Vernon Parish Kisatchie National Forest Artillery Range Circuit

The old Fort Polk artillery impact area in Vernon Parish offers some of Louisiana’s gnarliest terrain, with military training roads carved deep into clay hills and sandy bottoms. These routes follow tank trails and ammunition transport roads through dense longleaf pine forests, crossing Whisky Chitto Creek multiple times and navigating around unexploded ordnance warning zones. The main loop connects several observation towers and ends at the historic Peason Ridge fire tower, with side spurs leading to remote camping spots along Anacoco Creek.

This is difficult driving requiring experienced 4WD with skid plates, recovery gear, and ideally winch capability. Clay turns to absolute soup when wet, creating ruts that’ll swallow axles. Best attempted during dry spells from late summer through early winter. No permits needed but stay on marked routes — UXO hazards are real. Fuel up in Leesville and bring extra water. The reward is genuine backcountry solitude in Louisiana’s largest remaining longleaf pine ecosystem, with excellent camping and some of the state’s best whitetail hunting.