Drives Louisiana Louisiana and Mississippi
Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway
LA 117, Longleaf Vista Road, Forest Road 59 · Kisatchie → Highway 119
The drive
The Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway runs east through the Kisatchie Ranger District of Kisatchie National Forest, on Forest Road 59 from Highway 117 at Kisatchie to Highway 119. The state byway page puts it at about 17 miles, with elevations from 80 to 400 feet, which is rugged by Louisiana standards. It is a slow, quiet forest road, not a through route.
The scenery is pine and hardwood forest, with sandstone mesas and creek bottoms in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, an 8,700-acre area locals call the Little Grand Canyon. Kisatchie Bayou, lined with white beech and southern magnolia, is reached from the same road. Toward the Highway 119 end, a short spur leads to Longleaf Vista Recreation Area, where a stone gazebo looks out over the wilderness. The spur is a side trip, not part of this drive.
There are no shops or restaurants on the byway. The ranger station at Kisatchie, at the start, and Longleaf Vista are the only listed stops, and lodging and meals are in Natchitoches and Alexandria, 30 to 45 minutes away. Plan to fill the tank first.
Along the way
- Kisatchie (Highway 117)
- Highway 119
Good to know
- There is no fuel, food or lodging on the byway; the nearest are in Natchitoches and Alexandria.
- Longleaf Vista has restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables and a 1.5-mile loop trail, and the Forest Service lists no fee there.
- Forest Road 59 also serves hikers, riders on the Caroline Dormon trail and campers, so watch for people and horse trailers at trailheads.
- Fire danger in the forest can be rated very high in dry spells, and the Forest Service posts closures for the wilderness and its trails when fires occur.
Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Kisatchie National Forest alerts and closures.
Questions about this drive
How long is the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway?
The state byway page lists the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway as about 17 miles along Forest Road 59. This drive, from Highway 117 at Kisatchie to Highway 119, is 16 miles and takes about 30 minutes.
Where does the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway start?
It starts at the junction of Highway 117 and Forest Road 59 near Kisatchie, in Kisatchie National Forest, and runs east to Highway 119.
Is there a fee at Longleaf Vista on the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway?
The Forest Service lists no fee at Longleaf Vista Recreation Area, which is open around the clock and has restrooms, water and a 1.5-mile interpretive trail.
Are there gas stations or restaurants on the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway?
No. The Louisiana byway site says lodging and dining are not on the byway; the nearest are in Natchitoches and Alexandria, about 30 to 45 minutes away.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.