Me and my son had planned on hiking this a few weekends ago. But he got sick so we had to cancel. I had a few days off this week so I decided to make a one night solo trip. I arrived about 3PM at trail head and stopped about 4:30 to make camp by a creek.
The trail is only 7.5 miles long but then a 2.5 mile road walk back to the truck if you don't have anyone to shuttle. Plus you can take the High Ridge Trail and Turpentine both about 1.5 miles lone as side trails and add miles if you want to. This is the only place in Louisiana that you can find rocks that I know of. It is up on sandstone hills with some decent views. I went from the southern trailhead to the northern, but if I do it again I would go north to south.
The southern half has multiple creek crossing for water if you decide to camp and don't want to carry a few days worth. The northern half doesn't cross any creeks. This is the only wilderness area in Louisiana I think. There is a sign that states the trail isn't blazed all that well and not many bridges over creeks. That is true. I had to back track a few times to find the trail, but wasn't that difficult. And two creeks were too wide to jump across, but the trail was wet from rain earlier so I just waded across in my already wet shoes.
Recent fire damage still remains
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Big Daddy tarp over DIY hammock
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Ready for a cup of coffee and supper
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Good thing my feet were already wet from slipping in the creek getting water or I would have been tempted to cross on the log.
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The trail was either sandy or very slippery wet clay on the ridges. The bottoms by the creeks were hardwood and good hiking conditions.
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Great trail for Louisiana folks looking to get out for a day hike or multiple days. I could explore the woods for a day and enjoy two or more nights. You could also hike the Caroline Dorman trail and add 14 miles to it. The southern Backbone trail head is the eastern trail head for the Caroline Dorman.
Kisatchie Ranger District maps
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