The History Behind Louisiana's Most Scenic Byways Will Fascinate You

This byway travels through the DeRidder area, land that was originally inhabited by the Atakapa and Coushatta Native Americans. Along your drive you’ll encounter Civil War remnants, blackberry farms, and dozens of charming historic towns filled with incredible histories and shopping opportunities. One of the many myths and legends surrounding this historic byway is that of Leather Britches Smith, a gunslinger who was gunned down after a strike of non-union workers that faced off against mill workers at the Galloway Lumber Company. They shipped his body to Merryville and displayed his corpse outside of the Merryville Jail so that people could see for themselves that the legendary outlaw had been killed, and his body is buried in the Merryville Cemetery.

Once known as the Dixie Overland Highway, US 80 will take you throughout the Ruston area over to the Lousiana/Mississippi state line and throughout dozens of charming little towns. From peaches to Poverty Point, there’s something for everyone along this scenic byway.

Louisiana has a long history with the oil and gas industry as well as the lumber industry, and this scenic byway pays tribute to that. Running along Highway 2, you’ll drive through northern Louisiana’s lovely rolling hills, offering amazing views of the many lakes and bayous along the way. You’ll see several oil derricks peppered throughout your drive, a reminder of the area’s history with the oil and energy industry.

This epic all-American road will lead you on an incredible journey through beautiful wetlands, small fishing communities, prairies, and marshes. Throughout the 180-mile byway, you’ll encounter scores of wildlife as well as 26 miles of beautiful Gulf of Mexico Beaches.

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In the 1840s, Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York, was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He spent twelve years enslaved on Louisiana plantains in Rapides and Avoyelles Pariahes before regaining his freedom. The trail includes sites Northup includes in his story, highlighting places he where spent a significant amount of time. In 2013, his story was made into a popular movie, but there is nothing that can compare to taking a drive down this historic 83-mile scenic byway.