Bienville National Forest, National forest in Jasper County, Mississippi, United States.
Bienville National Forest is a federally managed woodland in central Mississippi, made up mostly of pine and oak trees. The Leaf River and Strong River run through it, and several lakes dot the area.
The forest was established in 1936 as part of a federal program that bought and protected land that had been heavily logged in the decades before. The pine stands replanted during that era now form the core of what visitors see today.
The forest takes its name from Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, a French colonial governor who shaped much of early Louisiana and Mississippi. Visitors walking the trails today can find interpretive signs that connect the landscape to that colonial past.
The forest has campgrounds, hiking trails, and picnic spots spread across the area, so it helps to check which zone you want to visit before arriving. Fishing is possible at several lakes, but seasonal rules apply and it is worth confirming them in advance.
Within the forest, three separate wildlife management zones are dedicated specifically to white-tailed deer and wild turkeys, which is unusual for a national forest of this size. These zones follow their own set of rules that differ from the rest of the forest, so hunters and wildlife watchers should look into them separately.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
