Sam Houston Jones State Park

Three waterways meet at 1,087 acres of bald cypress and longleaf pine: the West Fork Calcasieu River, Indian Bayou, and the Houston River. Acquired in 1944, this is one of the oldest parks in the Louisiana system, named for Sam Houston Jones, the reform governor who served from 1940 to 1944 and challenged the Long political machine. Two ecosystems run side by side. Cypress trees rise from tree-filled lagoons while mixed pine and hardwood forest spreads across higher ground. Deer, bobcats, rabbits, alligators, otters, raccoons, and foxes move through. Ducks and geese are usually found swimming in the ponds. The park sits in the Central Migratory Flyway, just north of the most productive birding region in Louisiana. In spring and fall, migratory patterns bring nearly 200 bird species within 30 miles of the site. Two boat launches on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River provide access to the Gulf of Mexico, a few miles away. Rental boats are available for fishing or drifting the park's ponds. Three hiking trails wind through the park, including an old stagecoach road that runs along the banks of the various tributaries to the Calcasieu River. Campsites, cabins, boat launches. North of Lake Charles off LA-378.