7 Most Scenic Drives in Louisiana

Louisiana's reputation for flat, wet terrain is earned along the coast, where the Creole Nature Trail winds through marsh and wildlife refuge so remote the nearest town sits across a ferry crossing. Drive inland and the state changes. The Longleaf Trail climbs through sandstone outcrops in Kisatchie National Forest into landscapes that appear on no one's mental map of Louisiana. The seven byways below cross that full range of terrain and reach back through thousands of years of history. Poverty Point's hand-built earthen monuments are 3,400 years old, and oil-boom derricks still rust in the pine forest up north. Each drive opens a different side of the state.

Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

This All-American road covers 180 miles in the swamps, coastal marshes, and Gulf Coast shores of southwestern Louisiana. The Creole Nature Trail explores a broad stretch of coastal wilderness known as "Louisiana's Outback," with four wildlife refuges, 26 miles of Gulf beaches, and small towns along the way. With abundant wildlife, varied scenery, and strong Cajun cultural roots, driving the entirety of the route will take eight to ten hours, but you'll likely need at least two days to fully experience the region.

Starting in the town of Sulphur, just west of Lake Charles on Interstate 10, you'll take Louisiana Highway 27 south along the shores of Calcasieu Lake towards Cameron Parish. As you drive south, the landscape shifts, prairie giving way to coastal marsh, as you near Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. The largest coastal marsh refuge on the Gulf Coast, Sabine is home to more than 200 species of birds, semi-aquatic mammals such as river otters and muskrats, and a large population of American alligators. Continuing south will take you to Holly Beach, a great place to go for a swim in the warm waters of the Gulf or collect shells along the sand beach. From here, you can take LA-82 west to the Texas state line or continue east to Cameron. Driving west will take you past the Peveto Woods Sanctuary, a 40-acre preserve that serves as a temporary home for as many as two million migratory songbirds every year. Traveling east, you'll take a ferry over the Calcasieu River Ship Channel to the small fishing village of Cameron, a great place to stop for fresh seafood or authentic Cajun cuisine. About 30 miles north, Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge is a notable spot for nature photography, as you're likely to spot snowy egrets and roseate spoonbills in the 9,621-acre park.

Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway

The Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway runs along the eastern shore of the Toledo Bend Reservoir, the largest manmade lake in the southern US. Covering 78 miles in west-central Louisiana near the Texas border, the drive traverses rolling hills and rural farmland, and is surrounded by dense southern pine and hardwood forests that provide habitat for a variety of birds and other wildlife. Lake access is plentiful along the route, and several public beaches and state parks provide opportunities for watersports and other recreational activities.

Driving from the south, you will pass through South Toledo Bend State Park. Situated on a series of bluffs above and extending into the reservoir, the park has great views of the water and the small islands in the lake. It is a well-known bass-fishing destination and hosts several tournaments each year. The abundance of fish also draws bald eagles to the area, and the 3,000-foot paved nature trail near the visitor center offers a good chance to spot them along the tree line. Near the small town of Many, you can visit the site of Fort Jesup, built in 1822 and commanded by future president Zachary Taylor. While the only surviving building is the kitchen structure, the state historic site maintains a reconstruction of the officers' quarters that contains exhibits about the frontier history of Louisiana and the territorial disputes with Spain in the early 1800s. Close by, the Cypress Bend Resort is home to a beautiful 18-hole golf course, spa, and luxury accommodations. At the northern end of the drive, North Toledo Bend State Park is a great place to end the day with a paddle on the lake or a meal at River's Edge Restaurant in Logansport.

Bayou Teche National Scenic Byway

In the heart of the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, this 183-mile road network is one of the best ways to explore the state's most beautiful, historic, and culturally significant region. The Bayou Teche National Scenic Byway passes through three parishes in southern Louisiana between Arnaudville and Morgan City. You will get to drive through bayous hung with Spanish moss, experience lively Acadian and Cajun culture, and see hundreds of historic properties. The byway can be driven in a day, but two days allow more time to take in the scenery and stop in the small towns along the route.

After you leave Arnaudville, the northernmost town on the byway, you'll pass through Breaux Bridge, the "Crawfish Capital of the World," where you can look for snowy egrets on a swamp tour of Lake Martin. In St. Martinsville, the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site features a reproduction of an early 19th-century Acadian Farmstead and is a great place to learn about the region's long history of cultural diversity. In the historic city of New Iberia, you can tour a former plantation home at Shadows-on-the-Teche or walk through the Conrad Rice Mill, the oldest working rice mill in the country. A detour to Avery Island leads to the Tabasco Factory, where visitors can tour the birthplace of the famous hot sauce. On your way down to Morgan City, Lejeune's Bakery is a worthwhile stop for French bread and ginger cakes, with a history dating to 1884. The Bayou Teche Paddle Trail, accessible at several points along the drive, offers a closer view of the bayou. If you prefer to keep your distance from gators and other bayou denizens, Cypremort Point State Park offers gorgeous sunsets, swimming beaches, and fishing opportunities easily accessible by car.

Boom or Bust National Scenic Byway

The Boom or Bust National Scenic Byway covers 137 miles in the northwest corner of Louisiana. Named a Southern Travel Treasure by AAA Southern Traveler magazine, the route tells the story of the region's industries and how their rise and fall impacted the state's and the country's economies and cultures. The byway follows Louisiana Highway 2 between Oil City near the Texas border and the shores of Lake Claiborne near the town of Homer, and it makes for a great half to full day road trip from the city of Shreveport, just a few miles south of the route's western portal.

