Louisiana State Arboretum Forest Road 59 Tunica Hills Extension

Forest Road 59 cuts through the Tunica Hills, Louisiana’s geological oddity where loess bluffs rise 200 feet above creek bottoms filled with beech, magnolia, and mountain laurel—species that shouldn’t exist this far south. The route follows abandoned logging roads from the 1940s, dropping through narrow ravines where Little Bayou Sara has carved limestone into small waterfalls and swimming holes. You’ll navigate rutted clay tracks that become impassable when wet, cross multiple creek fords, and climb technical sections where roots and rocks create natural tire steps.

This is difficult terrain that punishes overconfidence—the clay soil becomes slick as grease when wet, and several creek crossings can flash flood during heavy rain. High-clearance 4WD with good traction control is mandatory, along with a winch or recovery gear for the steeper clay climbs. Avoid completely during winter rains; late spring through early fall offers the best conditions. You’ll discover Louisiana’s most unique ecosystem, feeling more like driving through Arkansas than the typical bayou country, complete with rare ferns and wildflowers found nowhere else in the state.