Piney forests, rolling hills, five fishing piers, and a beautiful lake draw visitors to this quiet, majestic state park. Designed to keep the focus on nature, park facilities blend with the natural landscape to enhance the outdoor experience of this 655-acre park.

Fishing piers and boat docks attract visitors to Lake D'Arbonne, the marvelous 15,250-acre centerpiece of the park. Recreation on Lake D'Arbonne is tremendously popular among locals and visitors, and record freshwater catches of bass, crappie, catfish and bream make Lake D'Arbonne a fishing haven. Wide open areas of the lake, about seven miles from the park, appeal to water skiers and pleasure boaters. The boat launch at the park opens up all of these opportunities to outdoorsmen.

Tree stands in the lake captivate photographers, as do the towering pines on land and the rich diversity of wildlife and birds that make the park their home. Bring your binoculars and camera to capture the wonders of the natural world from our beautiful nature trails.

Cyclists will enjoy the challenge of the rolling hills of the park as a starting point for biking excursions into the steep inclines and scenic beauty of North Louisiana. Lighted tennis courts add to the activity options available for all visitors. Return for a picnic under the canopy of pine trees and celebrate the magnificence of nature preserved.

Lake D'Arbonne State Park

Take your pick: swimming, fishing, birding, boating of all kinds, waterskiing, camping, hiking or just plain relaxing and enjoying the unsurpassed natural beauty. It's all here . . . at Lake Claiborne State Park. For fishermen, the freshwater lake was lavishly stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, channel catfish, black crappie, striped bass, chain pickerel, bream, and white perch. The lake itself, at full reservoir level, has a surface area of 6,400 acres.

Two-bedroom cabins are nestled among the pine trees, and many offer a view of the lake. The RV campground rests among the slopes of the north Louisiana foothills, offering shaded spots to get closer to nature. Whatever your preference for an overnight stay, you'll be sure to rest peacefully.

One of the most popular activities for visitors of all ages is swimming at the park's sandy beach. The beach is situated on an inlet of the lake and is protected from boats and waterskiers. So work up an appetite for that fresh fish supper by taking a brisk swim in Lake Claiborne's famous clear water. Ecologists and sportsmen alike hail the lake's excellent water quality, and you will too, once you've made the trip to Lake Claiborne. Once on-site, you will see the area come to life as a park naturalist will be available to present nature-based programs and give guided hikes.

Lake Claiborne SP offers the #1 and #2 ranked disc golf courses in the state. Both courses offer 2 sets of tee pads, the Blue tees are for the skilled players and the Red tees for the newer players or first timers at the park. Families are encouraged to check out discs at the fee station on their next visit. Both courses start and end at the entrance. Scorecards and maps are available to the fee station or in the below "Disc Golf" section.

The woods of Lake Claiborne are also home to a wide variety of wildlife. Lovely nature trails and a scenic overlook will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the area at your own pace. Or you may be interested in a variety of nature tours, offered on a regular basis.

Lake Claiborne State Park

Located on a peninsula on Caney Lake, Jimmie Davis State Park offers two boat launches and a fishing pier that cater to the outdoors enthusiast looking for a prime freshwater fishing spot. Waterskiing is another way to enjoy the clear waters of the lake, which was created by damming Caney Creek in 1986. Don't forget to look back at the lakeshore to appreciate the beautiful mixed pine and hardwood forest surrounding the lake and the birds and animals that make the forest their home.

To ensure that there's never a dull moment, the park also has a playground for the kids after a day on the lake. Cyclists will enjoy the park as a starting point for biking treks through the hills of North Louisiana, and nature lovers are invited to discover the beauty of the wooded land and lakefront. Bring your binoculars to get a closer look at the wide variety of birds that live in or pass through the area.

After a day of fishing and exploring the park, stay the night in a cabin...or bring the extended family and sleepover in a lodge. For large groups, a group camp – including four dormitories and a dining hall – is available, with its own playground and fishing pier. RV campers have several scenic sites to choose from, for a closer visit with nature.

Opened in the fall of 1996, Jimmie Davis State Park was originally named Caney Creek Lake State Park. The 2003 Louisiana State Legislature approved renaming the park in honor of two-term Governor Jimmie H. Davis, who served from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964.

Jimmie Davis State Park

Chemin-A-Haut State Park is situated on a high bluff overlooking Bayou Bartholomew and is a natural paradise for lovers of unspoiled beauty. This acre site takes its name from the French word meaning "high road," which was the route used by Native Americans many years ago in their seasonal migrations.

Chemin-A-Haut State Park was designed with children in mind. Two playgrounds in the day-use area are a favorite spot of the younger patrons as is the wading pool in the swimming complex. Also, the park's swimming pool is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, so campers and picnickers can refresh themselves on hot summer days. In addition to RV and tent camping, overnight guests can also relax in cabins, some located convenient to the day-use area, while more-secluded units are located on the bayou.

The picnic area includes 35 family sites with grills and tables, five group sites (for up to 24 people), and three shelters. A hard-surfaced trail goes through the picnic area and along the high, scenic banks of Bayou Bartholomew. Rental boats afford visitors an even closer view.

