Looking to venture off the beaten path? Leave the city behind, put the top down, and cruise through north Louisiana’s scenic countryside. The National Scenic Boom or Bust Byway — winding through north Louisiana's Caddo, Bossier, Webster, and Claiborne parishes—guides wanderers to North Louisiana’s best bike paths and fishing holes, with pit stops at hole-in-the-wall diners and roadside antique shops. Follow our guide to make the best of the byway (pro tip: bring your fishing poles, and an ice chest).
Start your journey heading north from Shreveport until you get to Caddo Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the South. Here’s your first detour. Rent a canoe to spend an hour (or a few) paddling beneath moss-draped bald cypress trees, or reeling in catfish and crappie. Before leaving Mooringsport, be sure to stop by the cira-1914 Caddo Lake Historic Drawbridge, the last surviving Waddell vertical-lift bridge in Louisiana. And reserve time for a visit to Morell Dairy Farm, where you can meet Northwest Louisiana’s premier dairy cows and stock up on rich, delicious chocolate milk.
Onwards to Oil City, where you’ll learn about the fascinating and dramatic history of Louisiana’s early oil industry at the Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum, before continuing onto Highway 2. Stop in Hosston to pick up a treasure at Big Mama’s Antiques and Restorations. Then, stretch your legs at Robert A. Nance Park at Black Bayou Lake. Still got that fishing pole? Decompress on the pier and cast a few, or enjoy a picnic underneath the pavilion.
Take a detour south toward Gilliam for country fried steak at Main Street Restaurant or fish cooked to perfection at D&I General Store in Belcher. While in the area, look North Louisiana’s famous sunflowers lining the road, and pull in at the Red River Crossroads Museum to learn the history of Caddo Parish, from its Native American heritage and role in the Louisiana Purchase, to plantation history and steam boat routes.
Back on Highway 2, turn east and cross over the Red River toward Plain Dealing and Sarepta—which can claim country music star Trace Adkins as one of its own. Pull over at the interpretive kiosk next to Town Hall on Highway 371 to learn more about the history and culture of the area.
The Byway rolls on into Claiborne Parish, which boasts the highest point in Louisiana (averaging a dizzying 267 feet above sea level) and is known for its scenic vistas. In Homer, take a walk around the historic district and snap a photo of the Claiborne Parish Courthouse, built in 1861 and one of only four antebellum courthouses remaining in the Louisiana. Just down the street, in another historic building, is the Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum, established in 1918 as a place to preserve and interpret the history, culture, art, and heritage of North Louisiana Hill Country. Wander exhibits on the Native Caddo Indians who originally called this region home, step into a circa-1860 cabin, and get a close look at traditional textiles, such as quilts and knits.
Before you head out of town, pick up some local souvenirs at Claiborne Pharmacy and Gifts and a juicy burger at Big O’s Down Home Burger and Wings before ending your journey with a nature hike at Lake Claiborne State Park, with its famously clear waters teeming with bluegill, bass, bream, and more.
Learn more and build a driving tour itinerary at Visit Shreveport-Bossier Boom or Bust Byway.
