A treasure in the heart of Louisiana, Kisatchie is the state's only national forest. It spreads across seven parishes and is divided into five Ranger Districts totaling over 604,000 acres. Each district boasts a unique set of wildlife and recreational opportunities.
The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites. Over 100 miles of multi-use equestrian, biking and hiking trails traverse across rolling hills. Distances vary from 1/2 mile to nearly 30 miles. Backpackers love the 27-mile Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail. It begins at the Valentine Lake Recreation Area and ends at Woodworth Town Hall.
Calcasieu and Catahoula districts are especially attractive to mountain bikers. The Camp Livingston Trail Complex is open to off-road vehicles and bikes. Ki
A treasure in the heart of Louisiana, Kisatchie is the state's only national forest. It spreads across seven parishes and is divided into five Ranger Districts totaling over 604,000 acres. Each district boasts a unique set of wildlife and recreational opportunities.
The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites. Over 100 miles of multi-use equestrian, biking and hiking trails traverse across rolling hills. Distances vary from 1/2 mile to nearly 30 miles. Backpackers love the 27-mile Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail. It begins at the Valentine Lake Recreation Area and ends at Woodworth Town Hall.
Calcasieu and Catahoula districts are especially attractive to mountain bikers. The Camp Livingston Trail Complex is open to off-road vehicles and bikes. Kisatchie's many lakes, bayous, and reservoirs offer plentiful choices for boating, fishing and swimming. 40 established campgrounds and lots of backcountry camping opportunities ensure you've got a place to sleep.
Make basecamp at Highway 472 Camp for all your epic hunting adventures. Settle in for a few days as you focus on catching some serious game. Take advantage of the beautiful Kisatchie National Forest by car or foot, whatever mode of transport you prefer. The deeper you go, the more beautiful it gets! You might never want to leave!Read more...
Fancy yourself a little lakeside retreat? Why not send yourself and the crew on a well deserved getaway to Stuart Lake Campground? This is a small and pleasant spot at Stuart Lake Recreation Area surrounded by woods and hiking trails. Spend your days swimming, fishing, cruising in your non-motorized boat, and exploring the surrounding countryside. Read more...
Get out and find some peace and quiet at for a change! The Custis Campground is a designated hunters camp within the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve, but you can visit any time of year, hunting season or not, and enjoy some primitive camping to unplug and reset in the forest. Read more...
Treat yourself to some eye-candy and marvel at some of Mother Nature’s finest when you visit the Kisatchie Bayou Campground, a primitive, walk-in style tent campground. You must bring your own water here, and while you're at it, throw in some other goodies to make it a special getaway. Spend your days admiring the bayou and the old growth trees. T Read more...
Craving some adrenaline with your next camping trip? Well if you have an offroad vehicle or a trusty mountain bike then you best be checking out the Lotus Camp for the perfect mix of outdoor camping for tenters and RVers. Enjoy nightly campfires and family feasts at the picnic table, along with all the off road action you could want on the nearby Read more...
Sometimes you just want a break from your vehicle to better experience the outdoors. Walk-in tent camping is the perfect way to get some space without slogging too far with your gear. Red Bluff Camp within the National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve is just the place. Here you walk a quarter mile in to find tent camping near the Kisatchie B Read more...
Time for a little reboot? Some primitive tent camping will fix ya right up. Come down to the Bankston Camp to pitch your tent, and then get to relaxing, exploring, and more relaxing. This primitive campground is next to the Catahoula National Wildlife Management Preserve, so you might be able to get a glimpse of some wildlife while you are there, Read more...
Make it easy on yourself this hunting season by scoring a spot at the Pearson Camp. This designated hunters camp has easy access from Alexandria and the U. S. Highway 167, so you can set up in no time to enjoy the good stuff. Expect very primitive camping here, and leave all the fancy developed campgrounds for the wussies. Read more...
