KISATCHIE NATIONAL FOREST

The only national forest in the state of Louisiana, it covers more than 240,000 hectares and is divided into districts that are called Ranger Districts here.

Calcasieu District.

Divided into two parts, this is the district closest to Alexandria. Famous for its wild turkeys, one can also go there to have a snack on Kincaid Lake (Tunk's Cypress Inn) or to see the Wolf Rock cave. The Wild Azalea Trail, part of the Evangeline Unit, is located here. It's 31 miles in total (16 hours of hiking), but you can do only a portion of it. The trail ends at Valentine Lake, but if you hike it from the beach at Kincaid Lake, you'll see explicit signs that lead you to an eagle's nest (look up, it's really big!). This is also the forest where your Hayes E-Daze hosts will take you on a horseback ride (from Forest Hill).

Catahoula District.

The Catahoula Wildlife Management Preserve is the place to go for unmarked hikes among the orchids even in the off-season. There is also the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden.

Kisatchie District.

In this district, located not far from Natchitoches, we will discover the National Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway and its thirty kilometers, one of the most picturesque roads in all of Kisatchie. One of the most beautiful spots is the Longleaf Vista in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness (via Routes 117 and 119). Here you can see rapids, sandstone plateaus and carnivorous flowers if you pay attention. You can also get a little height and enjoy the calm of this sea of fifty shades of green. The ideal place for a lunch break among the cedars and pines, as there is a gazebo (fully equipped for barbecue).

Winn District.

Known for the Gum Springs horse trails lined with thousands of flowers in spring and Gerard's barbs (5 and 20 miles long, also walkable), the Winn District is like a cathedral of trees. It is also home to the Bayou Saline (National Scenic Stream), a river nicknamed the most beautiful "black water" river in the country; a hiking trail follows this cool, iced tea-colored river for five miles.

Note that there is a slightly less traveled^5th district, Caney, located in Claiborne and Webster parishes in the vicinity of Shreveport, Minden and Homer.