Best Dispersed Camping in Louisiana
Want to go dispersed camping in Louisiana? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from technology. Search nearby dispersed sites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Best Dispersed Sites in Louisiana (14)
1. Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area
Monroe, Louisiana5 Reviews•11 Photos•38 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
2. Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail
Gardner, Louisiana4 Reviews•14 Photos•9 SavesCamping is permitted adjacent to the trail, but campsites must be established at least 30 feet away from the trail center line. This is primitive camping - no amenities.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Dispersed
- Trash
3. Sugar Creek Hunt Camp Dispersed
Junction City, Arkansas2 Reviews•9 Photos•9 SavesFree camp off Kisachee National Forest Road
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Group
- Dispersed
- Trash
4. Evangeline Camp Complex
Gardner, Louisiana2 Reviews•1 Photo•44 SavesThe Evangeline Camp is located 4 miles south of Louisiana Highway 28 on Forest Road 273 (Messina Road). This road is paved until about 1/2 mile from the camp where it turns into gravel. The best camping flats are just down the hill past the vaulted restroom. There is no water at this site.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
5. Highway 472 Camp
Winnfield, Louisiana3 Reviews•13 Photos•31 Saves- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Trash
- Toilets
- Alcohol
6. Forest Road 380 Kisatchi National Forest
Gorum, Louisiana2 Reviews•17 Photos•25 Saveshttps://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/kisatchie/home/?cid=fseprd952794&width=full
Rules for Dispersed Camping: Groups of over 75 people who wish to use the forest, need to obtain a special use permit. Permits can be obtained at the nearest District Office. NOTE: Due to COVID-19, groups larger than 10 people are discouraged from congregating. There is privately owned land within the forest boundaries so be sure to not encroach on private land. You need to be self-contained. No amenities are provided, such as water, restrooms or trash cans. You may camp in a dispersed area for up to 30 days. After 30 days, you must move at least 5 road miles for camping in another dispersed area. Campers may not return to the same campsite within the calendar year. Please place your campsite at least 100 feet from any stream or other water source. Showers can be locally heavy and occasionally have been known to produce 5 to 10 inches of rain in a few hours. Such storms will cause flooding in the rivers and tributaries within the forest. These same streams will usually be dry in the late summer and early fall. Carry water or a water filtration device with you. Keep a Pack-In Pack-Out camp. Follow Leave No Trace guidelines. Contact the local Forest Service office to see if any restrictions, especially fire restrictions are in place.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services (such as trash removal) and little or no facilities (such as tables and fire pits,) are provided. Some popular dispersed camping areas may have toilets.
There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It is your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.
Visitors are primarily responsible for their own safety. Keep in mind, trails and roads may be open for use, but please recreate responsibly and follow public health guidelines regarding social distancing while you recreate in National Forests. Law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited due to COVID-19 issues.
- Pets
- Fires
- Dispersed
- Drinking Water
- Alcohol
8. Hunter's Camp
Fort Polk, Louisiana1 Review•1 SaveThese primitive campsites have a vault toilet and trash receptacle
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Dispersed
9. Forest Road 380 Dispersed
Be the first to review!Gorum, Louisiana•2 SavesMany people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services (such as trash removal) and little or no facilities (such as tables and fire pits,) are provided. Some popular dispersed camping areas may have toilets.
There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It is your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.
Visitors are primarily responsible for their own safety. Keep in mind, trails and roads may be open for use, but please recreate responsibly and follow public health guidelines regarding social distancing while you recreate in National Forests. Law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited due to COVID-19 issues. High risk activities such as rock climbing or motorized activities that increase your chance of injury or distress should be avoided.
- Fires
- Dispersed
- Drinking Water
- Alcohol
Recent Dispersed Reviews in Louisiana
21 Reviews of 14 Louisiana Campgrounds
Kevin C.
