Lake Area Adventures Guided Calcasieu River Paddle

Lake Area Adventures offers guided kayak and paddle boat tours and rentals, as well as several other adventurous activities and rentals. They are headquartered in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which just happens to be a great central location for several kayaking options in the Calcasieu River system. The Calcasieu River Basin spreads out across central and southern Louisiana before emptying itself in the Gulf of Mexico not far from the Texas border. The landscape of the river basin is characterized by marshes, lakes, and bayous. This particular tour takes place on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River about 30 minutes northwest of Lake Charles. Our guide took us to a more remote section of the river, and during our time on the water we only saw two fishermen on one boat during our entire trip.

The water on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River flows at a very slow, almost nonexistent pace south. This makes the river a great option for paddlers who are only equipped to do a there-and-back trip. While much of the shoreline and surrounding forests are all privately owned, there was little in the way of visible human development along the trip that we did. There are some beautiful scenes along the river, full of little nooks to explore as you paddle alongside large cypress trees covered in Spanish moss. Hitting the river in a quiet paddle boat is your best bet for seeing wildlife on this river, but you’ll still need to be a ninja with your paddle. In spring, it’s not terribly uncommon to see alligators sunning themselves on the shorelines. Each season offers great birdwatching opportunities in the area as many migratory birds stop in this area to nest, feed, or wait out winter.

Be sure to check out all the amazing services that Lake Area Adventures has to offer, such as scuba diving trips, guided camping trips, paintball, and much more! Visit their website for more information.

For lodging and places to stay in the Lake Charles area, check out the Visit Lake Charles lodging page.