Kisatchie Bayou Campground

Found in the heart of Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area, Kisatchie Bayou Campground overlooks the Kisatchie Bayou. The campground has 18 sites available, 17 of which are walk-in and one site that you can pull your vehicle right up to. Each site has a tent pad, picnic table, fire ring, and trash receptacle. There’s an outhouse, but there is no running or potable water. This campground is one of the best no-frills options in the Louisiana park system. The sound of rushing water created by Kisatchie Bayou is a real treat, and it will help you fall asleep at night. If you camp here on a clear night near a new moon, the stars will twinkle extra bright since the campground is so far away from light pollution. This is truly a beautiful place to camp. Campsite 1 at the far edge of the campground sits right next to a sandy beach, making for a comfy area to enjoy the sights of the bayou. However, if you plan to camp at campsite 1 or campsite 2, you may want to pack lightly since you’ll end up carrying your gear about 100 yards from the parking lot. Some of these sites do require a small trek through the campground. 

The Kisatchie Bayou Campground is conveniently located close to one of the trailheads for the Caroline Dormon Trail which stretches 10.5 miles through Kisatchie National Forest. The trailhead is found right near the campground entrance and follows the bayou for the first mile and a half or so, occasionally offering views of the water from the trial. You could day hike part of the Caroline Dormon Trail or connect it with the nearby Backbone Trail to make for a good backpacking experience in the longleaf pine forest. 

Another attraction in the immediate area is the Longleaf Scenic Byway, which takes visitors on a 17-mile journey through Kisatchie National Forest, offering scenic views and other points of interest.