Chicot South Bayou Choctaw aka Mill Creek Loop
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 6.25 nm
- Elevation gain
- 686 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 686 ft
- Max elevation
- 87 ft
- TrailRank
-
64
5
- Min elevation
- 2 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 3 hours 3 minutes
- Time
- 4 hours 30 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2076
- Uploaded
- May 18, 2024
- Recorded
- May 2024
near Omo (historical), Louisiana (United States)
Viewed 40 times, downloaded 0 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
The previous days downpours created a high water situation on Bayou Choctaw aka Mill Creek. Proceeded south following the Chicot park canoe trail until I lost it. The high water meant picking any line through the trees without disruption, so that's it rolled. Came upon the LAWF southern vegetation boom which was blocking appr 75 feet wide band of giant salvinia and water hyacinth, portaged up and around the west bank. In err I put right back in the water vs hand carting 75 ft along the bank. The salvinia was almost too thick to propell with paddle alone, had to deploy Full Hip Schuching method to extract. Next portage was easy and enjoyable mostly due to water height with a lower heights differential. The Chicot hiking trail walk bridge is just 1,000 ft downstream of the Hwy 3042 bridge and marks the beginning of the Bayou Choctaw aka Mill Creek.
Full wide water in the trees with a nominal current was present. Followed open water until I couldn't, back up, try again. Made it all the way up to a small lake with a single duck blind.
Came out of the lake and tried to follow the channel and thus picked all new lines and paths onward. After portaging the walk bridge I tried to follow the bayou which disappeared shortly afterward. I then proceeded back along the east side of the lake back to the starting points. Encountered the east side of the vegetation boom but did not portage as was able to paddle around the end of the boom.
Paddle started in heavy fog that turned into mostly clear skies with perfect high 60's paddle and then finished in the to hot 80's.
Full wide water in the trees with a nominal current was present. Followed open water until I couldn't, back up, try again. Made it all the way up to a small lake with a single duck blind.
Came out of the lake and tried to follow the channel and thus picked all new lines and paths onward. After portaging the walk bridge I tried to follow the bayou which disappeared shortly afterward. I then proceeded back along the east side of the lake back to the starting points. Encountered the east side of the vegetation boom but did not portage as was able to paddle around the end of the boom.
Paddle started in heavy fog that turned into mostly clear skies with perfect high 60's paddle and then finished in the to hot 80's.
Waypoints
Photo
-50 ft
Tree
Information point
Bridge
Lake
Intersection
Ruins
Fauna
Comments (10)
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Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
Did u get much further Pass the LA Hwy 3042 bridge? As u exit the lake into Bayou Chicot , it usually clogs up rapidly with vegetation, except maybe in high water. And by the way how was the Crawfish? I couldn’t make it.
Yes I was able to make it up Mill creek quite a good ways. Yes, the high water cleared out the floating vegetation. The briar patches is what finally stopped me, while the water was deep enough to keep going.
Crawfish for the yearly LPC boil were high quality and the cookers did equally as well. Your presence was missed.
The stream heading west from Hwy 3042 bridge to Hwy 167 may also be known as Bayou Choctaw.
Thanks for the clarification. I was surprised to learn that Bayou Chicot is very short and does not extend much westward of the bridge. Also that the main west body water is called Bayou Choctaw and also Mill Creek.
I was not aware of that as well, and I lived there 27 years.
FYI you were still on park property for a good stretch past Hwy 3042
This is a really cool exploration paddle. I'm envious
I stand corrected on the length of Bayou Chicot, per another map it does extend quite more than previously thought
Yes it was memorable, my top Chicot paddle.
No doubt about it.