One Of Louisiana's Best Beaches Is In An Under-The-Radar Lakeside State Park With Recreation-Friendly Waters

Situated on a peninsula on Caney Lake in north-central Louisiana, Jimmie Davis State Park is packed with ample water recreation and a relaxing scenic swimming beach. Caney Lake Reservoir is a 5,000-acre waterway regarded for its world-class bass fishing. While the park provides incredible fishing opportunities, it's also known for its freshwater beach, pier, and water playgrounds. Jimmie Davis State Park is open year-round and offers campsites, multiple cabins, lodges, and group camping accommodations.

At 294 acres of scenic forest and waterfront views, Jimmie Davis State Park is ideal for anglers, boaters, hikers, and families looking to swim or sunbathe. Ruston is the nearest major city to the park, accessible via a 35-minute drive down Louisiana Highway 146 East. Local visitors from large metro areas on the I-20 corridor, like Shreveport, will take I-20 to LA-146 East, just under a two-hour drive.

Those flying in to experience the park might find traveling to a regional airport easier. The closest major airports are Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, both around 283 miles from Chatham, Louisiana, where the park is located. Monroe Regional Airport is only 34 miles from Chatham, but flight destinations to and from Monroe are limited. Once you've conquered the journey to Jimmie Davis State Park, experiencing the peaceful lakeside setting and freshwater beach will prove well worth the trip.

Jimmie Davis State Park is popular for its sandy beach along the shores of Caney Lake, but the park also boasts 17 deluxe lakefront cabins. Each one of these can accommodate up to eight people, and features a kitchen, two bunk beds, and two queen beds. The park also has two four-bedroom lodges accommodating 14 campers and a group facility that sleeps over 120 people in four dorms. Price-wise, the deluxe cabins start at $150 per night, the lodges start at $175 per night, and the group camping facility starts at $600 per night.

Camping at Jimmie Davis State Park is the perfect way to take advantage of the park's beach, splash pad, and water recreation. In addition to the cabins and larger facilities, there are also 73 campsites with water and electric hookups starting at $20 per night. You'll just need to bring the necessary gear for any basic camping adventure because concrete pads, fire rings, grills, and picnic tables are provided at most of the sites.

The paved splash pad and sandy beach are located in the park's day-use area off Boggy Creek Road, opposite the campground loop. The stretch of sandy beach offers a spot along the park's swimming area for sunbathing and nearby picnics on the facility's picnic tables. Best of all, Jimmie Davis State Park is centered around its incredible water recreation, not just lounging at the beach, so packing everything you might need for a summer of extreme fun in the sun is a must.

At the heart of Jimmie Davis State Park, Caney Lake offers record-breaking freshwater fishing for anglers in the area. With 11 fishing piers throughout the park, anglers can access the lake at multiple points. Caney Lake is known best for its record-size largemouth bass, boasting 16 of the largest 20 caught in the state. Bass fishing in the crystal-clear Caney Lake is best when the lake is warm in middle-to-late spring. Keep in mind that anglers over 18 must obtain a valid recreational fishing license from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before fishing.

Boating is another major draw at the park and on the lake. The park's two boat launches offer access to the expansive Caney Lake. From there, the area can accommodate everything from kayaks to jet skiing. Although only kayak rentals are available in Jimmie Davis State Park directly, there are various boat and pontoon rental companies located along Caney Lake. Along the eastern shore of Caney Lake, Hooks Marina has access to gas, bait, and a restaurant and bar with live music, making it a convenient pit stop before heading back to accommodations at the park. 

After an action-packed vacation on Jimmie Davis State Park's Caney Lake, the Pelican State has much more to offer. Whether heading north from the park to the under-the-radar Louisiana Boom or Bust National Scenic Byway to explore its cypress swamps and historic oil towns, or south to the infamous New Orleans, there's plenty to keep the adventure going.