Tent camping in the woods—sometimes that’s all you need. If you are a hunter then you will especially like the Saddle Bayou Camp located near the Catahoula National Wildlife Management Preserve. The primitive campground surrounded by hardwood trees is an easy place to rest yourself under the stars after days of tracking wildlife in the wilderness. Read more...
There’s some camping in them there hills! Gum Springs Campground that is. Set in the hilly terrain of Gum Springs Recreation Complex, this basic spot welcomes tents or RVs to enjoy the scenery of the area, picnic among the spring filled landscape, and hike around the countryside. Grab the fam and come on down!Read more...
Come one come all. . . even the four-legged friends! Horses are the guests of honor at Gum Springs Horse Camp and Trail in the Kisatchie National Forest. A very popular destination for riders from Louisianna, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, Gum Springs is just a hop, skip, and jump from Natchitoches. Plan a trip this summer to explore what many Read more...
The Cloud Crossing Campground is a mighty fine place to camp along the Saline Bayou National Wild and Scenic River. The campground has some lush vegetation for a little privacy and shade, and you have a put-in or take-out spot for the river right there, so you'll want to bring your canoe or small boat . Riverside camping may be the best kind of ca Read more...
Rev up your engines and head down to Loran Claiborne Trailhead Campground for a wild weekend with your ATV or motorcycle by your side. The multi use trails around camp will take you out to explore the area of Old Camp Claiborne which was once a WWII training camp for half a million troops. Now it has become your adventure junkie playground. Spend Read more...
Calling all Louisiana backpackers, here is the place for you! Come to the Kisatchie Wilderness Area and explore some of the most unique land in the state. How about blazing through 8,700-acres of rugged and steep landscape with sandstone bluffs, mesas, many different types of forest, and wildlife galore? The only development around is the trail sy Read more...
Outdoor lovers of all types might like a stay at the Coyote Camp. It is within the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve, and is a designated hunter camp when in season, so hunters will fancy it as a homebase for their expeditions. It is near the Sandstone Trail System so off roaders and mountain bikers will enjoy some shredding on the trails. Any Read more...
Time to get a little dirty with a camping trip to Oak Camp within the National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve. If you are a hunter then you will especially appreciate this primitive, designated hunters camp. Horse back riders and general nature lovers can also get in on this action, there is plenty of natural goodness to go around. The best Read more...
Kincaid Lake Campground is a modern, forested paradise, complete with a fishing pier, swimming, area, and boat launch. Pitch your tent by the shore and prepare to relive your summer camp experience of days gone by. Be sure to pack your fishing rod and your fry pan—Kincaid Lake is hoppin’ with fish. Read more...
Time to get revved up because your are heading out for a camping and off-roading trip! The Corral Camp is the place to access to the Sandstone Multi-use Trail System and the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve. This primitive campground is not for horses, but feel free to bring your off-road vehicle or mountain bike, and your RV or trailer as we Read more...
If you’re into roughin’ it, than Evangeline Camp will be your personal paradise. Lose yourself in the primitive forest with your trekking poles, cruise the dusty trails in your OHV, and pitch your tent under a towering canopy of trees. There are miles and miles of rugged hiking trails that take you through a land that time forgot. You’ll find mead Read more...
Pay a visit to Valentine Lake North Campground, and you will get some love in the form of a sweet little lake where you can float your canoe, cast a line from the pier, or take long walks with your sweetie along a shoreline trail. Simple and rustic camping is available, so you can turn your visit into a little getaway to enjoy the sunsets, peacefu Read more...
Calling all backpackers and nature photographers! The Wild Azalea Trail has been designated a National Recreation Trail due to its outstanding scenery and popularity. You can break a sweat on foot or on mountain bike by exploring the sights, and then camp anywhere you please as long as it’s 30-feet away from the trail. Freedom is yours for the tak Read more...
