The Southwestern Region of Louisiana is known by some as “Cajun Country” and boasts both bayous and big cities. Our first stop in the Pelican state was Sam Houston Jones State Park. It is located at 107 Sutherland Road, Lake Charles, Louisiana at the confluence of the Houston & Calcasieu Rivers and Indian Bayou.
The landscape is obviously in stark contrast with the desert and plains of the Western states we have traversed recently, for we are now in America’s Wetland. When we arrived, we entered a park with tree-filled lagoons and a mixed pine and hardwood forest covering 1,087 acres of land.
We like state parks for their large spaces between sites. But here the sites are a bit tight and narrow – not what we normally expect of a state park, and some sites were buckling due to tree root incursion. We were actually forewarned that state parks further east are old and may need work. But this was the first state park we have seen with full hookups and 50-amp power. And the beauty of the park and the nice hiking trails grew on us the longer we stayed.
The water and power hook ups are way too far from the site, but the office kindly lent us an extension cord. The park is mostly peaceful and quiet, but there was some kind of constant distant humming from a plant that got really aggravating. The birds and the wind could not drown out that noise!
Lowes Travels 
What a pretty place and fabulous wildlife sightings! Just gotta exercise a lot in order to try all the regional foods! Looks like fun!
Lisa
You got that right Lisa, we have to double time the exercise if we taste all the goodies out here. Steve is now hooked to the crawfish étouffée.
The vegetation is indeed a far cry from that of the desert southwest. My son never stopped commenting about it and the amount of water everywhere. Great gator shot and I can almost spell that yummy food!
Yes in deed, we are in a different world. Steve made a crawfish etoufee and it was yummy, he is hooked.
OMG how funny! The gator, the squirrel, and that Lousiana feeling….étouffée – YUM! Go with the flow. Sounds absolutely wonderful. -Maureen
etoufee- is really yummy.
This is one state I have never been to and really want to experience. I love the shot of the gator but don’t think I would want to see him up too close while hiking. Looking forward to hearing more about Louisiana.
For now that is the only gator sighting. They said they are not in season yet. Its quite very different here but the food is just yum.
Made me drool on my keyboard! Wonderful picture of the swamp! I need to stay away from the Louisiana cooking, I will not be otherwise able to fit through our RV door! But don’t leave us without the yummy details, I love food stories too.
We are hook on Louisiana cooking so our exercise is now double effort.
Love the photo of the swamp with the moss hanging down…great photo. Also love the gator, the turtles and the bird with the red head. Wow.
Glad you’re having so much fun. We’ll be in New Orleans the second week in March.
Oh we will be in NOLA until the 8th. Where do you plan to stay. Driving here is quite hellish.
What a great area! I love the beautifully decorated gator and turtle…how cute and colorful. Yum…great food! Enjoy!
We have moved to Zion and have very weak wifi. So I am trying to catch up on my 29 blog posts. So my responses may be out of order.
The state park is a beautiful area and laundry is free.
The gator shot is awesome. Rare to get them with their head and neck up and looking so powerful. Nice catch!!! The colors make it a standout for sure!
He is the only gator that showed up and was not moving for many hours.
Unbelievable, oh to the things you see. The swamp alone is full of things to observe. That gator looks scary, even for a small one.
Awesome pics of the animals by the way esp. the turtles and the hilarious squirrel pooing :lol:.
The swamps, bayous and lagoons here are haunting and melancholy. That gator is the one and only that I saw. Scary looking I dont want to be near it when hiking.