Visitor Maps and Guides for the Kisatchie Ranger District
With a little over 102,000 acres of scenic vistas, byways, pine trees and bayous to explore in Natchitoches Parish, the Kisatchie Ranger District is truly unique. With its panoramic views from sandstone bluffs at Longleaf Vista, white sandy beaches and rocky rapids of Kisatchie Bayou, and a nationally designated wilderness area in Kisatchie Hills, visitors will fall in love with the district named after the Kisatchie National Forest.
Kisatchie Ranger District (Natchitoches Parish) Maps and Guides
Kisatchie Ranger District Recreational Opportunities and Facilities Brochure
This brochure includes information on trails and recreation areas, such as costs, amenities (bathrooms, water availability, etc.) and a map.
Forty miles north of Alexandria, Louisiana, lies the Sandstone Multiple-Use Trails. These trails loop through upland pine forest and sandy hardwood bottoms, including sandstone bluffs and picturesque vistas. The trail system consists of two connected loops that vary in distance and level of difficulty.
The Caroline Dormon Trail is 10.5 miles of horseback, hiking, or biking trail that is not a loop. The start of the trail is on FH 59 (Longleaf Scenic Byway) and the end is just short of the Kisatchie Bayou Recreation Complex. There is a connecting spur at Kisatchie Bayou but the best horse trailer parking and facilities are at the Caroline Dormon/Backbone Trailhead. Visitors to Caroline Dormon Trail can park at the Trailhead which is conveniently located just off the Longleaf Scenic Byway (FH 59).
The Wilderness trails include the Turpentine Hill, Backbone, and High Ridge Trails. There are four separate wilderness trails that have three separate trailheads that are accessible from a vehicle. (Backbone Trail, Turpentine Hill, High Ridge, and Caroline Dormon) The Backbone Trailhead is located at what is also the Caroline Dormon trailhead and is equipped with a parking area, restrooms, trash receptacles, and an information bulletin board. The other two are trailheads that have limited parking and are equipped with traveler forms and a drop box for filled out information forms for your trip. Water is not readily available in the Wilderness so come prepared by bringing your own water or a filter and purifying tablets if you plan on staying multiple days in the Wilderness.
The Longleaf Trail, now designated a scenic byway, has long been recognized as one of the most scenic drives in Louisiana. The terrain is exceptionally rugged for Louisiana, ranging from 120 to 400 feet in elevation. Vistas along the road include mesas, buttes and sandstone outcrops, backdropped by longleaf pines.
Ever wonder if that little dirt road is legal to drive on the National Forest? Here's a downloadable booklet to provide that information.