Fam in the back, boat in tow, picnic in the cooler, and marshmallows for roastin, now that’s a beginning of a darn good time! The North Shore Campground is the perfect place to be rollin up with all that goodness for some simple, primitive camping at the lake. This place is good for tent camping in a rustic style (think no restrooms) so prepare to Read more...
Riders, mount up to hit the trails with your trusty steed, and then settle in for some nights at Cane Camp. This horse friendly camp (complete with water and horse feeding tie poles) is near the multi-use Sandstone Trail as well as the Caroline Dormon Trail. You’ll be camping under big pine trees with green grass surrounding you, won’t that be swe Read more...
When the ice thaws and springtime pokes through the winter doldrums, you simply must get outside and see the dogwoods in bloom! What better place to do this than at Dogwood Campground where you can turn your trip into a mini vacay? This camp has drive-in sites for tents and small camps on wheels, and basic amenities to keep you comfy. Bring along Read more...
Free primitive camping for you and your mighty steed—now you and your horse can get out of Dodge and head deep into the forest for free. You’ll have to use the bushes for all your sanitation needs, but you’ll hardly mind when you giddy up the trail. The Claieborne Multi-use Trails are your destination, with more than 70 miles of trails just for yo Read more...
Totally primitive, totally beautiful, and totally free. Boy Scout Camp is used primarily by motorcycle campers, not boy scouts, but you’ll certainly benefit from some good ole boy scout preparation here. You’ll find nothing but woods and trails in these parts, and your wits alone will provide you with food, shelter, water, and sanitation needs. Ar Read more...
Get your fill of history and lakeside camping goodness when you visit Fullerton Lake Campground. You can cast a line from shore or from your non-motorized boat, or hit the Fullerton Mill Trail to explore the ruins of one of the largest sawmill operations in the south. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, so you probably want to go ch Read more...
Sometimes you need to head into the forest with your tent, and settle in for a little one-on-one time with Mother Nature. The Enduro Camp in the Kisatchie National Forest is a simple place to pitch it, with rustic sites where you can find some peace and quiet in the wild. Bring your own water and pack out all your trash. Other than that just kick Read more...
If you are hunting for a simple and rustic place to camp with scenic trails all around you, the Hunter Camp may be just the place. This rustic campsite has the Big Branch Trail running right alongside it, as well as the Ouiska Chitto Trail, and the Longleaf Scenic Area nearby to satisfy your inner wanderlust. Bring in any creature comforts you mig Read more...
Although there’s no water park or slip n' slide, Turtle Slide Campground is still a watery good place to sleep under the stars. You will be on the bank of Lower Caney Lake where you can fish from shore or from your boat. Bring along the hiking boots because the Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail passes right through camp, and will be a sweet hik Read more...
Let the camping and fishing weekend commence! The South Shore Campground is a simple place to park your tent, trailer, or small RV for the lakeside retreat you’ve been craving. Bring the boat, something to roast over the campfire, and settle in for a chillaxing session in the great outdoors. Read more...
Whether you are after turkeys or not, Turkey Trot campground can be your place to crash after days spent hunting in the wilderness and tracking your prey. This primitive campground is designated for hunters and is only maintained during the hunting season. If you want to visit in other seasons, come on down anytime to find some solitude and peace Read more...
Throw on your camo, grab your hunting instrument of choice, and hit up the Bucktail Hunter Camp for some primitive style camping where you can connect to the land and heighten your senses. This no frills, rustic campsite is maintained only during the hunting season, but you can visit anytime of year if you need to unplug and get away. Read more...
Hunting trip on the books? Then the Sugar Creek Hunter Camp may be the place for you if you want first-come, first-served, no fee camping with no extra frills to cramp your style. Get rustic and primitive here, and reconnect with the land. Tune out to tune in, and your primal hunter gatherer self will surely make an appearance. Read more...
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Kisatchie National Forest
Soak up big views at the 10 campgrounds in Kisatchie Ranger District, a.k.a. “Little Grand Canyon.”
