at Gordon, a point 5.7 miles (9.2 km) east of Haynesville in Claiborne Parish.

[2][3][4] The route is classified as a rural major collector by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (La DOTD) with an average daily traffic volume of 920 in 2013.

[5] LA 161 is an undivided two-lane highway for its entire length and has a posted speed limit of 55 mph (90 km/h).

[2] In the original Louisiana Highway system in use between 1921 and 1955, the modern LA 161 was part of State Route 557.

[7] Its route comprised several disconnected segments branching out from the Homer area, many of which were decommissioned prior to the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering.