Bienville National Forest is a United States National Forest in central Mississippi. It is named for Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. In descending order of land area it lies in parts of Scott, Smith, Jasper, and Newton counties. It has an area of 178,542 acres (279 sq mi or 722.5 km²). The forest is headquartered in Jackson, as are all six National Forests in Mississippi, but there are local ranger district offices located in Forest.
The Forest lies within the Southeastern mixed forests ecoregion and supports mixed forests of pine and oak.[1]
The upper courses of the Leaf and Strong Rivers flow through the forest. Visitors can enjoy boating and fishing for bass, bream, and crappie on Marathon Lake and Shongelo Lake, and campgrounds and trails are open for hiking and camping.