Louisiana Myths & Legends Byway - Allen, Beauregard & Vernon Parishes

General Itinerary

Burr Ferry to DeRidder
TIME: 4 Hours

Start your drive in the small community of Burr Ferry, which lies on the Texas/Louisiana border. Here you can see remnants of breastworks built during the Civil War. The byway heads south on Highway 111, passing the Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area, then turns east at US 190. A good stopping point is DeRidder, a charming town with a lot of history. The Beauregard Parish Museum, housed in a former railroad depot, is filled with local artifacts; it is especially noted for its more than 3,000 dolls. Legend has it that a little girl named Lois Loftin had no dolls growing up, so she began accumulating them as an adult and left her collection to the museum. Other historic buildings include the First National Bank in DeRidder, with its 1930s lobby. If you’re into fast horses and fancy roping, check out the action at the Beauregard Parish Civic Center-Covered Arena, which hosts rodeos year-round.

* To visit any of Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas, you must have either a valid Louisiana fishing or hunting license OR a Wild Louisiana Stamp. You can buy these online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by calling 1-888-765-2602 or at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses, such as Bass Pro Shop, Walmart and Academy Sports. If you are buying a license or stamp for short-term use, you will be given an authorization number; that, plus a valid I.D., allows you to visit the WMA and hunt or fish. Prices vary for hunting and fishing licenses. The Wild Louisiana Stamps costs $2 for a one-day stamp.

Burr Ferry
Hwy. 111
71446 Burr Ferry , LA
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DeRidder to Oakdale
TIME: 4 Hours
Along this stretch of the byway, look for blackberry farms and azaleas, dogwoods and mayhaws. Stop in Sugartown, the first permanent settlement in southwestern Louisiana, and take the town cemetery’s one-mile forest walk. A bit farther is Elizabeth, once a busy sawmill town. The town’s city hall is housed in a historic hospital building [currently closed due to storm damage]. Near Elizabeth, visit the West Bank Wildlife Management Area*, where you can stretch your legs and do some bird-watching. Take note of the orchards in this area, where lemons, peaches, blueberries, pecans, and muscadines are grown. This leg of the byway ends in Oakdale, where the recently opened Leatherwood Museum, housed in a circa 1880s building, tells the story of the region’s timber industry. Cap your drive with a visit to the J's Seafood Restaurant, known for its home-cooked meals.

* To visit any of Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas, you must have either a valid Louisiana fishing or hunting license OR a Wild Louisiana Stamp. You can buy these online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by calling 1-888-765-2602 or at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses, such as Bass Pro Shop, Walmart and Academy Sports. If you are buying a license or stamp for short-term use, you will be given an authorization number; that, plus a valid I.D., allows you to visit the WMA and hunt or fish. Prices vary for hunting and fishing licenses. The Wild Louisiana Stamps costs $2 for a one-day stamp.

DeRidder
US 190
70634 DeRidder , LA
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Merryville
TIME: 2 Hours
Merryville
If you continue down Highway 111 from Burr Ferry (rather than heading east at US 190), you will reach the town of Merryville. Here you will see the grave of Leather Britches Smith, a famed outlaw gunned down in 1912. Sites to see include the Merryville Museum and Burks Log Cabin. The cabin was raised in 1883 and moved to Merryville, where it sits in front of the museum. Just north of Merryville is the Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area*. In winter months, you’ll see northern wildlife arriving in search of warmer climes. Wild turkeys are plentiful in Clear Creek’s rolling hills.
 
* To visit any of Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas, you must have either a valid Louisiana fishing or hunting license OR a Wild Louisiana Stamp. You can buy these online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by calling 1-888-765-2602 or at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses, such as Bass Pro Shop, Walmart and Academy Sports. If you are buying a license or stamp for short-term use, you will be given an authorization number; that, plus a valid I.D., allows you to visit the WMA and hunt or fish. Prices vary for hunting and fishing licenses. The Wild Louisiana Stamps costs $2 for a one-day stamp.
Merryville
Hwy 111
Merryville , LA
Google Maps
Download Itinerary PDF
Merryville
TIME: 2 Hours
Merryville
If you continue down Highway 111 from Burr Ferry (rather than heading east at US 190), you will reach the town of Merryville. Here you will see the grave of Leather Britches Smith, a famed outlaw gunned down in 1912. Sites to see include the Merryville Museum and Burks Log Cabin. The cabin was raised in 1883 and moved to Merryville, where it sits in front of the museum. Just north of Merryville is the Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area*. In winter months, you’ll see northern wildlife arriving in search of warmer climes. Wild turkeys are plentiful in Clear Creek’s rolling hills.
 
* To visit any of Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas, you must have either a valid Louisiana fishing or hunting license OR a Wild Louisiana Stamp. You can buy these online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by calling 1-888-765-2602 or at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses, such as Bass Pro Shop, Walmart and Academy Sports. If you are buying a license or stamp for short-term use, you will be given an authorization number; that, plus a valid I.D., allows you to visit the WMA and hunt or fish. Prices vary for hunting and fishing licenses. The Wild Louisiana Stamps costs $2 for a one-day stamp.
Merryville
Hwy 111
Merryville , LA
Google Maps
Download Itinerary PDF