Impact - DCRT Returns Investment Dollars to Louisiana For every state tax dollar spent by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, $5.86 is returned to the State Treasury and citizens of Louisiana.
3469 Chicot
Park Road, Ville Platte, LA 70586 337-363-2403 or 888-677-2442 For
reservations, call 1-877-CAMP-N-LA (877-226-7652) toll free. Email: chicot@crt.la.gov
Directions: Coming from the north on I-49, exit on LA 106
south. Turn left off LA 106 onto LA 3042 south, and continue to the main
entrance. From the south, exit I-49 on US 167 and drive toward Ville
Platte. In Ville Platte, turn right onto LA 3042/N. Dupre St., then left
onto LA 3042/W. Lincoln Rd. Veer right onto LA 3042/Chicot Park Road. Park
entrance is about 7 miles down LA 3042. GPS Coordinates: 30°
48.0168 N 92° 16.7832 W.
Hours of Operation: Site is open daily. Gates open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and at 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and days preceding holidays.
April-September,entrance station is open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; October-March, entrance station is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance Fees: $1 per person; Free for Seniors (62 and
older) and children age 3 and under
The park covers over 6,400 acres of rolling hills and water in South Central
Louisiana. The cool, clear waters of Lake Chicot have yielded record freshwater
catches of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and red-ear sunfish. Fishermen
will enjoy the convenient boathouse, three boat launches and boat rental facilities.
Click Map for Printable Version (PDF
file) An extensive hiking/backpacking trail completely encircles Lake Chicot and
includes several primitive campsites along the way. The
hiking trails allow visitors to experience and enjoy the park's natural
landscape, its bottomland hardwood forest and the lake itself. For visitors who
enjoy a quicker pace, much of the trail is geared toward mountain bikers, and
all cyclists are welcome to ride the roadways throughout the park.
The South Landing includes cabins, a group camp, a
lodge, picnic areas and playgrounds, a swimming pool, a boat launch, a
fishing pier and a dock with rental boats. A scenic road links the South Landing
with the North Landing.
The East Landing is accessible from LA 106. It is less developed than the
other two areas. It includes a boat launch, a dock, a meeting room and a
barbeque pavilion, which makes this area ideal for day visitors.
The Louisiana State Arboretum, now
located within Chicot State Park, is home to a magnificent mature beech-magnolia
forest and features an outdoor classroom and several miles of nature trails with
labeled plant life native to Louisiana.
America the Beautiful Senior and Access Passes (formerly
Golden Age & Golden Access Passports) (Available through the
National Park Service. Click here for more information) Holders of the Passes, whose
state of residence also honors the
America the Beautiful pass, are entitled to a 50% reduction on camping
fees at Louisiana State Parks. (Passport holders are allowed one site per
passport).
Acadian Town of Ville Platte
(on US 167 and LA 10 north of US 190) - Ville Platte means "flat
town" in French. Its strong agrarian and Cajun traditions and cultural
influences can still be found in the spoken French, music, and food of the area.
Historic Town of Opelousas - The Confederate capital of
Louisiana during the Civil War, it was also the boyhood home of the legendary
Jim Bowie.
Historic Town of Washington - Once the largest steamboat port
between New Orleans and St. Louis, the town preserves its 19th-century
architecture and offers an antique mall and shops.
Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic Byway - Traces the historic towns,
musical traditions and culture of the Prairie Acadians.
Liberty Theatre/City of Eunice (200 W. Park Ave., Eunice) -
"Rendez-vous des Cajuns" is a live radio show held every Saturday night
featuring Cajun & Zydeco music in the style of the Grand Ole Opry.
Thistlethwaite Wildlife Management Area (Off I-49 north of
Opelousas and southeast of Chicot State Park) - In this 11,000-acre area of
bottomland hardwoods managed for wildlife, visitors may hunt (in season),
day-hike, bird-watch and view wildlife.
