Need directions to the Wild Azalea Trail at Valentine Lake

[Mr. Jowee]

I've done the first half of the trail a few times from Woodworth, and I'd like to check out the other half. The directions I find online are a little murky. Is the trailhead at Valentine Lake recreational Area, Kincaid Lake, or a road somewhere near one of those? Can anyone provide step by step directions (I.E., left on road A, right on Ave B, sign that read "this way to thing", look for this landmark, etc.)?

[Nodust]

I'm on my phone but I think this is the trial head parking for the north end. I haven't been to that section either.

Hope this works.

Dropped Pin
near Valentine Recreation Area, Kisatchie National Forest, Boyce, LA 71409
http://goo.gl/maps/XnstC

[Mr. Jowee]

There's a road on Yahoo Maps that leads north from the fork of Fire Rte 282 and Burrough Cemetery Road. I think it might be there. https://maps.yahoo.com/place/?lat=31...dworth%2C%20la

That road isn't on the iPhone Map app, nor does 282 connect with Burrough Cemetery Rd. The book 50 Hikes in Louisiana has a trail map but again what I'm seeing on those pages doesn't match up to Yahoo, Google, or the iPhone app.

Either way, every source I've read says to "follow the sign to Valentine Lake Recreation Area." :P

[Mr. Jowee]

Well, I found it. I had 5 different sources; a printed map from the trail head, the map from the book 50 Hikes in Louisiana, Yahoo Maps, Google Maps, and my iPhone app. The trailhead is on the road that runs north from the intersection of Fire Rte 282 and Burrough Cemetery Rd.

Google doesn't show the road that the trail head is on.
The iPhone app doesn't show that road either, nor does it show Fire Route 282 intersecting Burrough Cemetery Rd.
Yahoo and the two printed maps are the closest, however the trailhead cannot be accessed from Burrough Cemetery Rd. There's a locked metal gate dividing the two roads. The trailhead can only be accessed from Fire Route 282.

[RedStix]

Mr. Jowee,

How was your hike? Did you camp while out there? I am thinking about an overnight hike with my son and his nephews over the Christmas holiday and this is our primary objective as of right now.

Thanks,
RedStix

[Mr. Jowee]

I didn't stay over night. It was just a day hike, about 3 1/2 miles in, then out the same way. The fire tower is pretty neat, considering it's in the middle of nowhere. However the bottom set of stairs have been removed so it can't be climbed (well, not easily). I only saw one established campsite, about 3 miles in, next to water. Generally all of the established sites along the trail are next to a creek crossing. I enjoy hiking from Woodworth and staying about 9 miles in. However from the Woodworth trailhead there is no water source for the first ~4 miles. Still, I like the SE section a little better. It seamed more varied in landscape and types of forest.

The trail is very well marked. I had to hike out at night, and with a good headlamp you can see the reflective trail markers very easily. Most of the trail is easy, but the middle section does have more up's and downs. There were maps available at the trailheads when I went last time, but that was the first time I'd seen them.

[RedStix]

I didn't stay over night. It was just a day hike, about 3 1/2 miles in, then out the same way. The fire tower is pretty neat, considering it's in the middle of nowhere. However the bottom set of stairs have been removed so it can't be climbed (well, not easily). I only saw one established campsite, about 3 miles in, next to water. Generally all of the established sites along the trail are next to a creek crossing. I enjoy hiking from Woodworth and staying about 9 miles in. However from the Woodworth trailhead there is no water source for the first ~4 miles. Still, I like the SE section a little better. It seamed more varied in landscape and types of forest.


The trail is very well marked. I had to hike out at night, and with a good headlamp you can see the reflective trail markers very easily. Most of the trail is easy, but the middle section does have more up's and downs. There were maps available at the trailheads when I went last time, but that was the first time I'd seen them.

Thanks for the feedback. I am going to try and hike this trail, at least part of it, sometime soon.

Are you aware of any other good trails in Louisiana?

[Mr. Jowee]

Chicot State Park has a 19 mile loop trail around a lake. It's well maintained and marked, though the chance of actually being able to stay overnight are remote on weekends. Back country camping is first come, first served, though you reserve the site upon arrival at the front office. I've tried twice, and both times every campsite was taken. :/

Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi has a sprawling trail complex consisting of 4 trails, varying in length; 12 miles, 7 miles, 5 miles, and 1 mile. These are all loop trails, and I'm fairly sure overnight backpacking is allowed (I've done it and didn't see anything saying you couldn't; it's a national forest). The Clear Recreational Area is about halfway between Natchez and McComb, so it's roughly the same distance from BR as the Wild Azalea Trail. I find the WaT to be more enjoyable, but then again Clear Springs was infested with banana spiders the last time I went.

Supposedly there's the Black Creek Trail somewhere in Mississippi... but good luck finding any info on it. Personally, I think it's a myth.