A treasure in the heart of Louisiana, Kisatchie is the state's only national forest. It spreads across seven parishes and is divided into five Ranger Districts totaling over 604,000 acres. Each district boasts a unique set of wildlife and recreational opportunities.
The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites. Over 100 miles of multi-use equestrian, biking and hiking trails traverse across rolling hills. Distances vary from 1/2 mile to nearly 30 miles. Backpackers love the 27-mile Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail. It begins at the Valentine Lake Recreation Area and ends at Woodworth Town Hall.
Calcasieu and Catahoula districts are especially attractive to mountain bikers. The Camp Livingston Trail Complex is open to off-road vehicles and bikes. Ki
A treasure in the heart of Louisiana, Kisatchie is the state's only national forest. It spreads across seven parishes and is divided into five Ranger Districts totaling over 604,000 acres. Each district boasts a unique set of wildlife and recreational opportunities.
The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites. Over 100 miles of multi-use equestrian, biking and hiking trails traverse across rolling hills. Distances vary from 1/2 mile to nearly 30 miles. Backpackers love the 27-mile Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail. It begins at the Valentine Lake Recreation Area and ends at Woodworth Town Hall.
Calcasieu and Catahoula districts are especially attractive to mountain bikers. The Camp Livingston Trail Complex is open to off-road vehicles and bikes. Kisatchie's many lakes, bayous, and reservoirs offer plentiful choices for boating, fishing and swimming. 40 established campgrounds and lots of backcountry camping opportunities ensure you've got a place to sleep.
Activities in the park
34 campgrounds in Kisatchie National Forest
Make basecamp at Highway 472 Camp for all your epic hunting adventures. Settle in for a few days as you focus on catching some serious game. Take advantage of the beautiful Kisatchie National Forest by car or foot, whatever mode of transport you prefer. The deeper you go, the more beautiful it gets! You might never want to leave!Read more...
Fancy yourself a little lakeside retreat? Why not send yourself and the crew on a well deserved getaway to Stuart Lake Campground? This is a small and pleasant spot at Stuart Lake Recreation Area surrounded by woods and hiking trails. Spend your days swimming, fishing, cruising in your non-motorized boat, and exploring the surrounding countryside. Read more...
Get out and find some peace and quiet at for a change! The Custis Campground is a designated hunters camp within the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve, but you can visit any time of year, hunting season or not, and enjoy some primitive camping to unplug and reset in the forest. Read more...
Treat yourself to some eye-candy and marvel at some of Mother Nature’s finest when you visit the Kisatchie Bayou Campground, a primitive, walk-in style tent campground. You must bring your own water here, and while you're at it, throw in some other goodies to make it a special getaway. Spend your days admiring the bayou and the old growth trees. T Read more...
Craving some adrenaline with your next camping trip? Well if you have an offroad vehicle or a trusty mountain bike then you best be checking out the Lotus Camp for the perfect mix of outdoor camping for tenters and RVers. Enjoy nightly campfires and family feasts at the picnic table, along with all the off road action you could want on the nearby Read more...
Sometimes you just want a break from your vehicle to better experience the outdoors. Walk-in tent camping is the perfect way to get some space without slogging too far with your gear. Red Bluff Camp within the National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve is just the place. Here you walk a quarter mile in to find tent camping near the Kisatchie B Read more...
Time for a little reboot? Some primitive tent camping will fix ya right up. Come down to the Bankston Camp to pitch your tent, and then get to relaxing, exploring, and more relaxing. This primitive campground is next to the Catahoula National Wildlife Management Preserve, so you might be able to get a glimpse of some wildlife while you are there, Read more...
Make it easy on yourself this hunting season by scoring a spot at the Pearson Camp. This designated hunters camp has easy access from Alexandria and the U. S. Highway 167, so you can set up in no time to enjoy the good stuff. Expect very primitive camping here, and leave all the fancy developed campgrounds for the wussies. Read more...
