Top Backpacking Trails in Louisiana
4 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Louisiana has little backpacking, and this site covers only four trips. Three are in the Kisatchie National Forest in the central part of the state. The Backbone Trail crosses the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness south of Natchitoches, about 7 miles one way over sandstone outcrops and pine ridges, and the Forest Service calls the area “unusually rugged for Louisiana.” The Kisatchie Loop links the Backbone with the Sandstone and Caroline Dormon Trails for about 28 miles. Farther south, the 26-mile Wild Azalea Trail runs point to point through pine hills and creek bottoms from Valentine Lake to Woodworth. The fourth trip is the 20-mile loop around Lake Chicot in Chicot State Park, with six backcountry sites.
Expect low hills, creek and bayou crossings, and short trips rather than remote wilderness. Camping is mostly dispersed in the national forest, with hunting-season limits in parts of it, while Chicot uses designated sites. Water can be scarce in dry spells, so plan around the reliable crossings each trail page lists.
Spring and fall are the usual seasons; summer brings heat and mosquitoes. Wild azaleas bloom in March and April, but the Forest Service closes the Sandstone trails from January 2 until early May. Hunting is allowed on the forest, so wear blaze orange in season. After the 2025 Backbone Fire, confirm with the Kisatchie Ranger District that the wilderness is open.
Quick picks
- Shortest overnight: Backbone Trail, Kisatchie Hills Wilderness
- Spring azalea trip: Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail
- Lake loop with backcountry sites: Lake Chicot Loop, Chicot State Park
Kisatchie National Forest
- Backbone Trail, Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Kisatchie National Forest, Kisatchie Ranger District (south of Natchitoches) 15 miles Moderate Primitive wilderness camping; no designated sites
- Kisatchie Loop: Backbone, Sandstone, and Caroline Dormon Trails Kisatchie National Forest, Kisatchie Ranger District (south of Natchitoches) 28 miles Moderate Primitive camping along the trails; walk-in sites at Kisatchie Bayou Campground
- Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail Kisatchie National Forest, Calcasieu Ranger District, Evangeline Unit (near Alexandria and Woodworth) 26 miles Moderate Dispersed camping near the trail; one primitive camp
South-Central Louisiana
Backpacking in Louisiana: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Louisiana?
No backpacking permit was found for hikers on the Kisatchie National Forest trips on this site, but rules vary by managing agency. Chicot State Park lists six backcountry campsites along its loop trail as first come, first served, and other sources say to check in with the park office first. Recreation.gov sells a Sandstone Multi-Use Trail System pass that lists hikers among its users, so confirm with the Kisatchie Ranger District whether you need one.
Can you camp anywhere in Kisatchie National Forest?
Mostly, but not everywhere. The Forest Service says visitors on foot or horseback can camp almost anywhere outside designated recreation areas, but the Catahoula preserve does not allow dispersed camping. In the Red Dirt preserve around the Kisatchie Hills, the newest season permit found (2023-2024) limited camping from October 1 to April 30 to designated camps and the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness. Check current rules with the ranger district before a fall or winter trip.
When is the best time to backpack in Louisiana?
The guides behind this site's trail pages point to spring and fall, since summers are hot and the Backbone Trail has little shade. Wild azaleas bloom along the Wild Azalea Trail in March and April, and the Lake Chicot Loop can hold standing water after winter and spring rains. The Forest Service closes the Sandstone Multiple-Use Trails each year from January 2 until the first weekend of May, which affects the full Kisatchie Loop.
Is there water on Louisiana backpacking trails?
Creeks and bayous are common, but they aren't always reliable. Louisiana Hikes calls Bayou Cypre the only reliable water on the Backbone Trail, one review says the last 7 miles of the Wild Azalea Trail have the poorest water, and no source describes water at Chicot's backcountry sites. Kisatchie Bayou Campground has no potable water, per the Forest Service, so carry enough and treat everything.
Is it safe to backpack in Louisiana during hunting season?
Hunting is allowed in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, per the Forest Service, and the national forest trips on this site cross land open to hunting. Deer seasons run from fall into winter, with archery opening October 1 in several deer areas for 2026-2027, according to a KPEL report on state dates. Wear blaze orange in season and check the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for dates where you plan to hike.
Where this comes from
- Kisatchie National Forest: Alerts
- Kisatchie National Forest: Wilderness
- Kisatchie National Forest: Camping and cabins
- Kisatchie National Forest: Off-highway vehicle trail status
- Kisatchie National Forest: Sandstone Multiple-Use Trails brochure (Dec. 2025)
- Kisatchie National Forest: Red Dirt National Wildlife Management Preserve
- Kisatchie National Forest: Kincaid Lake
- Louisiana State Parks: Chicot State Park
- Recreation.gov: Sandstone Multi-Use Trail System Pass
- KPEL: Louisiana's 2026-2027 deer season dates