Best Tent Camping near Kisatchie National Forest

We went camping in a tent this weekend at the park and really enjoyed it. We stayed at the south landing camping area in loop A. If you plan on camping in a tent I recommend the spots in loop A and most in loop D. B and C are more for RVs but you could still set up there, those two loops are more open and the spots are closer. Loops A and D are a little more spread out and have trees between some spots. The main bathroom was in good shape and had heat. Trash was picked up every morning by the park. Our spot had a fire ring, water , and electricity. The park allows you to use dead tree limbs for firewood. One thing to know about spots on loop A near the comfort station is that there’s a treatment plant in the center that kicks on every once in a while and makes a good bit of noise at night when the motor runs. It helped put me to sleep but it might bother others. Also theres no cell signal except in one or two random spots of the campground but it was nice to unplug for a weekend . We really enjoyed this campground and park though and will definitely be back .

Inside the Kisatchie National Forest, Calcasieu District, Vernon Unit. 2 loops of dispersed camping, grounds not well kept, vault toilet. There is no water and signs say pack in and pack out but there was a trash bin. Very basic place to pitch a tent and explore the area around.

Inside the Kisatchie National Forest, Evangeline District lies this peaceful little oasis. Water, flush toilets, seclusion, lake, and fishing. This was an amazing spot to stay for a few nights. The sites are either on the lake or not, no reservations, picnic table, fire ring, lantern pole and shade. The only complaint I have with this campground is that you can not put your tent on the grass. Make sure you have padding.

Me and a few fellas went here fir a weekend trip tent camping it has water and a restroom but no shower or electricity. This was a GREAT weekend guys trip

Located inside the Kisatchie National Forest, Kisatchie District this campsite is at the same location as Kisatchie Bayou Campground Day Use Area. The 2 spots share a pit toilet and access to the bayou. The sites are basic and secluded and beautiful with the bayou water running in the background.

This is a great campground to explore the entire forest and all the hiking trails. My photos are of all the things we explored while staying at this campground, some things are not inside campground.

We go to Chicot often because it is close to us. It has good hiking trails and arboretum. We usually tent camp on the south loop. These sites are not too close together. The only complaint have is that the tent pads need to be redone. The bathhouse is old but kept clean. There is a playground and splash pad near by for the kids. The lake is beautiful. Convince store is near by and WalMart about 20 minutes away.

Fee: $2.00 day use $2.00 per vehicle 

17 primitive walk in tent sites with the sites running along side the beautiful Kisatchie Bayou. There is one drive in that is located in the parking lot.  The bayou looks more like a creek in Arkansas than a Louisiana bayou. Don't think you will find a gator in that bayou. The hardwood and pine forest has lain down a beautiful carpet under your feet with very little noise when you walk. NO WATER. Nice parking area and great hiking. There are a lot of picnic tables and grills close to the parking lots for day use. Pit toilet, grill, picnic table, fire ring, lantern pole.  The area is very beautiful and the peace is amazing especially along side the bayou.  Road in is in very good shape.

LNT

BTYFI

Travel safe

CAMPGROUND REVIEW:

Located inside the Kisatchie National Forest, Kisatchie District, this campground is great. This section of National Forest is home to over 30 miles of nature trails. The trails are for hiking, biking, horseback riding and off road vehicle riding. This campground is just steps away from the bayou where you can launch a canoe or kayak depending on the water level. Fishing and swimming are great pastimes here. The site has a grassy area and fire pit. There are vault toilets and NO WATER so be prepared for that. The day use area offers picnic tables, fire pits and grills. There are 2 different sites for camping on either side of the day use area. The day use area has a lot of local traffic but we did not encounter a lot of overnight campers. It is very secluded and the sound of the bayou is serene. There are lots of wildlife sounds at night but we didn't see anything more than a squirrel. We loved our stay here. We hiked, biked, and relaxed in the low waters of the bayou.