RangerHunter's Camp
Quiet spot in the Pine Trees
Nice disbursed site. Map shows a camping loop that appears to have been abandoned by the Forest Service. It had a dead hog blocking the loop. This loop is about 150 yards from the vaulted toilet and garbage receptacle.
There is another loop adjacent to the toilet and garbage that appears to have disbursed camping spots with places where fires were made.
The camping area is open to the sky and has yellow pines that create random shade. Great place to charge with solar panels on a sunny day.
The only other camper is a crazy dude on the old camping loop by the dead pig.
- PPotsie D.
Traveler
Forest Road 380 Kisatchi National Forest
Very peaceful
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.
- ssav
Guide
Sugar Creek Hunt Camp Dispersed
Cute
Super cute little spot. It had plenty of space/sites for big rigs, cars, tents, and hammocks. Established bathrooms and trash receptacles. Absolutely 0 service for AT&T or Verizon. The road down there is full of huge potholes, be aware! Especially at night lol.
Twan M.Ranger
Highway 472 Camp
Great Overnight
Great little option as an overnight spot. Not much to it, just a few obvious clearings along the small gravel/mud loop on either side of the road, a few more if you’re imaginative. Vault toilets, too. 2 bars Verizon service, enough to send/recieve & use internet/gps. Close to the road but nicely wooded.
Lea B.Guide
Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area
Dispersed and quiet
I ended up in the hunting-open dispersed area. There is plenty of space to fit quite a few campers there, but the ground was soft. There were no gravel parking areas, etc. I read the reviews about bears and put my ring doorbell out in hopes of a glimpse, but no such luck.
We could hear local cows and dogs but nothing so loud as to disrupt our sleep.
Chantelle M.
Scout
Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail
Spent a ton of time out at Valentine lake.
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..
Cole J.ScoutRussell Sage Wildlife Management Area
5 dollar permit required now!!
Perfectly fine site, a very nice ranger kindly told me that it's 5 dollars, just FYI!
- vvictoriaTraveler
Highway 472 Camp
Quick stop to rest
So we went on the right side of the split camp coming in from the NW. The bathrooms haven’t been maintenanced or cleaned up in the actually area. We just set up our outdoor toilet because there wasn’t a soul here. But this is nice for a quick sleep , we are driving to FL from Colorado to bring our cross country trip to an end so we needed some sleep around 1am.
- EEric G.
LegendRussell Sage Wildlife Management Area
Nice and secluded
This is a nice site at end of turn around. Next to a nice pond. About 5 miles from I20. No amenities. Beware only one camp site.
Daisee Mae S.LegendForest Road 380 Kisatchi National Forest
Secluded 100% Primitive
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.
Sean S.GuideValentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail
Great primitive camping!
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!
- Mic F.Traveler
Sugar Creek Hunt Camp Dispersed
Peaceful
We found this spot after seeing that North shore wasn't maintained and south shore was too crowded. It's just a pull off area at the end of a two mile gravel road. It is a hunt camp so you might have a truck or two drive by but other than that we were the only ones out here so it was real quiet and there's at least three "spots" where a big rig like ours (35ft) can fit just fine. There are vault toilets and secure trash cans which were nice to have. Decent enough service.
Kelly E.Ranger
Mae's Beach
Soft Sand!
Sketchy access for my rig. I’m a pickup truck camper at 10,000 pounds and was very uncertain about getting very far in. Do I didn’t! No facilities Close to Sabine NWR and Cameron Ferry
- SScott B.Traveler
Evangeline Camp Complex
Indian creek
Very clean and and kept up very well nicely shaded
- SScott B.Traveler
Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail
Valintine lake
Its a really nice place to camp. Very small but well kept up
- NN I.Legend
Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail
Wild
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
WandererTravelerMae's Beach
Secluded Beach Front
Beautiful spot. Unfortunately, the area was hit by Hurricane Laura in 2020 and the nearby neighborhoods have been destroyed. Locals are in the process of rebuilding. I'd suggest having 4x4 to drive on the beach. Waves are non existent for today, but bugs a plenty. Lol.
