MY VIEW

I would like to save my observations and opinions on the Louisiana State Parks until I have visited all of them, however I will say this.  I have noticed that some parks seem to have placed their RV campgrounds away from any views that would enhance a visitor's stay.  It's almost as if the sites were placed as an after thought.  "Oh, here is a good place to add RV sites... way back here at the very end of the campground."  If you want to see anything you'll have to walk miles or ride a bike as some campgrounds have trails not streets that lead to areas of interest.

Other parks have given RV sites their primary attention and placed them next to great views showing off the beauty of their park.   Of course, these are my favorites.

My rating system is geared for my particular tastes but I'm sure RVers will agree that parking your recreational vehicle in a site that allows for fantastic views ranks high on your list.  My next preference was for space between sites.  I don't want to be so close to my neighbor that I feel like I'm in a mobile home park with 10 feet between me and the next RV.  Some of these parks consist of hundreds and hundreds of acres so why not use the space wisely.  My next concern is how level the site is.  I don't care if it is on grass, or gravel, or asphalt as long as it is high and level.

Personally, I don't care what the bath house looks like or how many washers and dryers there are available or if there is a swimming pool or a sauna or a playground for kids.  I purchased an RV with a bathroom and shower and I use them.  The dump station is our friend.  I'm a part-time traveler so I don't need a laundry room.  If and when I do take an extended trip I will be using a laundry room.  However, if need be I can wash by hand in the sink.

I was told by a park ranger that the further north I travel in the state the less crowded the State Parks will be.   On this trip I experienced both extremes.  Out of the 6 parks I visited, one park had only a few sites available and another was almost empty.  You would think that traveling in February they would all be almost empty.

I pushed myself on this trip in order to visit all these parks in such a short period of time but I considered it a recon mission for future visits.  I'll take my time on the next leg of this adventure.

Check out my route map and cost of trip at the bottom of the page.

I know I've said this before but it bears repeating.  It's so good to be back home.

ST. BERNARD STATE PARK - BRAITHWAITE, LA

Well we made it safely through the night at Bogue Chitto State Park.  It rained pretty hard and steady all night but I kept looking out the window to see if the water was rising and it looked fine.  Got an early start this morning because I wanted to ride around the park to see it all.  Sure glad I did.  I found another site I really liked (#122) and it's a bit closer to not only the RV Beach area but the Day Use Beach which was nice.

Site #122

Path to the beach.





THEN IT WAS ON TO OUR NEXT STATE PARK

Arrived at St. Bernard State Park around 2:00 pm and the drive there was again another nightmare.  The first time I tried to get to this park I had to deal with a small river ferry.  This time I had to drive on very busy and very small and very congested and very unsafe city streets.  Driving in New Orleans is the pitts.  Things were falling off my walls, dishes were clanging, the dog looked upset at all the noise the coach was making and I almost turned around and went home instead.  No park is worth going through all that.  But I set my mind on visiting these 6 parks and by golly I was going to do it.

I made a brief stop at the Chalmette Battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1814.  Took a few photos from inside the coach and headed out.

I tried to drive into the Chalmette National Cemetery but the gate was too small for the RV so I headed down the road to the park.

Nice stretch near an old plantation.

  

Got to the park and the gate attendant informed me that I could only stay one night as they would be booked tomorrow due to the Mardi Gras season.  That's all I wanted anyway so I took site #14 near a lagoon.

Peace Rock

Check out the Camp Host.

Well, that's our last park for this trip.  I thought I'd be gone at least 2 weeks on this trip but it will be 10 days tomorrow.  I think if the weather had been nicer I'd have stayed a little longer in a couple of parks.  My itenerary for my next trip will allow me to stay a week in some parks I deem worthy.

I have a lot to do when I get home in preparation for my next trip when we visit the rest of the 14 State Parks in Louisiana.  Not sure if I'll have enough time to do everything and still leave on March 1st.  I may have to wait another week before leaving.

FREAKY NIGHT IN BOGUE CHITTO

Last night here in Bogue Chitto was really freaky.  Since I'm here virtually alone in one half of the park, I felt a little creeped out by it all.  It was soooo dark I could barely see where to walk the dog.  I put on my porch light and my flood light in the back of my coach and that helped.  However, even Xi Shi felt the eeriness
and refused to walk around the site.  She'd just stop and look at me then I'd say let's go and she'd walk a little ways and then stop and look around.  At one point we heard a noise in the woods and she started barking.  I calmed her down and waited for her to potty but she never did so we went back inside.  The ranger rode by our road a few times up until around 9:00pm and then we were on our own.  There was an alligator croaking right by our deck.  When I'd go to look it would stop.

Slept well and woke about 7:00.  Took the dog for a walk around the pond and took more photos of our campsite from across the water.  It was really foggy this morning so the photos are not as nice as they could have been if it were sunny.  I did return this afternoon when the sun came out for about an hour and took a few more shots.

This is a nice site right across the pond from me.

Even the bathhouse has a deck.