Coming from Shreveport, you'll see the Historic Caddo Lake Drawbridge as you cross the largest natural freshwater lake in the south. Caddo Lake's extensive wetland system covers 25,400 acres and has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance, one of 41 such sites in the US, providing a protected habitat for a vast array of plant and animal life. In Oil City, visitors can learn about the history of the state's dominant industry at the Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum, which brings the drama of the industry's early days to life through interpretive exhibits, films, and industrial equipment. As you drive east through the pine forests and wildflower meadows, you'll be able to see graveyards of rusting oil derricks scattered across the landscape. When you arrive in Homer, visit the H.S. Ford Museum to learn about the art, culture, and heritage of the north Louisiana hill country, then take a stroll through the town's historic district to view the Greek Revival courthouse, continuously used since its construction in 1860.

Southern Swamp Byway

Located just off Interstate 10 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the Southern Swamp Byway is a perfect day trip from either city. The byway travels 67 miles through tupelo cypress swamps, bayous, and small towns along the shores of Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, providing untrammeled access to the waters, wetlands, and wildlife of southern Louisiana. It only takes about an hour and a half to drive the entirety of this route, but you can easily extend the trip into a full-day adventure.

In Sorrento, the Cajun Village and Coffee House pairs boutique shops in restored Acadian dwellings with beignets, café au lait, and an alligator pond nearby. Just west of the small village of Killian, Tickfaw State Park provides a chance to explore several of southern Louisiana's ecosystems along their elevated boardwalk. The walk passes through cypress swamp, bottomland hardwood forest, and pine stands, where snowy egrets, blue herons, and other wildlife are often visible. Get a look at some of the creatures that dwell in the murky Tickfaw River at the 800-gallon aquarium in the park's Nature Center. Before you head south on U.S. 51, explore "The Strawberry Capital of the World" in the town of Ponchatoula. If you're there in April, you can attend the town's annual Strawberry Festival, a three-day celebration full of food, live music, and carnival rides. For unique souvenirs, the Ponchatoula Country Market provides a wide variety of handmade and locally grown goods. As you continue south towards Interstate 10, stop at Middendorf's, just before the Manchac Swamp Bridge, to sample their famous thin-fried catfish and enjoy gorgeous views of Lake Maurepas.

Historic U.S. 80 Byway

This historic byway was once part of the auto trail known as the Dixie Overland Highway, which once ran between Savannah, GA and San Diego, CA. Although much of the road west of Dallas has been decommissioned, the 113 miles in Louisiana have been maintained as Historic US 80, a state byway running between Ruston and the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. Although it only takes a few hours to drive, most guides recommend spending a few days on this remnant of an early ocean-to-ocean highway route.

Starting at the western end of the byway, the town of Ruston combines college-town atmosphere with a 25-block historic downtown and is famous for its unusually sweet peaches. Visit Mitcham Farms, the largest peach orchard in the state, to try them for yourself or pick up jams, preserves, or cobblers to take home. You can also learn about the parish's history at the Lincoln Parish Museum, housed in the beautifully preserved Kidd-Davis Home, which was built in 1886. Continue east to Monroe to see the Biedenharn Museum and Garden on the banks of the Ouachita River. The onetime home of the first man to bottle Coca-Cola, the complex features the historic mansion, a Coke Museum, and the beautiful ElSong Gardens, which contains thousands of tropical and subtropical plants. Monroe was an early home of Delta Air Lines, which began as a crop-dusting operation in 1925 in Macon, Georgia, and the story of the company's growth into one of the largest airlines in the country is chronicled at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum. One of the most fascinating stops along the way is the Poverty Point World Heritage Site outside of Epps on Bayou Macon. These 3,400-year-old earthen monuments were hand-built and are among the oldest and most important archaeological sites in the country.

Longleaf Trail Byway

The Longleaf Trail Byway may be only seventeen miles long, but it travels through some of the most varied terrain in the state. Located in the Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana, the scenic drive travels between Highway 117 in the west and Highway 119 in the east. The byway takes around thirty minutes to drive the full length, but in that time, you'll reach some of the highest elevations in the state, pass scenic overlooks and picnic areas with views of incongruous topographical features, and drive through habitats for several rare and endangered creatures.

Access to the byway is easiest from the east, with the starting point just a few miles south of Interstate 49. To begin the drive, you'll hug the southern edge of the Kisatchie Wilderness Area, passing through dense long-leaf pine forest and past the Longleaf Vista Interpretive Trail, one of the most scenic hikes in the state. The 1.5-mile trail passes through meadows, bottomland hardwood stands, and climbs to the top of high mesas and sandstone outcrops, which provide homes for armadillos, wild turkeys, and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. As you continue west, you'll rise to elevations nearing 400 feet, positively towering by Louisiana standards, before entering the Kisatchie Bayou, where white beech trees and southern magnolias replace the pines along the banks of the slow-moving river.

Where Louisiana's Scenic Roads Come Together

The buttes and mesas of the Longleaf Trail and the intricate waterways of the Southern Swamp Byway show how many topographies and ecosystems Louisiana's scenic roads pass through. You can learn about the highs and lows of the oil and gas industry, eat your way through a wide array of cuisines, experience friendly Cajun culture, or spot alligators and roseate spoonbills in sprawling nature preserves. No matter what kind of adventure you seek, Louisiana has a scenic drive for you.