Bienville Pines Scenic Area

223-acre old-growth longleaf pine preserve in Bienville National Forest

The Bienville Pines Scenic Area protects 223 acres of old-growth longleaf pine forest within Bienville National Forest, just south of Forest. These are genuine old-growth trees — some several hundred years old, with the wide-spaced, fire-adapted structure characteristic of the original Southern pine forests before the timber industry cleared them in the late 19th century.

A short trail loops through the area. The forest floor is remarkably open, giving the experience a cathedral quality — tall straight trunks, filtered light, and a carpet of wiregrass. The site is easily accessible from Highway 35 south of Forest. Bring water and insect repellent in summer; ticks are common in spring.

things to do sight
A story
The longleaf pine ecosystem once covered 90 million acres across the American South — one of the most biodiverse temperate ecosystems in the world. Today less than 3% of that original forest survives. The Bienville Pines Scenic Area preserves one of the last old-growth stands in Mississippi, with trees that pre-date European settlement of the region.