Kisatchie National Forest

Louisiana's only national forest, with longleaf pine hills, bayou paddling, wilderness hiking and camping across 604,000 acres.

Kisatchie Ranger District, off LA-117 south of Natchitoches · Natchitoches, LA

About Kisatchie National Forest

Kisatchie is Louisiana's only national forest, over 604,000 acres of longleaf pine hills and hardwood bottoms spread across seven parishes and five ranger districts. Near Natchitoches you can look out over the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness from the sandstone bluffs of Longleaf Vista, or swim and paddle the sandy, rocky Kisatchie Bayou. Elsewhere you will find a 17-mile scenic byway, off-highway vehicle trails, pitcher plant bogs, and the ruins of the Fullerton sawmill at Fullerton Lake.

#national forest
#hiking
#camping
#canoeing
#scenic byway

Printable maps

What's around here?

The closest stops to Kisatchie National Forest, ordered by straight-line distance.

Sightseeing
History Buff
Fort Jesup State Historic Site
Under $25
Walk the grounds of the 1822 frontier post Zachary Taylor founded, with its original log kitchen and a museum in the rebuilt officers' quarters.
15 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Los Adaes State Historic Site
Check prices
A preserved 18th-century Spanish settlement and mission site in northwestern Louisiana, managed by Louisiana State Parks.
16 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Sightseeing
History Buff
Natchitoches Historic District
No admission fee
Stroll brick Front Street past shops and boutiques overlooking the Cane River Lake riverwalk in Louisiana's oldest town.
19 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Attractions
Gator Country Louisiana
Check prices
An alligator park near Natchitoches, Louisiana, with hundreds of alligators and hands-on animal encounters.
24 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions
Museums
Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
No admission fee
A Winnfield museum showcasing Louisiana political history, memorabilia, and a hall of fame honoring state political figures.
44 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Museums
Alexandria Museum of Art
Under $25
Downtown art museum in Alexandria, Louisiana, housed partly in a historic 1898 bank building.
Transit: reachable by public transit
46 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums