Bylines from Bayou Country (As appears in the Jambalaya News)

As an outsider and a visitor to any given area at any given time, I am often on the lookout for areas of particular interest. As an avid outdoors enthusiast with a keen interest in local, regional wildlife, I tend to look for areas of natural beauty and those, in particular, offering ample opportunities for kayaking, hiking, biking, trails, and camping.

One such place is Sam Houston Jones State Park, a little slice of bayou paradise, a mere 12 miles from downtown Lake Charles.

We frequently enjoy the quick getaway afforded by Sam Houston State Park where an easy, leisurely stroll, bike ride, kayak outing, or camping trip awaits. The trails are numerous, well-groomed, lush, scenic, and adventurous. In addition to the Calcasieu River which winds prominently throughout the park, there are postcard-picturesquely beautiful bayous, replete with characteristically moss-strewn Cyprus and shore-lining reeds. The river, as well as lagoons, are filled with a variety of native fish, turtles, aquatic birds, frogs, and a wide range of aquatic insects. There are also snakes, alligators, and numerous signs describing and alerting the public to their presence in the area.

As would be expected in such a lushly wooded and verdant environment there is an abundance of wildlife. Raccoons, lizards, deer, turtles, birds, and squirrels are perhaps the most visible locals in the park. In addition to the wildlife, there is a rich variety of flora with helpfully informative signs explaining native tribal uses for the assorted diversity of plants.

It never ceases to amaze me how transformative and rejuvenating even a day trip in natural surroundings can be and usually is. Whenever the toils, stresses, and absurdities of everyday life in the modern world become too much; switch off the phone, unplug, try a walk or jog in the park and feel it all melt away. Thirty minutes in the fresh, quiet, loam-scented air and the mind begins to clear substantially. Forty-five minutes down the trail and the smiles won’t stop involuntarily sprouting. An hour out on the water and the rest of the world has faded into the ether of vague memory.

For those looking to escape the daily grind of city living with a bit more commitment, there are ample and clean camping spaces for tents, campers, and all manner of RVs with 30-amp and 50-amp electrical and sewage hookups. The park also has showers, toilets, dump stations. Also available are 12 vacation cabins. The cabins include either one or two bedroom versions, a living/dining area, bathroom, a fully outfitted kitchen, complete with cooking and eating utensils, and a screen-enclosed porch/lanai. Bed linens also are provided, and each cabin has central air conditioning and heat. You can stay up to 14 nights in an RV or tent.

For a relatively small park with a small admission fee of $3 per adult (ticket is good for same day re-entry up until 9 pm), Sam Houston State Park offers a BIG outdoors experience and a lot of tranquility only 12 miles from town.