Big Slough Lake, located near the edge of the park, offers an opportunity to fish from the shore. Several varieties of freshwater species can be found there. Take advantage of the beautiful seclusion of this ideal park site. 

Chemin-A-Haut State Park

Situated on the western shore of Lake Bistineau, this park offers a satisfying blend of beautiful vistas and outstanding recreational facilities. Memorable for its upland mixed hardwood forest, its open waters, and its enchanting stands of cypress and tupelo trees, the park offers two boat launches, hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, camping, cabins and excellent fishing!

Beginning in January with the "yo- yo" season and lasting through the spring, summer, and early fall, the dedicated fisherman can draw such freshwater catches as black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow bass, catfish, bluegill, and red-ear sunfish from the lake's clear waters.

Lake Bistineau dates back over 200 years. It began in 1800 when several thousand acres of land were flooded due to a gigantic log jam in the Red River. Gradually, however, as the area was dredged, the lake began to drain. Then in 1935, a permanent dam was built across Loggy Bayou, creating the present-day Lake Bistineau. The dam has since been enlarged, giving the reservoir a surface area of 26.9 square miles, with an average depth of seven feet and a maximum depth of 25 feet.

Area 1 is located in the main section of the park, with cabins, and a group camp. Picnicking along the lake is tremendously popular at numerous sites equipped with tables, grills, and nearby restrooms. Several picnic pavilions are also available for larger groups. The park's trail system encompasses nearly 10 miles of woodland trails and an 11-mile canoe trail, for visitors who want to see the park's beauty from the water.

Lake Bistineau State Park

The 2,700-acre, man-made lake that is the centerpiece for Poverty Point Reservoir State Park offers visitors an outlet for a variety of water sports and a scenic backdrop for waterfowl migration each spring and fall.

The fish and wildlife species inhabiting or migrating through the reservoir are numerous. Anglers can fish the lake year-round for largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. The region falls within the Mississippi Flyway for many winged species. Depending on the season, visitors will see cormorants, ducks, geese and pelicans.

Overnight guests can choose from two-bedroom waterfront cabins, spacious lodges with loft bedrooms, or RV camping. A water playground in the campground area provides a place for our younger visitors to beat the heat.

A nature trail winds along an off-shoot of Bayou Macon. Special attention should be given to any Louisiana black bear sightings on or near the reservoir. The eastern edge of the park, along Bayou Macon, contains attractive bear habitat and visitors are cautioned to keep all exterior cabin areas and day-use areas cleared of accessible food products and refuse. Bear-proof containers are provided for waste disposal throughout the park.

North Marina Complex
The North Marina Complex, off La. 17 on the northwest corner of the lake, features a swimming beach area, boat launch, marina with 48 covered boat slips, concession area, fishing pier and fish cleaning station. The marina complex is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).

The rental boat slips in the marina complex are available on an annual lease basis. Lease rental fee information can be obtained by contacting the Reservation Center at 1-877-226-7652. Each boat slip provides connections for electricity and water.

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park

The time was eight centuries after Egyptian laborers dragged huge stones across the desert to build the Great Pyramids, and before the great Mayan pyramids were constructed. The place was a site in what is now northeastern Louisiana. The people were a sophisticated group who left behind one of the most important archaeological sites in North America.

The Poverty Point inhabitants set for themselves an enormous task as they built a complex array of earthen mounds and ridges overlooking the Mississippi River flood plain. This accomplishment is particularly impressive for a pre-agricultural society. The central construction consists of six rows of concentric ridges, parts of which were as high as five feet. The ridges form a semi-ellipse or C-shape, divided into sections by at least four aisles. The diameter of the outermost ridge measures nearly three-quarters of a mile. It is thought that these ridges served as foundations for dwellings although little evidence of structures has been found. However, features and midden deposits uncovered during excavations support this hypothesis.

Poverty Point is indeed a rare remnant of an exceptional culture. It has been estimated that landscape preparation and earthworks construction may have required moving as many as 53 million cubic feet of soil. Considering that a cubic foot of soil weighs 75-100 pounds, and that the laborers carried this dirt in roughly 50-pound basket loads, it is obvious that this was a great communal engineering feat.

Poverty Point's inhabitants imported stone and ore over great distances. Projectile points and other stone tools found at Poverty Point were made from raw materials which originated in the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains and in the Ohio and Tennessee River valleys. Soapstone for vessels came from the Appalachian foothills of northern Alabama and Georgia. Other materials came from distant places in the eastern United States. The extensive trade network attests to the complex and sophisticated society that built the Poverty Point earthworks.

Dated between 1700 and 1100 B.C., this site is unique among archaeological sites on this continent. In 1962, Poverty Point was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The site also became a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2010 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. An interpretive museum, special events, programs and guided tours, highlight activities at the park. Tram tours are available year-round, weather permitting; call the office for the daily schedule.

Lake D'Arbonne State Park Maps

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Lake D'Arbonne State Park Description

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