Weekend Escape: Driving the 2026 Honda Civic Along The Trace to Land Between the Lakes
Land Between the Lakes sits about 60 miles west of Clarksville, a little over an hour up US-79 through Dover, Tennessee. Once you cross into the recreation area, The Trace, officially the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway, carries you 43 miles down a quiet ridge between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The 2026 Honda Civic makes the drive as good as the destination, with a quiet cabin, standard Honda Sensing, and 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space for the cooler and camp chairs.
What's In This Guide
- The Drive: Clarksville to The Trace in About an Hour
- Elk and Bison Prairie: A 3.5-Mile Wildlife Loop the Civic Handles With Ease
- Civic Trunk Space for the Cooler, Camp Chairs, and Gear
- The 2026 Civic Cabin: Built for Long, Quiet Miles
- Fuel Economy for the 120-Mile Round Trip
- Which 2026 Civic Trim Fits This Drive?
- FAQ: The 2026 Civic and Land Between the Lakes
The Drive: Clarksville to The Trace in About an Hour
Leave Jenkins & Wynne Honda and take US-79 West out of Clarksville. The road follows the Cumberland River into Dover, Tennessee, home to Fort Donelson National Battlefield, a real Civil War site worth a short stop if history is part of your day. From Dover, continue on US-79 into Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, where the road becomes The Trace.
The Trace is the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway, a 43-mile two-lane road that runs the full length of the recreation area on a ridge between Kentucky Lake to the west and Lake Barkley to the east. No stoplights. No cross traffic to speak of. Just rolling hills and pull-offs the whole way.
Door to door, the trip covers about 60 miles and a little over an hour, according to standard route mileage from Clarksville to the Golden Pond area near the byway's midpoint. Every 2026 Civic trim comes with Honda Sensing standard, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, so the ridge-top miles stay relaxed even when the scenery keeps pulling your eyes off the road.
Along the Way
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Dover, TN
- Golden Pond Visitor Center and Planetarium, near the byway's midpoint
- The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm
- Woodlands Nature Station
- Elk and Bison Prairie entrance
Elk and Bison Prairie: A 3.5-Mile Wildlife Loop the Civic Handles With Ease
The Elk and Bison Prairie is a 700-acre enclosed grassland along The Trace, open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. Admission runs $5 per vehicle for a self-guided, 3.5-mile paved loop through open fields and wooded pockets, and elk and bison often graze close enough to the road to get a good look without leaving the car.
The loop is built to be driven slowly, and the Civic is comfortable at a crawl. Big windows and a low beltline keep sightlines open for spotting animals, and on the Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid trims, the standard moonroof lets a passenger look straight up without cracking a window.
Elk and Bison Prairie, Quick Facts
- Admission: $5 per vehicle
- Hours: Dawn to dusk, every day of the year
- Loop length: 3.5 miles, fully paved
- Passes also sold at Golden Pond Visitor Center and welcome stations
Full hours and current admission details are on the official Elk and Bison Prairie page from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Back to topCivic Trunk Space for the Cooler, Camp Chairs, and Gear
Every 2026 Civic Sedan trim, gas or hybrid, has 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space. The hybrid battery sits under the rear seat, so it does not eat into cargo room the way it does on some competitors. That is enough for a cooler, two or three folding camp chairs, and a bag of gear without anyone riding with a cooler on their lap.
For a longer packing list, the rear seats fold down to open a pass-through to the trunk. Binoculars for the prairie loop, a blanket for the Golden Pond Planetarium's outdoor deck, a change of shoes after the Woodlands Nature Station trails. It all fits.
The 2026 Civic Cabin: Built for Long, Quiet Miles
Honda Sensing comes standard on every 2026 Civic trim. That includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist, Road Departure Mitigation, and Collision Mitigation Braking. On a road like The Trace, with 43 miles and almost no stoplights, Adaptive Cruise Control holds a steady pace so the driver can actually enjoy the ridge.
Sport trim and above get a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus two USB-C ports so back-seat riders can keep phones charged for wildlife photos at the prairie. The Sport Touring Hybrid adds a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and an available 12-speaker Bose Premium Sound System for the drive playlist.