Tent camping in the woods—sometimes that’s all you need. If you are a hunter then you will especially like the Saddle Bayou Camp located near the Catahoula National Wildlife Management Preserve. The primitive campground surrounded by hardwood trees is an easy place to rest yourself under the stars after days of tracking wildlife in the wilderness. Read more...
There’s some camping in them there hills! Gum Springs Campground that is. Set in the hilly terrain of Gum Springs Recreation Complex, this basic spot welcomes tents or RVs to enjoy the scenery of the area, picnic among the spring filled landscape, and hike around the countryside. Grab the fam and come on down!Read more...
Come one come all. . . even the four-legged friends! Horses are the guests of honor at Gum Springs Horse Camp and Trail in the Kisatchie National Forest. A very popular destination for riders from Louisianna, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, Gum Springs is just a hop, skip, and jump from Natchitoches. Plan a trip this summer to explore what many Read more...
The Cloud Crossing Campground is a mighty fine place to camp along the Saline Bayou National Wild and Scenic River. The campground has some lush vegetation for a little privacy and shade, and you have a put-in or take-out spot for the river right there, so you'll want to bring your canoe or small boat . Riverside camping may be the best kind of ca Read more...
Rev up your engines and head down to Loran Claiborne Trailhead Campground for a wild weekend with your ATV or motorcycle by your side. The multi use trails around camp will take you out to explore the area of Old Camp Claiborne which was once a WWII training camp for half a million troops. Now it has become your adventure junkie playground. Spend Read more...
Calling all Louisiana backpackers, here is the place for you! Come to the Kisatchie Wilderness Area and explore some of the most unique land in the state. How about blazing through 8,700-acres of rugged and steep landscape with sandstone bluffs, mesas, many different types of forest, and wildlife galore? The only development around is the trail sy Read more...
Outdoor lovers of all types might like a stay at the Coyote Camp. It is within the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve, and is a designated hunter camp when in season, so hunters will fancy it as a homebase for their expeditions. It is near the Sandstone Trail System so off roaders and mountain bikers will enjoy some shredding on the trails. Any Read more...
Time to get a little dirty with a camping trip to Oak Camp within the National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve. If you are a hunter then you will especially appreciate this primitive, designated hunters camp. Horse back riders and general nature lovers can also get in on this action, there is plenty of natural goodness to go around. The best Read more...
Kincaid Lake Campground is a modern, forested paradise, complete with a fishing pier, swimming, area, and boat launch. Pitch your tent by the shore and prepare to relive your summer camp experience of days gone by. Be sure to pack your fishing rod and your fry pan—Kincaid Lake is hoppin’ with fish. Read more...
Time to get revved up because your are heading out for a camping and off-roading trip! The Corral Camp is the place to access to the Sandstone Multi-use Trail System and the Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve. This primitive campground is not for horses, but feel free to bring your off-road vehicle or mountain bike, and your RV or trailer as we Read more...
If you’re into roughin’ it, than Evangeline Camp will be your personal paradise. Lose yourself in the primitive forest with your trekking poles, cruise the dusty trails in your OHV, and pitch your tent under a towering canopy of trees. There are miles and miles of rugged hiking trails that take you through a land that time forgot. You’ll find mead Read more...
Pay a visit to Valentine Lake North Campground, and you will get some love in the form of a sweet little lake where you can float your canoe, cast a line from the pier, or take long walks with your sweetie along a shoreline trail. Simple and rustic camping is available, so you can turn your visit into a little getaway to enjoy the sunsets, peacefu Read more...
Calling all backpackers and nature photographers! The Wild Azalea Trail has been designated a National Recreation Trail due to its outstanding scenery and popularity. You can break a sweat on foot or on mountain bike by exploring the sights, and then camp anywhere you please as long as it’s 30-feet away from the trail. Freedom is yours for the tak Read more...
