Best Dispersed Camping near Gardner, LA

Open all year 

Primitive 

The Wild Azalea Trail is south west of Alexandria, Louisiana on the edge of the Valentine Lake Recreation Area. There is a trail head with parking on the grass, nicely mowed but if it has rained it could be muddy. Primitive camping is permitted adjacent to the trail but campsites must be at least 30 feet from the trail center line.

 Pack it in, Pack it out 

LNT 

BTYFI 

NO FIRES 

Travel safe

The drive there was beautiful. Getting to the camp site was pretty straightforward through google Maps. You can pull ur vehicle right up your camp site. If you're into foraging, this is definitely not the place in the winter months. There is plenty of broken trees to use for fire wood. The forest is great to explore. There is a natural spring that runs on side of the road about a half mile from the campsite. It has been piped in for easy access. The temp drops quickly during the winter months so be prepared. You do not need any kind of permit to camp here.

Let me start of by saying there is ZERO cell service. We might have been able to set our phones down and it get ONE Bar, but as soon as you pick it up it’s gone.

The road is fine. A little hard to get through if it’s wet. The spots to stay in have very rutted roads. Pretty easy to take just about anything down it.

There are about 5 camp areas. a few of them are group sites. Very large and spacious.

The stay here is 30 days. No bathroom. No trash pick up. No water hook ups.

There is however, a natural spring that is piped just as you enter FR380. Locals come here to fill water. It’s very fresh and refreshing.

It normally is warm all year round here. But we d coded to camp in every state so far when an artic blast is moving through. So, normally in december it’s not 12 degrees for a high ANYWHERE in this state.

It rained about 16-17 days of our stay, but we did find some amazing things. My first time finding and eating Lions Maine Mushrooms.

Lots of trash behind some of the sites. Can definitely tell it’s a party spot. Or at least it used to be.

All in all, this place is so secluded that no one drives out here and it’s 100% peaceful. I will definitely return to this spot.

Its a really nice place to camp. Very small but well kept up

This a a cool place to spend a weekend. There is both primitive and fixed campsites.you have a couple Small trails in and around Valentine lake, or you caan hop on wild azeala trail and hike it. Its just short of 18 miles start to finish. Wouldn't recommend swimming in that lake. Lots of Gators and big snapping turtles. . Great fishing tho.. for me i enjoy middle to late October when it's cooler for sleeping in teepee hot tent..

I hiked about 7.5 miles in from the Valentine Lake trailhead to a large clearing by the bridge with a nice cool stream. There are other clearings nearby which would be great for a small group camp. The trail itself is great and pretty well maintained. Be prepared for plenty of ups and downs and some rough terrain. There are adequate running streams to get water for filtering. From camp I went another 1.5 miles to the Evangeline primitive area parking lot (where there is a pit toilet), some beautiful views along that stretch. I would definitely do it again, but with a lighter pack and not in 90 degree weather!