I have driven across Louisiana many times in many directions. So often, that the fact that I am often in the middle of Kisatchie National Forest escapes me. It is so vast, spanning seven parishes, that maybe natives take it for granted. There are trails to hike, lakes to fish, grounds to camp… but I’ve never really taken advantage of that beauty… then the pandemic came, well, and the purchase of a new camera lens that I wanted to try out on some wildlife.
I needed a new place to go. I needed somewhere open and beautiful and with some trails to hike, so I did what most people do when they are looking for something, I went to google which is where I found Camp Claiborne and I was actually a bit ashamed that I had not discovered it before! How had I missed this beauty?
I’ll admit, my excursions often take some convincing, but when my family heard WWII camp and they started helping me pack! Who knew such an interesting gem was just an hour up the interstate?
The camp was a US Army military camp during World War II and is located just north of Forest Hill, LA. The birthplace of the 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne divisions, you can actually stand in the place where Sgt. York gave his speech to the 82nd Infantry on May 7, 1942. Even though the camp was deactivated in 1945, many of the, though not always easily, base roads are still generally accessible and available to explore.
I found the area quite alive with energy of all the soldiers who passed through the gates of the camp. As many as 600,000 soldiers, including German POWs, were there at one time or another. A railroad was built for camp use and the aforementioned Army divisions are just 2 of many that passed through for training.
Once the camp was closed, most buildings were either torn down or moved, but there were some left intact and remnants of many others. Several are now behind fencing but we were able to explore areas of interest. The camp was 23,000 acres, therefore occupied several miles with maps of the area show buildings all over the Alexandria, LA area.
With the forest taking back so much of the camp, we looked for help understanding the lay of the land. Our research led us to a wonderful website, campclaiborne.com run by Ken Kopacki. The site includes a Google earth map that was extremely helpful in finding places to explore. We found what remained of a couple of old chapels, a sewage treatment plant, gymnasium, swimming pool, and a set of steps that once led to headquarters. One of the chapels was completed covered, save for one piece of concrete that looked like it was from another time. As pulled back the tree covering, we could see the shape of the old building. To think it was once part of a bustling area filled with soldiers was actually a little hard to really envision.
We had limited time the day we went, so we stayed in the area just off highway 112 and used the map to determine where we would search. The camp area is now under the management of the US Forestry Service, so the forest is reclaiming the land. The time of year you visit will most certainly determine the vegetation and what will be accessible.
There were many base roads that go on for miles, some of which are now in disrepair, completely washed away and therefore blocked, or just being overtaken by the forest and hard to see and navigate by vehicle. We would drive as far as we could, then hike to search out destinations. Again, for us, we needed to use our time wisely so we limited how far we went. But if you can, I recommend choosing an area and just hiking or riding and see what you uncover.
Most of the remaining structures have damage from time and weather and almost all are covered in graffiti. There are numerous marked forest trails to explore as well as areas where people have forged their own ATV trails. As we have talked about our adventure to others, we have discovered many people from Acadiana who spent ample time exploring, camping, and trail riding in these woods. There are many interesting finds of days gone by in those woods if you choose to look for them.
I highly recommend it as a day trip at the very least, especially for families looking for a place to get some air and explore. It’s also a great history lesson and an opportunity to discuss and appreciate the gravity of how many of the young men who came through Camp Claiborne probably never returned home. Even though we have visited more than once, we only saw a small portion of what exists and will absolutely go back for more adventures.
Recommendations: Download the Google earth map mentioned before. It is an absolute treasure trove! Alltrails.com as a great way to find trail info. They give you information including length, type of terrain and it is all mapped. US forestry or Wildlife and Fisheries are places you can also check out for any information you may need before you before you head out.
If you are interested in the story of my spiritual connection at Camp Claiborne, click here to visit my sister site, BallyhooBridge.com.