Share on LinkedIn

SALINE BAYOU, La. (WAFB) - Saline Bayou is one of the few, mostly undisturbed, free flowing bayous left in Louisiana. And because of that, it’s earned federal recognition as a national wild and scenic river, the only waterway with that designation in the state.

“It stretches from the Bienville Winn Parish line down to Saline Lake, and it goes about 20 miles long,” says Bradley Cooper of U.S. Forest Service.

And that journey takes you through the Kisatchie National Forest. Cooper is the District Ranger.

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful float. You can kayak, canoe, or have a motorized boat, below Highway 126 is all motorized. Above, that’s non-motorized,” says Cooper.

Even on a cloudy day, floating down Saline Bayou is peaceful. On both sides the bayou is cloaked with a thick forest of cypress and tupelo trees that are typical of a bottom land hardwood forest. Some of the bayous that I’ve been on in Louisiana, there are stretches of it where you’re actually going by people’s backyards. There might be the cattle pasture. Is this like that or is it totally natural?

“Because it’s a scenic river, that’s the classification it falls under, it’s gonna be by large part primitive. There’s gonna be very few access points,” Cooper says.

You want to take your time listening to birds and looking for signs of wildlife in the water and along the bank.

“You can view alligators, fish. We have over 70 species of fish that can be found in the bayou. Turtles galore. You might even see a raccoon or a possum hanging in a tree,” says Cooper.

But keeping the free flowing bayou passable for boats requires a lot of upkeep. Heavy rains and winds knock down trees and can make it difficult to navigate. Scott Sanders owns and operates a bucket boat and spends a lot of time traveling Saline Bayou lifting and pushing downed trees against the bayou bank.

“So those windstorms oftentimes will plug up those passages and make it difficult to pass down the river,” Cooper says.

There’s a place to spend the night and pitch a tent. The Cloud Crossing Campground along Saline Bayou has drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and 16 campsites that are free to use. You can hike the three-mile-long Saline Bayou Trail, but heavy rains and high water levels can sometimes cover portions of the trail and you can also launch your boat here. I enjoy the shape of the trees and their reflections in the water. You want to make sure you bring a camera.

“I hope they get the love and nature that I have and maybe a little peace and solitude. It’s a great place to find that,” says Cooper.

It’s a great place to immerse yourself in nature with a quiet float along Saline Bayou.

More information about the Saline Bayou and other places to kayak or canoe can be found on Heart of Louisiana’s website.

Click here to report a typo.