Kisatchie Hills Wilderness
The Kisatchie Hills Wilderness is home to unusually hilly terrain for Louisiana, though elevations vary only about 150 feet. Sandstone outcroppings occur in this loblolly, oak, maple, and magnolia forest. Seeps and bayous are plentiful in the bottoms. The Bayou Cypre travels through the heart of this, the state's largest designated Wilderness. The subtle beauty of this area is the sunrise and sunset on its low horizons, its thick forest, and the sounds of insects and wildlife. Ten miles of trails offer scenic access into the Wilderness for hiking and dispersed camping. Several trailheads offer access to a trail system that crosses the Wilderness. Hunters come for deer, rabbit squirrel, raccoon, armadillos, and beavers.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Louisiana |
| Size | 8,701 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 31.50° N, 93.00° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 10 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Backbone ↗ | 7 | |
| Turpentine Hill Trail | 1.6 | |
| High Ridge | 1.4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWild Goose
44 mi from the center point · 43 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3 miMagnolia Plantation ↗National Historic Landmark
- 3.4 miChopin, Kate, House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 5 miAfrican House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 8.9 miOakland Plantation, Tenant House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 3.3 miCloutier, Alexis, House ↗Cloutierville, LA
- 3.6 miCarnahan Store ↗Cloutierville, LA
- 4.1 miJones House ↗Melrose, LA
- 5 miBadin-Roque House ↗Natchez, LA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Louisiana and the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
8,701 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Kisatchie Hills Wilderness in?
Louisiana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Kisatchie Hills Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 31.497° N, 92.997° W. Cane River Creole National Historical Park is 8 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Kisatchie Hills Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Wild Goose at 44 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
Cane River Creole National Historical Park (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Kisatchie Hills Wilderness?
The National Register has 24 listings within 15 miles, including Magnolia Plantation and Chopin, Kate, House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.