NOTE - Kisatchie Bayou Recreation Complex Camping/Day Use is the same area as Kisatchie Bayou Campground

PRODUCT REVIEW:

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I tested the INNO Aero Light 2 (2 bike) hitch rack.

www.innoracks.com

This bike rack made our trip so easy. It was easy to set up, easy to install (my 8 yr old did it). The simple hitch design slides right into a standard 2" hitch receiver or can be adjusted to 1 1/4". The screw bolt came with it along with a wrench for tightening on the receiver. We easily secured 2 bikes to the rack. Bike weight needs to be less than 33 lbs., have a top tube and a seat tube. Frame size 1/2" - 2 1/4". We loved this rack for its sturdiness and lightweightedness. It traveled great, we drove with the rack on my SUV for over 300 miles and we never had any problems. A great feature is the easy fold down option to allow access to the back of the car. This rack also features great locking mechanisms. You can lock the rack at the hitch as well as lock the built in strap around the bikes. As our little one grows and his bike gets bigger, we will definitely get a larger INNO rack to carry all the bikes. For now, the 2 bike rack is working great.

Pros: lightweight, easy install, easy fold down feature, great locking mechanisms.

Cons: None

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Fullerton Lake Recreation Comp!ex, Camping/Day Use Camp

This campground offers big spacious sites surrounded by tall pines inside the Kisatchie National Forest, Calcasieu Ranger District, Vernon Unit. There are only 8 usable sites inside the gate. (There are a few marked sites outside of the gate but I'm not sure why.) Out campsite (site 4) was located inside the loop so we had easy access to the playground and flushable toilets. There is only 1 water spigot located between sites 6-7. There are 2 short trails. One will take you to the old hotel,school,and pool ruins. The other will take you to the old saw mill. There is so much history tied to this park and it took us back to the early 1900's. The main attraction to this park is the fully stocked (fish) lake. We spent most of our day out on the water in the canoe and kayak while locals popped in and out to do a bit of fishing. We were 1 of 2 campers at the park. It felt like we had it all to ourselves. There is a shower house with 2 showers/flush toilets (2 others were locked) located across from lake. A vault toilet is located in campground. I loved this park. It was simple, sweet and relaxing. This site is very close to Enduro multi-use trails. Also, camp fee is only $5.

PRODUCT REVIEW: AFTERSHOKZ TREKZ TITANIUM BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing Aftershokz Trekz Titanium bone conduction headphones.

www.aftershokz.com

I could not wait to test these headphones out. When I received them, I noticed the box seemed heavy for titanium. No worries, these things were really lightweight. Straight out of the box, I used them for 8 hours before recharging (with a standard micro USB connector). The sound quality is great. I was able to hike with them in while listening to a book and music and still be able to hear the bird song around me (or my kids when they tagged along). I took these out on the water - NOT IN the water although they work great when being doused with sweat. I was nervous about bringing my phone on the lake so I opted to purchase the pack to hold my phone and key. The pack is water resistant and has a very long waist strap that I wrapped around my chest to have easy access to my phone. The headphones connect with my phone Bluetooth but not my kindle. They were super easy to set up and are multifunctional. Use to answer phone or listen to podcasts, music, books, etc. These are definitely a camping luxury that this mom needed. Note: it took me a while to make them fit comfortably with my glasses and had hurt ears for a while until I figured it out.

Pros:

1. lightweight
2. Long battery life
3. Great sound
4. Hands free
5. Sweat resistant
6. Easy set up
7. Great functionality

Cons:

1. Hurt my ears because of fit with glasses on. I was able to work around it though.

update: I have been using these daily for a month now and they are still a wonderful piece of gear

Lake was beautiful. Awesome kayaking. Camp sites are a little close, especially because we usually go to tent only sections. The is none at Chicot, so the loud Rvs trucks and motorcycles were annoying. Like someone said, the raccoons are not your average raccoons, and the mosquitos were not even those of us In South Louisiana say are normal. The next time we go, I think we will rent a cabin.

It's so well taken care of, it's beautiful, and there's so much to explore. It's a welcoming place to experience Louisiana outdoors.

One of my favorite places to go camping, trails bring you right through the swamps of South louisiana. Love walking elevated on the path right over the mush and cypress knees galore!

This park is absolutely stunning. the camping spots are spread out for a more personal experience. Here you can fish, kayak, swim, and dont forget to swing by the Arboretum. very scenic "Louisiana" park

Camp next to this beautiful sounding creek, there is a beach to lay out on while the kids play in the water or you can hit the Caroline dorman trail on foot or horseback. Excellent site. My personal favorite in Louisiana