Fall in Louisiana-- the delightful 4, and if you're lucky, 6 weeks in the latter part of the year where the weather is delightful and the mosquitoes don't immediately drain you dry!
Alexandria happens to be just on the south side of Kisatchie National Forest, and one fine weekend recently, we drove the half-hour northwest to hike the Backbone Trail. It's located within the Kisatchie Ranger District (the proper one) and also within the Red Dirt Wilderness Area. The hike is technically an out-and-back hike, but the trail intersects on either end with park road 339, turning the trail into an approximately 10 mile hike.
The trail offers spectacular views of the longleaf pines that Kisatchie is known for. There are numerous elevation changes with craggy limestone traverses that in the rainy season double as washouts. The trail is open to bikers and horseback riders as well, so you may encounter some horseflies. Our advice-- wear long sleeves and a good bit of bug spray. Also, avoid wearing blue! Because of God-knows-why, horseflies and deerflies are attracted to the color blue!
On this particular day, it was evident that a recent control burn had taken place about a month previous. The trees were charred, and seedlings had begun to sprout from the remains of felled pines. It was a lovely, brisk day for a somewhat challenging hike, and we'll definitely be back to see how the new reborn forest grows up!
Kisatchie Ranger District Information
Map of Trailhead
