Sunday, May 8, 2016

LAKE PALOURDE IN MORGAN CITY, LA - Lake End Park/Campground

Cha Bu looking out and begging to come outside.  I parked in overflow parking in order to take some photos.

Visited Morgan City, LA today and its beautiful Lake Palourde.  This lake, which has a surface area of approximately 17 miles, was named by the early French settlers.  It was called "Lac Palourde," which, when translated into English is "Lake Clam."  The abundance of clams found along the shore line became a staple in the diet of the early Indian inhabitants.

It is important to note that the park fell within the Attakapas and Chitimacha Indian range.  The Attakapas belonged to the same family as the Chitimacha and the Opelousa Indians. All of the tribes belonged to the Tunican group.  The Attakapas had an undesirable reputation as Cannibals.  The name Attakapas means man-eater.

This impressive body of water is all part of the Atchafalaya Basin. This area is the Americas largest river swamp, the last of its kind. The entire basin consists of 1,000,000 acres.  This area is three and one-half times more productive in fish and wildlife resources than the Everglades!   This Atchafalaya Basin - of which Lake Palourde is a part - has over three hundred species of birds, ninety species of fish, crawfish, crabs and shrimp,  sixty-five species of reptiles and amphibians, and forty-six species of mammals.  It is truly in a remarkable place.

The Victor Guarisco LAKE END PARK has towering cypress trees and stately Live Oaks laden with moss that shade you as you stroll along a one mile long paved path.  Situated on Lake Palourde, this beautiful park offers bank or pier fishing, a boat launch and a marina with 47 slips (monthly and yearly rental rates are available).  For your camping pleasure, they offer 147 RV Sites, 20 Tent Sites, and 4 Pavilions.

The town has done a great job with this very large park, which is city owned and operated.

I rode around the whole park looking for the perfect RV site.  I told the ranger at the office what my intentions were and she said to feel free to look around.  Probably not the right day for exploring as there were hundreds of families celebrating Mother's Day.  However, I just wanted to see if I'd like it or not... and I love it.  It's only 45 minutes from my house so I plan on making it my new get away park.

I didn't have to drive very far (just seconds) before I found the perfect spot.  I had looked at their website and their park map so I knew which sites were on the water.  There is a little peninsula that juts out and has sites on both sides so they are very close to the water.  But there is only one site that is feet away from the sandy beach.  So of course that is THE ONE - site number 94.  And strangely enough it was vacant.  These sites do have sewer.

This is site 94 with the lake to the right.  And guess what???? Dogs allowed on beach!!  Those trees would block my view of the lake but I like being so close to the beach. 

My second favorite spot is number 85.  It is the last site on that side but is next to overflow parking which is not good.   However, it has a great view of the lake and the beach.

That class A is parked  near site 85.  Very nice.

Another part of the park across the lake with cabins and RV sites with sewer.

Site 238 with sewer.

Cabins on the water with screened porches.  Notice the RV site hookups with sewer next to cabins.

Nice and shady paved walking path.  It's a mile long.

I rode around the campground to the marina and another water inlet where people were fishing.  Didn't get any photos of the marina but it had a lot of really nice big boats.

Can't wait till next winter to reserve my favorite site for a week.


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