Hike Through An Enchanted Forest Then Dine At A Small-Town Restaurant On This Delightful Adventure In Louisiana

Central Louisiana often gets overlooked in favor of some of the more populated cities like Shreveport, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, but there are plenty of things to do in Central Louisiana, particularly if you enjoy the outdoors. The Kisatchie National Forest makes up the majority of this part of the state, and it's filled with primitive hiking trails to explore. We've put together a lovely day trip featuring one of our favorite hiking trails and paired it up with a waterfront restaurant for a picture-perfect day trip that you'll love. Let's check it out:

The Valentine Lake Nature Trail is an easy loop trail in Elmer, Louisiana that clocks in at about two miles.

You can park at the Valentine Lake Recreation Center and hit the trail from there. The recreation center is also a great spot for camping, but we can circle back to that another day.

The trail is well marked, and takes you through the longleaf pine forest, with a good chunk of the trail right along the water’s edge.

If you're lucky, you might just have the trail all to yourself!

Depending on the time of year you visit, your path may be brightened by the many native flowers that grow along the trail, like these wild azaleas.

You’re also not far from the famous Wild Azalea Trail, Louisiana’s longest primitive trail. Named for the abundance of wild azaleas that grow in the area, it’s definitely one of the most beautiful trails in the forest. These beauties bloom from April to May, so try to time your hike around then to see them in full bloom!

After your hike, hop in the car and travel north for about 20 minutes until you reach Tunk’s Cypress Inn.

Located in small-town Boyce, this local restaurant has been a favorite ever since it opened in 1977.

Keeping the waterfront theme going, Tunk’s overlooks the beautiful Lake Kincaid, a popular spot for fishing and boating.

You can even dock your boat at Tunk’s!

The rustic restaurant specialized in seafood and other southern favorites.

From fried platters to seafood pasta, there’s a little bit of everything on the menu.

The beauty of Tunk’s is that you can make it as casual or as elegant as you’d like.

After a day of outdoor exploring, treat yourself to a nice juicy steak and a bottle of wine. With views like this, you may never want to leave!

Visit Tunk's website for a full menu, and check out our previous article about camping at Valentine Lake Recreation Area.