Louisiana may be known for great food, gators and the bayou. But it also has some great riding trails, and some of the best are the Claiborne Multi-Use Trails in the Kisatchie National Forest.

The Kisatchie National Forest has more than 604,000 acres of public land and 355 miles of trails for hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding and OHV use.

Among those trails are the 19-mile North Loop, 27-mile Woodworth Loop and 31-mile Boy Scout Loop of the Claiborne Trail system, which is in south Rapides Parish in the middle of the state.

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Northwestern Pennsylvania offers fantastic riding opportunities in the Allegheny National Forest, which offers more than 100 miles of trails.

The Marienville and Timberline OHV trails are the most popular. Just a short drive away are the Rocky Gap and Willow Creek trails.

Hardwood forest dominates the area, with scenic trout streams meandering through the valleys, and ridges with scenic vistas that make for great riding.

The Marienville ATV/Bike Trail offers 14 miles of trails. The trailhead is on state Route 66 11 miles east of the town of Marienville or 15 miles southwest of Kane. The parking areas offer good parking and toilets. This trail allows ATVs, motorcycles and bicycles. Pay attention to the trail markers since some of the trails are two-way. Even on one-way trails, be careful because there may be riders mistakenly going the wrong way.

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While Mount St. Helens may be the best-known feature of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwestern Washington, the trails are what attract dual sport riders.

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, named after the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, encompasses 1.3 million acres of scenic beauty: forests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and more. Congress established the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in 1982.

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