Fuel Economy for the 120-Mile Round Trip
A round trip from the dealership to the Golden Pond area and back covers close to 120 miles. In a Sport Hybrid or Sport Touring Hybrid, which get 49 mpg combined, that whole day trip burns a little more than two and a half gallons of gas. The gas-only LX still gets 36 mpg combined, so even the entry trim covers the round trip on well under four gallons.
Based on 2026 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery package/condition, and other factors.
Back to topWhich 2026 Civic Trim Fits This Drive?
All five 2026 Civic Sedan trims come with Honda Sensing standard. See the dealership's full 2026 Civic Trim Level Comparison for the complete spec breakdown. Here is how each one fits a day trip to Land Between the Lakes.
| Trim | Starting MSRP | MPG (comb.) | Buyer Profile for This Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| LX | $24,695 | 36 | The budget pick. Cloth seats and a 7-inch screen, but Honda Sensing is standard here too. |
| Sport | $26,695* | 34 | Paddle shifters and sport styling, plus the 9-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay. |
| Sport Hybrid | $31,895 | 49 | Recommended for this drive. Moonroof and heated seats, the best mix of comfort and mileage. |
| Sport Touring Hybrid | $35,495 | 49 | Leather seats, 12-speaker Bose audio, and a 10.2-inch digital cluster. The plushest way to do The Trace. |
| Si (Sedan) | $31,495 | 27 city / 31 hwy | A 6-speed manual and a limited-slip differential built for backroad driving. Not the laid-back pick for this trip, but worth a look if you want to feel every mile of the ridge. |
*Sport trim MSRP shown is a starting estimate as of June 2026; press sources vary between $26,695 and $27,195. Confirm current pricing at Honda Build and Price or with the dealership before purchase. All prices exclude destination and handling.
Based on 2026 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery package/condition, and other factors.
Ready to see one in person? Shop the 2026 Civic Hybrid lineup or get pre-qualified for financing before you go.
Back to topJenkins & Wynne Honda has been part of Clarksville since 1946, the oldest dealership in town. Every new Civic includes the 48-Hour Love It or Leave It Guarantee, so if the drive up The Trace does not sell you on the car, there is time to change your mind. Need service after a long weekend of gravel and pollen? Schedule service and every visit comes with a complimentary car wash.
FAQ: The 2026 Civic and Land Between the Lakes
How far is Land Between the Lakes from Jenkins and Wynne Honda in Clarksville?
About 60 miles, roughly an hour and 10 minutes door to door. Take US-79 West through Dover, Tennessee, then continue onto The Trace as it enters the recreation area.
What is The Trace at Land Between the Lakes?
The Trace is the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway, a 43-mile two-lane road that runs the length of Land Between the Lakes on a ridge between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.
Is there an entrance fee for the Elk and Bison Prairie?
Yes. The Elk and Bison Prairie charges $5 per vehicle for a self-guided, 3.5-mile paved loop through the 700-acre enclosure. It is open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.
What is the best 2026 Honda Civic trim for a day trip to Land Between the Lakes?
The Sport Hybrid is the pick for this drive. It adds a moonroof and heated seats over the Sport trim and gets 50 mpg city, 47 mpg highway, 49 mpg combined, well ahead of the gas-only trims. Based on 2026 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery package/condition, and other factors.
Does the 2026 Honda Civic have adaptive cruise control?
Yes. Honda Sensing comes standard on every 2026 Civic trim, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist, and Collision Mitigation Braking. That is useful on the Trace's long, stoplight-free stretches.
How much trunk space does the 2026 Honda Civic Sedan have?
Every 2026 Civic Sedan trim, gas or hybrid, has 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space, enough for a cooler, camp chairs, and a full day of gear for Land Between the Lakes.
Can I see the Homeplace 1850s farm and the Elk and Bison Prairie in one trip?
Yes. Both sit along The Trace near Golden Pond, close to the midpoint of the byway, so a single day trip can cover the working farm, the planetarium, and the prairie loop before the drive back to Clarksville.
Ready to Make the Drive in a 2026 Honda Civic?
Test drive a Civic at Jenkins & Wynne Honda in Clarksville and see how it feels on the way to The Trace.