There are some epic dirt bike trails across the State of Louisiana, many of which aren’t far from New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport.
This means you don’t need to haul far and spend hours on a road trip. You could be unloaded at a staging area and riding within the hour in some cases.
Best Dirt Bike Trails Louisiana
We’ve searched around to bring you this excellent guide for MX and enduro riders, though mainly for the later category. While there are a few motocross clubs around, you’re probably searching for some easy single track or gnarly hill climbs.
By asking the locals and consulting the State of Louisiana, we’ve been able to separate the best from the rest. Essentially, these places are where residents of Louisiana typically ride their dirt bikes:
1. Muddy Bottoms ATV and Recreation Park
Muddy Bottoms opened to the public around 7 years ago and earned itself a reputation as a place to play on 2 wheels or 4. Many buggies, UTV’s, ATV’s, 4×4’s and yes, dirt bikes do travel through here. They’ve actually lost count of the number of trails and loops here, but with 5,000+ acres, you won’t get bored anytime soon.
While it’s a muddy area, there are hard-packed areas for the enduro riders that want something more realistic. You’ll find these trails up the northern part of this recreation park and where most other offroad users don’t visit.
This is the type of place where you’ll want to spend a night or two and there is excellent camping faiclities with RV’s permitted. Hot showers are provided which are certainly needed after a dirty day behind the handlebars. Don’t fancy pitching a tent? Then there are cabins which you can hire which are popular with groups. Bring some buddies along and experience the best dirt bike riding area in the state.
2. Enduro Trails at Fullerton, Louisiana
Head out towards Fullerton and you’ll find around 45 miles of trails which are 3 long loops. This spot is great for beginners as the tracks are flat for the most part, though there are some switch backs and hill climbs to keep things interesting.
What’s best about this spot is that you can ride dirt bikes here for free. Even better is the camping is free too though the facilities are very limited with no toilets, water or showers. If you want some luxury then head over to Fullerton Lake Campground (around 10 minutes away) which has showers yet no direct trail access, so you’ll need to haul your bikes to and from the campground unless they have registration.
3. Claiborne Multi-Use Trails
Head into the Kistchie National Forest and you’ll found around 74 miles of clearly marked trails. This place is very nice to ride through and as you can imagine, very popular especially on weekends. Watch out for the weather forecasts as this place can get closed on short notice when it rains since it turns into a mud pit very quickly.
The terrain here is more hard packed which is great for those who don’t enjoy the muddy sections which are typical of Louisiana dirt bike trails. With two campgrounds for OHV vehicles, Claiborne is a great choice. Our pick is Loran Camp and we recommend you set up your site before you go riding as it gets quite busy here starting Friday afternoon.
4. Plaquemines Offroad Park
Plaquemines Offroad Park isn’t the biggest spot but worth a trip just to experience once. There are wooded trails where you’ll be in 2nd or 3rd gear for much of the way, as well as a motocross track if you want to improve your skills.
This place isn’t as popular and it’s only open at set times. Certainly we recomend that you call ahead if you want to visit as they could be closed. The trails are less muddy than much of the other options on this list.
5. Sandstone Trail
Sandstone Trail is closed on occasions due to weather changes, but when it’s open then it’s the place to be. You’ll find 35+ miles of trails which flow through very scenic longleaf pine forests.
This is within the Kistchie Ranger District and the forest has several camping spots, namely Coyote Camp and Corral Camp. They are either free or charge a very small amount and there aren’t any facilities since it’s unlike a private property.
6. Louisiana Mudfest
While Louisiana Mudfest is popular with 4×4 and ATV’s, don’t let that put you off from heading along. There are miles of enduro trails to explore where you’re less likely to see other riders who are too busy seeing just how bogged they can really get.
This is a good spot for beginners as there is an open area in which to practice some throttle and clutch control. Additionally, you can camp here overnight with RV’s welcome though it’s best to reserve ahead of time. Hot showers also available to clean up after a tough day of thrills and spills.
7. South Toledo Bend State Park
The State of Louisiana opened South Toledo Bend State Park to public use and dirt bike riders in 2014 and you’ll find about 12 miles worth of trails across 9 loops. These are clearly marked and they are one-way routes to avoid accidents.
There is camping here and you’ll also need a permit to ride the trails. It’s best to call the Ranger ahead of time before heading out for a ride.
8. Zona ATV Recreation Park
We have left one of the best riding areas until last! Zona ATV Recreation Park has more than 500 acres of dirt bike trails to explore and it’s only 75 minutes drive from New Orleans. Some riders with registration actually just ride in via LA-437 and this route is popular for adventure riders and their dual-sport motorcycles.
You can go camping here and there is a swimming area to wash the mud off after a tough take tackling the mud pits and loose sand. This is one of those places that you’ll want to call before checking out to ensure they are actually open currently.
Getting Started
It’s time to load up your tent, motorcycle and drink(s) and head out to explore the open country. The state just offers so many great riding areas that are worth exploring. Better yet – try and knock out a few spots over several days and bring a GPS incase you get lost.