A ten-mile mountain bike trail in Lincoln Parish Park gives Lincoln a distinctive outdoor touch. It’s suitable for both experienced riders and beginners. If you’d like to combine cycling with another kind of trail experience, the Rock Island Greenway offers a shared-use path and linear park for walking, running, and cycling.
Bike trails and playground at Lincoln Parish Park
The Rock Island Greenway offers pedestrians and cyclists a route with views of public art, including a mural. It combines exercise with public art, while the mountain bike trail in Lincoln Parish Park is specifically suited to two different experience levels. The two trails therefore offer different experiences, without requiring you to stick to just one way of enjoying the outdoors.
Lincoln Parish Park is also home to Legacy Park, an inclusive playground for children with different abilities. It adds a dedicated play area to the cycling and trail offerings. The inclusive design applies to this playground; it is not a general statement about other activities.
Museums and buildings tell different stories
The Eddie G. Robinson Museum honors the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football history. Its exhibits include photographs, trophies, uniforms, and films, as well as interactive displays. Here, sports history takes center stage through personal memorabilia and a range of exhibit formats.
The Autrey House offers a different chapter in architectural history. Built in 1849, it is believed to be the oldest surviving structure in Lincoln Parish. The qualification “believed to be” is important: this is a qualified assessment, not an unreserved certainty.
The Dixie Center for the Arts reopened in 2006 and is housed in the restored Dixie Theatre, built in 1928. The Lincoln Parish Museum also pairs its collection with a historic building: it is housed in the Kidd-Davis House, built in 1886. Exhibits include clothing, photographs, drawings, kitchen utensils, and artifacts from the late 19th century.
The Lincoln Parish Museum is also home to the “Walls That Talk” exhibit. It features seven murals with audio recordings of parish residents telling stories. Together, image and voice offer two ways to explore local history. Those with a greater interest in military history can visit the North Louisiana Military Museum, which features uniforms, weapons, flags, training equipment, aircraft, and vehicles. Its exhibits focus especially on World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf Wars.
Culture, events, and peaches
In Ruston’s Cultural District, the surroundings invite you to stroll streets lined with galleries, artist studios, public art, and event spaces. Historic architecture and independently owned shops and restaurants also shape the streetscape. The Ruston Historic District has a different focus: its buildings, architecture, and timeless character convey the community’s history.
Ruston events include the Downtown Ruston Beer Crawl, an annual, ticketed walking tour with beer tastings. If you’re planning to attend, check the dates for the event in question. The Louisiana Peach Festival offers live music, a juried art market, food vendors, and activities for children. The program varies from year to year. The festival dates back to 1951, so it’s worth checking that year’s program before your visit.
Peaches also feature beyond the festival: Mitcham Farms is home to Louisiana’s largest peach orchard and offers fresh peaches during the summer months. Its seasonal offerings make summer a good time to visit if you’d like to experience this particular aspect of the region.
Explore more destinations: Ruston, Livingston, Concordia Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Lafayette County, Tangipahoa Parish, Rapides Parish, Richland.
For the main travel overview: Louisiana.
