LA-TX Jamboree First? Especially for Swamp People
Looking for ideas of location and time, nothing is ideal but whatever y'all want to suggest. Tropical Storm or Hurricane season is not great but doable, extra water allows easier river access to some areas but sitting under tarps all weekend and slugging through mud in ponchos is not much fun, also road closures. Deer rifle season I prefer to avoid for many reasons, mostly that attendance would be very low.
Best location may be someone’s private property or deer lease if large enough but here is the beginning of a public site list for both states. I know very little about LA camping, some folks use bug repellent there… fishing and other wildlife is worth it:
Louisiana Camping Sites:
Kisatchie National Forest (RV, tent and primitive camping)
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, aka swamp (Between Calcasieu lake and Sabine Lake, also Lagneaux’s RV park on coast just south?) Best to only camp in designated campsites during deer rifle hunting season! Hog/gator is at your own risk, not as many city slickers popping off then.
NOT same as Sabine Wildlife Management Area by HWY 171 East of Toledo Bend.
Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, GPS locations of primitive campsites from Department of Natural Resources, LA easiest access to some is by small boat:
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?m...=home&pid=1105
Grand Isle State Park (10 Beach Tent sites, 49 premium RV sites)
South Toledo Bend State Park, LA (337) 286-9075
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, WMA website has more details:
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wma
Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area (campsites), DeRidder, LA 70634
Fort Polk Wildlife Management Area, (337) 537-0422, Pitkin, LA 70656
Call in case being used for military training, i.e. not peaceful in the morning.
Many more.
Texas Camping Sites:
Sabine National Forest (Toledo Bend Reservoir, border with Louisiana)
Haley's Ferry Boat Ramp: (409) 625-1940
Indian Mounds: (409) 625-1940
Willow Oak: (409) 625-1940
Red Hills Lake (409) 625-1940 not on Toledo Bend
Private RV + Tents etc.: Hollyparkmarina dot com
Other option is park at/near a boat ramp paddle into a primitive site on shore of lake bushwack and camp there. Use sailboat, Jon boat, bass boat, pontoon boat, truck tubes and boards or whatever, be sure it is public land!!!
Davy Crockett National Forest (Ratcliff Lake or Holly Bluff Campground off FM 266, Neches River near Diboll)
Sam Houston National Forest (aka Lone Star Trails & Lake Conroe, a friend of mine rents kayaks there, most people hunt or hike but kayak is also fun.)
Cross Timbers Hiking Trail, from Juniper Point to Paw Paw Creek 13 miles of trail to choose sites along (Lake Texohm) Hike, Bike, Paddle, Motorboat then swim/wade, but no motor land vehicles. (Bow but no Firearms!) (This is North TX others were South East mostly).
Annual fishing and hunting licenses are fairly cheap for residents of TX and LA, Non-resident one day for LA is $5. I believe there is a reciprocal agreement between TX, OK, LA and Kansas for senior citizens so low cost to fish. 20+ years ago my elderly Aunt from Canada caught her first fish ever in Galveston from a jetty (she lived in South Africa and Western Canada all her life, go figure), no one bothers little old ladies. So take kids and little old ladies fishing, they may enjoy it and not need an expensive license. ;-)
Recreational trapping license is $19 in Texas, and $25 in LA. Always open season on Nutria and fairly wide on Beaver, must know the specific regulations, trapping is very non-discriminatory and can injure pets and people so not for amateurs IMO.