- Harrison M.Scout
Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area
It’s a good one
For quick free road side camping this is the spot! Easy parking, Zero cops, had a campfire, cooked food, slept in my hammock right between the wildlife sign. No complaints would stay again!
- KKassy Z.Scout
Evangeline Camp Complex
Great
Great trail. Very well marked and maintained. Some wet areas but not bad. Awesome primitive camping sites along trail.
- UnnamedAdventuresRanger
Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area
Worst WMA Land Ever Visited
This WMA land is the worst that I have ever stayed at. If you stay here and don’t need to leave your vehicle your probably safe. We ended up staying here on our drive from Texas to Alabama and thought it was a great spot on the map to stop as its close to the highway(Historic Highway 80). The location was great due to the proximity to the highway and there was very minimal road noise. Since we got their late at night we were unable to really get a full lay of the land. We pulled in and used the turnaround and setup camp. After an incident that night with our dog rolling in human feces we knew we wouldn’t like the site of the camp in the morning. After we cleaned him(thank goodness we had lots of water and dog shampoo) we went to bed only to hear barking of stray dogs. The next morning we kept our dogs on a tight leash and were in disarray with the amount of garbage and trash around the camping area. Overall don’t stay here unless you absolutely have to. The road in is Gravel and.05 miles from a paved road. Russell Sage WMA is open Year round. There are 1-5 campsites at this location and the maximum RV length is 25 feet. You may stay 14 days at Russell Sage WMA.
Check out our blog at www.unnamedadventures.com and follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram or on our YouTube Channel at Unnamed Adventures.
Paula W.LegendHighway 472 Camp
Split down the middle
This campground is aptly named because it is split in half by a major hwy. Yes, hwy 472. There are vault toilets on both sides. It is dispersed free camping in the Kisatchie National Forest, Catahoula district, Catahoula national wildlife management preserve. The grounds are overgrown in places but there are a few cleared out spots with obvious old campfires. There were even places that looked like you could back in an RV. We will be back to this spot during the fall to see the leaves change colors. It feels secluded even if it is on the hwy.
This campground is a designated Hunter camp so if you plan to stay here call the rangers or know your seasons (deer, turkey, etc.).
According to the fs.usda.gov website, "The Highway 472 Camp is a designated Hunter Camp inside the Catahoula National Wildlife Management Preserve. The Hwy 472 Camp allows primitive camping in a predominantly pine setting."
Guide to Louisiana
Discover the thrill of dispersed camping in Louisiana, where nature lovers can find serene spots away from the hustle and bustle, all while enjoying the freedom of camping without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Top Activities for Dispersed Campers in Louisiana
- Experience the tranquility of nature at Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area, where you can set up camp in a quiet, hunting-open area surrounded by wildlife.
- Enjoy fishing and hiking along the scenic trails at Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail, which offers both primitive and fixed campsites.
- Take advantage of the well-maintained trails and beautiful views at Evangeline Camp Complex, perfect for those looking to explore the Kisatchie National Forest.
Unique Features for Dispersed Camping
- Campers at Highway 472 Camp will appreciate the big rig-friendly access and the convenience of vault toilets, making it a practical choice for overnight stays.
- Enjoy the secluded beach front at Mae's Beach, where you can relax by the water and soak in the natural beauty of the area.
- Experience the peaceful environment at Sugar Creek Hunt Camp Dispersed, which features secure trash cans and vault toilets for added convenience.
Must-Visit Attractions for Dispersed Campers
- Explore the stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife at Attakapas Wildlife Management Area, a great spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature.
- Discover the primitive camping opportunities along the Wild Azalea Trail, where you can hike and enjoy the natural surroundings at Valentine Lake Wild Azalea Trail.
- Visit Forest Road 380 Kisatchi National Forest for a truly secluded experience, complete with natural springs for fresh water.