Fam in the back, boat in tow, picnic in the cooler, and marshmallows for roastin, now that’s a beginning of a darn good time! The North Shore Campground is the perfect place to be rollin up with all that goodness for some simple, primitive camping at the lake. This place is good for tent camping in a rustic style (think no restrooms) so prepare to Read more...
Riders, mount up to hit the trails with your trusty steed, and then settle in for some nights at Cane Camp. This horse friendly camp (complete with water and horse feeding tie poles) is near the multi-use Sandstone Trail as well as the Caroline Dormon Trail. You’ll be camping under big pine trees with green grass surrounding you, won’t that be swe Read more...
When the ice thaws and springtime pokes through the winter doldrums, you simply must get outside and see the dogwoods in bloom! What better place to do this than at Dogwood Campground where you can turn your trip into a mini vacay? This camp has drive-in sites for tents and small camps on wheels, and basic amenities to keep you comfy. Bring along Read more...
Free primitive camping for you and your mighty steed—now you and your horse can get out of Dodge and head deep into the forest for free. You’ll have to use the bushes for all your sanitation needs, but you’ll hardly mind when you giddy up the trail. The Claieborne Multi-use Trails are your destination, with more than 70 miles of trails just for yo Read more...
Totally primitive, totally beautiful, and totally free. Boy Scout Camp is used primarily by motorcycle campers, not boy scouts, but you’ll certainly benefit from some good ole boy scout preparation here. You’ll find nothing but woods and trails in these parts, and your wits alone will provide you with food, shelter, water, and sanitation needs. Ar Read more...
Get your fill of history and lakeside camping goodness when you visit Fullerton Lake Campground. You can cast a line from shore or from your non-motorized boat, or hit the Fullerton Mill Trail to explore the ruins of one of the largest sawmill operations in the south. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, so you probably want to go ch Read more...
Sometimes you need to head into the forest with your tent, and settle in for a little one-on-one time with Mother Nature. The Enduro Camp in the Kisatchie National Forest is a simple place to pitch it, with rustic sites where you can find some peace and quiet in the wild. Bring your own water and pack out all your trash. Other than that just kick Read more...
If you are hunting for a simple and rustic place to camp with scenic trails all around you, the Hunter Camp may be just the place. This rustic campsite has the Big Branch Trail running right alongside it, as well as the Ouiska Chitto Trail, and the Longleaf Scenic Area nearby to satisfy your inner wanderlust. Bring in any creature comforts you mig Read more...
Although there’s no water park or slip n' slide, Turtle Slide Campground is still a watery good place to sleep under the stars. You will be on the bank of Lower Caney Lake where you can fish from shore or from your boat. Bring along the hiking boots because the Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail passes right through camp, and will be a sweet hik Read more...
Let the camping and fishing weekend commence! The South Shore Campground is a simple place to park your tent, trailer, or small RV for the lakeside retreat you’ve been craving. Bring the boat, something to roast over the campfire, and settle in for a chillaxing session in the great outdoors. Read more...
Whether you are after turkeys or not, Turkey Trot campground can be your place to crash after days spent hunting in the wilderness and tracking your prey. This primitive campground is designated for hunters and is only maintained during the hunting season. If you want to visit in other seasons, come on down anytime to find some solitude and peace Read more...
Throw on your camo, grab your hunting instrument of choice, and hit up the Bucktail Hunter Camp for some primitive style camping where you can connect to the land and heighten your senses. This no frills, rustic campsite is maintained only during the hunting season, but you can visit anytime of year if you need to unplug and get away. Read more...
Hunting trip on the books? Then the Sugar Creek Hunter Camp may be the place for you if you want first-come, first-served, no fee camping with no extra frills to cramp your style. Get rustic and primitive here, and reconnect with the land. Tune out to tune in, and your primal hunter gatherer self will surely make an appearance. Read more...
Why can't I see these campgrounds when I search with dates?
Public campgrounds (book externally) —