|
The southeastern
shore of Toledo Bend Lake is home to Louisiana's newest state park. And,
it is beautiful!
 The
South Toledo Bend State Park is a real plus for our area. The original
land acquisition was in 1979 and amounted to just over 1,000 acres. Just
under 400 acres of that land lies on the west side of highway 191 and
has been developed into the state park. This section is known as "Phase
1" and there are plans to develop the remaining area at some time
in the future, though both time frame and type of development seems to
be undetermined at this time.
 A
very large part of the park fronts directly onto the lake. The varied
terrain makes for some spectacular views - both within the land area and
onto the lake.
 While
this park will be a delight to all, it will be particularly nice for many
handicapped visitors. There is about 1.2 miles of cement paved hiking
trail that should be easily accessible to those confined to a wheelchair
- and is great for anyone just wanting a pleasant and easy hike, too.
More such trails are planned for the indefinite future.
 For
the boaters and fishermen, there is an excellent boat launch with two
ramps and a nearby fish cleaning station that is open, airy, screened,
and well equipped. There is also a fishing pier - located in the cabins
area... another being planned soon for the main park area.
Excellent accommodations
are provided for visitors with 19 vacation cabins, 55 RV sites, and 5
tent sites. There is one unit that seems a bit oddly placed as it is "over
the hill" from its parking spot and a visitor might just end up at
the wrong cabin when first trying to get to it. One of the park employees
called it the "honeymoon cabin" as it is a bit more remote than
the rest of the cabins.
 The
visitors center will be worth a visit, especially with children, whether
one is staying at the park or not. It sits above the lake and has a grand
observation deck with a lovely view of the lake through a somewhat wooded
area between it and the shore. The "museum" area of the center
opened July 21, 2005 and features interactive displays, dioramas, and
wonderful imagery of the area's flora and fauna. CLICK
HERE for views of Visitors Center "Museum"
Other amenities at
the park include a sandy swimming beach, a comfort station with shower
facilities and a laundry, and a dump station for RV campers.
Click
on any image for an enlargement
|
