The Longleaf Trail is located 5.5 miles south of the Derry exit on Interstate Highway 49. The 17-mile route follows a high ridge through the rugged Kisatchie Hills area, connecting to Louisiana Highways 117 and 119. Largely because of its unusual terrain, the Kisatchie Ranger District is considered by local residents to be the "crown jewel" of the over 600,000 acre Kisatchie National Forest. Variations in topography range from level land to very steep bluffs. The highest point on the Kisatchie National Forest is 410 feet above sea level. Elevations of 360 feet are numerous along the Longleaf Trail and afford views of more than 20 miles.

The Longleaf Trail, now designated as a scenic byway, has long been recognized as one of the most scenic drives in Louisiana. The terrain is exceptionally rugged for Louisiana, ranging from 120 to 400 feet in elevation. Vistas along the road include mesas, buttes and sandstone outcrops, backdropped by longleaf pines. The trail crosses Kisatchie Bayou, a state natural and scenic stream. It then traverses the National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve which includes the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness for about half its length. It provides numerous opportunities for viewing the wilderness. The area through which Longleaf Trail passes was prized for its beauty in the 1700''s. The Trail was originally constructed as a single lane road by the Civilian Conservation Corps about 1935. Its reconstruction and modernization began in 1972.