I made it to the Bogue Chitto River and RV Beach area.  Xi Shi went wild when she saw the sand.  She started running ahead of me and you could see her happiness as she ran down the paths to the river.  When she got there it was a little disappointing because the water is about 10 feet below the sand we were standing on.  She just stood there and looked at it for a minute then turned around and ran some more in the sand.

Beach access bridge.

Bogue Chitto River

I checked out site 119 which the ranger had recommended and it's just perfect for me.  There is sand all around it instead of rock which hurt little doggie feet.  I would stay in #119 next time.  There is also #121 which faces a winding creek which I like.  It also has sand.   We headed back to our site as it started to drizzle. 

Love this site.  Notice my nearest neighbor who also has his very own pond.

This site has no deck but a creek running behind it.

Took a nap and later sat out on the deck and chilled.  The park rangers stopped by to inform me that there is a chance of flash flooding tonight with a line of thunderstorms coming our way.  They said I could stay or move up to the highlands.  They were pretty sure I wouldn't flood tonight but if I felt I should move during the night to go ahead and let them know in the morning.

While they were here we saw a baby alligator swimming right in front of my deck.  Then off to the right were two deer running in the road.  The rangers stated that it was their way of reacting to bad weather coming.

After they left I unhooked the water but left the electric plugged in.  It's easier to unhook if I need to in a hurry.  I'll stay where I am for now.  If I have to move during the night I will.  I plan on leaving early in the morning and head for home.

Alligator about 3 or 4 feet long.

BOGUE CHITTO STATE PARK - FRANKLINTON, LA

It rained really hard last night here at Tickfaw State Park and scared the animals.  The noise on the roof was very loud.  Broke camp this morning, placed a Peace Rock, then rode around the park trying to find a way to the river. 

As far as I can tell, there is no way to get to the river except by foot.  I found the River View boardwalk which showed a sign saying it was a half mile to the river.  The River View entrance is already a half mile from the RV park so that's a mile to the river.  I don't think so.  Took a few photos and headed out of the park and on to Franklinton.

Notice the two regular sized cypress trees on the right and then compare to the Grandma on the left.  WOW!

Canoe launch.

Nice cabins.

NOW On To Our Next Campground

Arrived at Bogue Chitto State Park around 3:00 and checked in.  The attendants were very helpful and recommended a site with a deck on the water.  What luck!  Paid for 2 nights. 

Now that's what I like to see outside my door.

Can you see the Peace Rock?

Got hooked up and fixed lunch then went for a walk around our area.  The park ranger stopped to chat for a minute and told me that there was only one other person besides myself who is in this section of the RV park.  However, there is another section a ways away.  Tomorrow I will walk further and check out other sites.  The map shows an RV Beach nearby on the Bogue Chitto River.  I'd like to check that out.

My precious baby getting the last rays of the day.

Having roast beef au jus with rice and field peas for supper.  I have subscribed to Netflix and am enjoying episodes of Frasier every night.  No TV reception here tonight.

TICKFAW STATE PARK - SPRINGFIELD, LA

Before we left our campground for Tickfaw State Park we took one last walk near the river.  Xi Shi met 2 other doggies - one male and one female - who were already there.   Friendly folks from Florida.

The little male dog was so enamoured with her that he did not want to leave.  So we all watched them interact and were laughing out loud most of the time.  That little male did everything he could to mount Xi Shi.  He sniffed and pranced and stood in front of her with his butt facing her as if to say, "Hey, look what I've got." 

I finally asked, "Is he fixed?" 

And the lady replied, "No." 

Well, no wonder he was acting the way he was.  Little Xi Shi just sat there, making sure her butt was on the ground, while he did his courting dance.  A couple of times she snapped at him and let him know that she wanted no part of any hanky panky.  I tried to get some photos but I was laughing so hard that I missed the really good shots.  We finally had to drag them away from each other and go on our seperate ways.

A couple of last shots of the river.  I really like it here.  I'll probably regret not staying a few more days.

NOW ON TO OUR NEXT PARK

Got to Tickfaw State Park around 2:00pm and was disappointed even before I entered the park.  The 7 miles of roadway leading up to the park is horrible.  Everything inside the coach was rattling and I had to slow down to a crawl.  That road alone will prevent me from returning to this park.

Then I got to the gate and the attendant had an attitude.  Not sure if she was having a bad day or what but was not pleasant or helpful at all.  I was informed right off that there are no campsites near water.  OK... what do you have?  She would not tell me until I told her how many nights I planned on staying.  I told her that depended on how nice my site was.  So we went round and round.  Finally I requested a few sites that I had made note of and only one was available so I took it for one night.

Got to my site and hooked up and took the dog for a walk and right next to my site is the path to the fishing pond.  Damn!  There are sites near water!

Took this photo of my coach while standing in the path to the fishing pond.

I walked around the grounds and found my favorite site which is next to where I am.  I like site #12 and I'm in #13.  Site 12 is right in front of the path to the fishing pond.

The bath house.

There is lots of space between sites.

It started to rain so tomorrow I'll walk to the river or maybe I'd better take my bike.  It could be rather far away by the looks of the map.

No TV reception at all here for my external antennae.  So I'll be watching a movie and having some popcorn.

It hasn't been a bad day.  At least I didn't hit any trees ;-)