You Can Kayak To The 1,000-Year Old Castle Tree For A Magical Louisiana Adventure
By Jackie Ann|Published June 15, 2022
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Jackie Ann
Author
Louisiana native and LSU Alum (Geaux Tigers!), Jackie has lived in Louisiana for over three decades and currently lives in New Orleans. She's been writing for OnlyInYourState since 2016 and can often be found with a coffee at her side, dreaming of her next adventure.
Louisiana is an endless labyrinth of waterways and paddling through them is the best way to check them out. There’s nothing more serene than paddling down the bayou with incredible views of cypress trees, towering pines along the shoreline, and the occasional wildlife spotting. One of the best paddle trails in Louisiana is tucked away in the northern part of the state and it’s the perfect day trip for the weekend warrior.
Bayou Bartholomew has one of the best paddle trails in Louisiana and it’s easily accessed through Chemin-A-Haut State Park.
This makes it an ideal place to paddle around. While it is a fairly slow-moving waterway, for the most part, you should check water levels before beginning your journey as a recent rain could make for a much swifter current.
The northern part of Louisiana gets treated to beautiful fall foliage and paddling through it should be on everyone's bucket list.
One of the most impressive sights along the trail is a cypress tree, but not just any cypress tree. This massive cypress tree is nicknamed the Castle Tree and for good reason.
Maybe even two! It makes for a great photo opportunity. It's not every day that you can say you paddled into a cypress tree.
For more information about Chemin-A-Haut State Park, visit its website where you’ll find hours of operation, canoe rental rates, and cabin availability in case you want to extend your stay and make a weekend out of it. If you’ve ever seen the Castle Tree, let us know in the comments!
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