A microadventure around Lake Chicot through a Louisiana swamp.

[Richard May]

This was a great trail. I got to see, and stand in, an actual swamp. You know, like those in the movies with squishy ground and tall trees that jut out of the water. – Complete Trip report on my blog. – Some awesome pictures. – Map of the 19.5 mile loop The trail itself is pretty easy. There is no difficult terrain to traverse, mountains to cross and water is always a short bushwhacking trip away. The highlight is the boardwalks that cut through the swamp and over the water placing you right in middle of it. The stillness gets me every time. Birds sing, cicadas incessantly buzz, and the canopy of the trees regularly knock around in the wind. But the water is perfectly still and the air hardly moves. Here are some pictures for your enjoyment: The way the water reflects the sky and the duckweed mingles with the clouds gets me here. . Shooting at noon, when the light comes right down through the trees creates some pretty amazing scenes. . Looking up at the canopy you can see the trees moving. The sound they make when they knock together is an eerie low knock that sounds distant. . Knowing exactly where the lake starts is not easy. You can walk up to it but the ground gets softer and squishier as you approach it. . Duckweed carpets much of the lake near the shore. I wonder what role it plays in this ecosystem. . In the end this trip highlighted why I want a boat to explore this region. The swamps are pretty amazing places!

[Edward Z]

Thank you for sharing that trip report. Great photos. Nice to see someplace less traditional. Makes me want to visit a swamp. And that's saying something'. Really good read.

[Ryan Tucker]

I grew up in swamp bottoms and they have a unique beauty. They also bring unique challenges for those wishing to traverse them. I have a kayak and trailer I would be happy to unload for the right price…:) Come and get it.

[Ben C]

For sharing your report. You captured some nice shots of some beautiful southern swampland. But I keep thinking, mosquitos, chiggers. …

[Richard May]

Yeah, the chiggers were bad. I got home with red spots all over my wrists and ankles. Later when I did Eagle Rock in AR I perrmethrined my clothes and bivy. Worked like a charm. I forget who suggested it, but it was a great idea. I wish I had room for an actual boat. I'm hoping to get a packraft at some point. :)

[Ben C]

Chiggers… the silent killers. I've had some miserable weeks due to chiggers It's tough because you can't even tell they are biting you

[Geoffrey Lehmann]

Nice report, photos and map. That's a trail I keep meaning to get to but haven't yet. A hammock makes sleeping in those conditions more comfortable, and keeps you further away from the redbugs (chiggers). For a boat, Lake Chicot rents canoes and has a marked paddle trail…and gives you a better chance of encountering gators. geoff

[Dean F.]

>>> I wish I had room for an actual boat. How about a Folbot or a Pakboat? Those pack into a backpack or two. If you're rich look at Feathercraft. Or if you're handy Chesapeake Light Craft makes a sectional version of their Shearwater kit that actually looks quite attractive sitting in your apartment. And for the TRULY handy there is Yostwerks, where you make your own skin-on-frame kayak using his patterns to make ribs out of HDPE cutting boards and aluminum tubing members, and skin it with whatever you like- most builders unfortunately use PVC. Tragically, he is having some hardships with his website. Until then it has been mirrored by another enthusiast, or it has also been archived on Wayback.

[Jacob D]

Cool report and nice photos Richard. The swamp with those tall trees seems to be a good place for a fisheye lens :) This would be an awesome place for a packraft or better yet and Oru kayak. Your comment about chiggers brought back some memories of my time spent working in the South. I wish I would have been able to explore some spots like this.

[alastair humphreys]

Really beautiful, and such an unusual environment. Well done!

[Richard May]

I keep looking at those folding boats too… then I look at the packrafts and see the weight difference. Then, looking at the specs I know the foldables are much better boats and probably better suited to photography. On the other other hand the Atchafalaya Basin looks like it has some pretty awesome areas where walking and floating are both possible. So, without money for one right now (getting one is in the works) I look over them and try to figure out which will take care of 80% of my needs in the best way. I think, Geoff, you are on to something. I should just rent for a few trips and see how I like the canoes and kayaks.

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