Chicot State Park

Chicot State Park, in Evangeline Parish in central Louisiana, surrounds Lake Chicot — the largest natural freshwater lake in Louisiana at 6,400 acres and among the most scenic in the South, a shallow natural lake fringed with bald cypress and water tupelo, its open water reflecting the Spanish-moss-draped trees along its shores. The park covers 6,400 acres and is one of Louisiana’s most beloved state parks.

Lake Chicot is renowned for its excellent bass, crappie and catfish fishing, and for the remarkable Chicot Aquatic Arboretum — a grid of submerged original-growth cypress trees left from the lake’s impoundment in 1916 that now form an extraordinary underwater forest that anglers and paddlers navigate as a living maze. The park offers camping, cabins, a marina, boat rentals, swimming, hiking and a nature trail. Chicot State Park is a treasured natural icon of central Louisiana.

Spring (March through May) is the most beautiful time at Lake Chicot — the cypress trees leaf out brilliant lime green, the bass fishing peaks as the fish spawn in the shallow cypress edges, and the birdsong fills the park. Fall brings the cypress gold and russet color (late October through November) and comfortable temperatures for camping and hiking. Summer is hot and humid but the swimming and fishing continue and the lake is full. Winter is mild and excellent for crappie and bream. Spring for the cypress green and bass fishing, and fall for the cypress color and comfortable temperatures, are the highlights.

Lake Chicot and its cypress-rimmed shores support largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bream (productive fishery in the submerged cypress structure and open water), along with alligators (common along the cypress edges), river otters, great blue herons, great egrets, osprey, belted kingfishers, wood ducks (nesting in the cypress), barred owls, prothonotary warblers (nesting), and a diverse community of wading birds and waterbirds. The cypress fringe provides excellent habitat for nesting and wading birds. The park offers birding, fishing and wildlife watching in a serene central-Louisiana natural lake setting.

Alligators inhabit the cypress edges and shallow coves of Lake Chicot — never approach, feed or attempt to handle them, and keep children and pets away from the water’s edge in shallow areas. The lake can develop dangerous afternoon thunderstorms in summer; leave the water immediately if lightning is nearby. The submerged cypress arboretum can damage boat props if operators are unfamiliar with the lake layout; go slowly among the submerged trees and follow local advice on navigation. Central Louisiana is hot and humid in summer; carry water and sun protection. Respect the alligators, the summer thunderstorms and the submerged cypress.

Chicot State Park offers fishing (excellent largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bream — the submerged cypress arboretum creates superb structure for bass and crappie; a marina with boat rentals is available), canoeing and kayaking on the lake and in the cypress fringe, swimming at the park beach, camping (tent, RV and primitive), cabins (available by reservation), hiking the nature trail, picnicking, birding and wildlife watching, and boating. Fishing the cypress arboretum — the submerged forest — and paddling among the ancient trees are the signature draws. The combination of natural lake beauty and excellent fishing makes Chicot a premier central-Louisiana outdoor destination.

The Chicot area was part of the homeland of the Choctaw and later the Creole and Cajun settlers of central Louisiana. The natural lake was enlarged by an impoundment in 1916 that raised the water level — flooding the original-growth cypress trees standing along the lake margins and creating the remarkable submerged arboretum that now defines the lake. The Louisiana State Parks system acquired the land and established Chicot State Park in 1934 as a Civilian Conservation Corps park — much of the original CCC stonework and infrastructure remains visible. Chicot State Park preserves the natural lake and its Cajun and CCC heritage.

Lake Chicot is a natural lake in the Gulf Coastal Plain of central Louisiana — a shallow, flat-bottomed lake occupying a low depression in the Tertiary-age sedimentary terrain of the Evangeline Parish uplands. The lake is fed by Chicot Creek and several springs and drains into the Teche-Vermilion watershed. The 1916 impoundment raised the lake level by several feet, submerging the original cypress forest along the margins and creating the underwater arboretum. The flat, low-relief coastal-plain terrain, the shallow basin and the natural drainage created the unique, shallow natural lake.

Chicot State Park protects the largest natural lake in Louisiana and its associated bald-cypress and water-tupelo swamp, marsh and upland-forest habitats — a significant remnant of the natural lake and wetland ecosystems of central Louisiana’s Gulf Coastal Plain. The submerged cypress arboretum is an unusual and ecologically significant feature, providing fish habitat and structure unlike almost anywhere else in the South. Protecting the water quality of Lake Chicot, the natural shoreline cypress vegetation and the native fish and wildlife communities sustains this irreplaceable natural lake system.

Chicot State Park holds a treasured place among the natural icons of Louisiana — the largest natural lake in the state, a serene and beautiful cypress-rimmed lake with one of the most unusual fishing environments in the South (the submerged arboretum), and a classic Louisiana State Parks facility with CCC-era craftsmanship and cabins. For generations of central-Louisiana families, Lake Chicot is the quintessential fishing-and-camping lake destination. Chicot State Park is a cherished natural and cultural icon of Evangeline Parish and central Louisiana.

Chicot State Park is in Evangeline Parish, central Louisiana, off Louisiana Highway 3042 near the village of Chicot, about 6 miles north of Ville Platte and 50 miles northwest of Baton Rouge. The park entrance is on LA Hwy 3042; a Louisiana State Parks fee applies. Facilities include the marina, boat ramp, cabin rentals, campground, beach and trails. Ville Platte (6 miles south) has full services. The park is extremely popular in spring and summer; cabins require advance reservations (book weeks ahead for peak season). Check Louisiana State Parks for current fees, cabin availability and conditions.

Louisiana State Parks manages Chicot State Park and Lake Chicot. Water quality maintenance and invasive species control are key management priorities. Visitors help by not releasing bait or live fish into the lake (spreading invasives is a major threat), cleaning and draining watercraft and equipment before and after use, respecting the cypress shoreline vegetation (do not cut or damage the cypress knees), packing out all trash, and following all park and fishing regulations. Protecting the water quality and the natural shoreline vegetation of Lake Chicot sustains both the ecology and the fishery of this irreplaceable natural lake.

Louisiana State Parks fees apply for entry, camping and cabin rentals; reservations required for cabins. Boating follows Louisiana boating safety laws; no wake zones apply near the swimming area and marina. Fishing requires a Louisiana fishing license; follow DWF size and bag limits. Do not release live bait or fish into the lake. Clean and drain watercraft. Alligator feeding is illegal. Pets on leash only. Pack out all trash. Swimming only in the designated area. Check Louisiana State Parks for current fees, cabin availability and fishing regulations before visiting.

The city of Ville Platte (6 miles south — the ‘Smoked Meat Capital of the World’ with legendary boudin and crackling), the city of Opelousas (30 miles east — the zydeco capital of Louisiana), the Chicot State Park Arboretum (a botanical garden adjacent to the park with native Louisiana trees), Evangeline Parish and its Cajun prairie communities, and the Cajun heartland of central Louisiana define the region. Chicot State Park anchors the outdoor and Cajun experience of Evangeline Parish, easily combined with a boudin stop in Ville Platte and zydeco music in Opelousas.

Fish the submerged cypress arboretum for largemouth bass in spring (March through May) — the ancient underwater cypress trees are magnets for big bass during the spawn, and the sight of the original-growth cypress trunks rising from the clear water is extraordinary. Rent a johnboat from the marina and go slowly among the submerged trees to navigate without prop damage. Book a lakeside cabin months in advance for spring or summer weekends (they fill fast). Stop at the Chicot State Park Arboretum next door for a botanical walk through the native Louisiana tree collection before or after your lake day.