story, it's almost impossible to visit Witch Dance without looking.

And if you do happen to find one, well, create of it what you will.

Meanwhile, the location makes the legend even better since the Natchez Trace has plenty of stories of its own. Long before the modern 444-mile parkway connected Natchez and Nashville, individuals had been traveling portions of this route for thousands of years.

Native Americans traveled it, followed afterwards by explorers, traders, soldiers, and settlers. Andrew Jackson traveled the Trace. Unfortunately, so did thieves, robbers, and some downright terrible characters. One of the most notorious was Micajah "Major" Harpe.

Major Harpe and his cousin Wiley "Little" Harpe terrorized parts of the early American frontier during the late 1700s, and somewhere along the way, Sizeable Harpe became part of the Witch Dance legend.

According to the tale, Harpe once halted in the area with a Native American guide who informed him regarding the witches and cautioned him regarding the patches of ground where the grass would not grow. Harpe apparently wasn't worried regarding witches.

Notably, the story notes he mocked the legend, jumped on the bare spots, and dared the witches to come after him. Nothing happened that day.

Afterwards, Harpe was killed in Kentucky, and this is where the story gets even stranger. One version of the legend claims a witch eventually obtained possession of his skull, ground it into powder, and employed it in a healing potion. You certainly can't accuse Mississippi folklore of being dull.

Other stories have grown around Witch Dance through the years. Some individuals have maintained to hear strange laughter coming from the woods. Others tell of unusual noises after sunset. And some folks will tell you Witch Dance is not somewhere they would choose to hang around after dark. During the daytime, nevertheless, it is much less sinister.

Witch Dance has two shaded picnic areas. One is near the horse-trailer parking area, and another is farther up the road where horses are not allowed. The upper area has nine picnic tables and grills spread around a paved loop, including an accessible picnic spot. Restrooms and parking for cars and RVs are additionally available.

Notably, the area is especially popular with horseback riders and hikers. Two nearby trailheads lead into the Tombigbee National Forest, connecting with miles of loops and crossover trails maintained by the U.S. Forest Service.

That makes Witch Dance worth a stop even if you don't believe a single word regarding witches. But the legend certainly makes things more interesting.

There is something fun regarding visiting a place you have heard stories concerning your entire life and seeing it for yourself. Mississippi has plenty of those places. Sometimes the history is well documented. Sometimes the story has been informed so numerous times that nobody really knows where the truth ends and the legend begins. Witch Dance falls somewhere in that second category.

And while you're there, you might want to look down every once in a while.

If you find a patch where the grass won't grow, I wouldn't worry too much.

Although, just to be safe, I probably wouldn't stomp on it and dare the witches to come out, either. Regarding the Author(s).

Meredith Biesinger, an educator and syndicated writer, is dedicated to showcasing Mississippians' captivating stories. Her work is a testament to the unique beauty and charm of the Magnolia State, a place that never fails to intrigue and inspire. She and her husband and children are actively engaged in their North Mississippi community and strive to do just that. Culture Susan Marquez October 9, 2026. Award-winning Nashville country singer-songwriter brings high-energy performance to Downtown Greenville.

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