Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail

Louisiana's longest hiking trail at nearly 24 miles, part of the Kisatchie National Forest and designated by the Chief of the Forest Service as a National Recreation Trail. Located in the Evangeline Unit of the Calcasieu Ranger District, the trail's endpoints are at Valentine Lake Recreation Area and near the town of Woodworth. Louisiana Highway 488 bisects the route about midway, and the trail is accessible from Forest Service roads at several other points. Designated for foot or mountain biking traffic only, the route winds through pine hills and hardwood bottoms, passing through managed forest areas, clearings and untouched areas. Traversing flat to rolling terrain, the trail is marked with yellow diamond-shaped badges and rated as moderate. A full-length through-hike takes 8–10 hours. March and April are the best times to spot the wild azaleas for which the trail is named—pink-white blooms appearing along the route. The trail is open for hiking, biking, and backpacking year-round. Dogs are allowed on the trail. Camping is permitted adjacent to the trail, but campsites must be at least 30 feet from the trail center-line. All trash carried in on the trail must be carried out. From 2013 through 2020, the Wild Azalea Trail Challenge brought trail runners and mountain bikers to the route each January for races of various distances.