Lake Bistineau State Park

{{Short description|State park in Louisiana, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox protected area

|name=Lake Bistineau State Park

|photo=Cypress Trees in Lake Bistineau State Park.jpg

|photo_caption=Cypress trees in Lake Bistineau State Park.

|iucn_category=

|map=USA Louisiana#USA

|map_alt=

|map_caption=Map of Louisiana, United States of America

|map_width=

|location=Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA

|coordinates={{coords|32|26|24|N|93|23|40|W|region:US-LA|notes={{cite web|url=https://www.lastateparks.com/parks-preserves/lake-bistineau-state-park|title=Lake Bistineau State Park - Louisiana Office of State Parks|access-date=November 14, 2022|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=}}|display=inline, title}}

|area={{convert|750|acres|ha|0}}{{Cite book|title=Louisiana State Parks–A Guide to Louisiana's State Parks, State Historic Sites and Preservation Areas Brochure|publisher=Louisiana State Parks|year=2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.crt.state.la.us/Assets/Parks/brochures/SWGlayout_web.pdf|access-date=July 21, 2017|title=Louisiana State Parks Brochure|publisher=Louisiana State Parks|archive-date=September 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906064006/http://www.crt.state.la.us/Assets/Parks/brochures/SWGlayout_web.pdf|url-status=dead}}|established={{Start date|1938}}

|governing_body=Louisiana Office of State Parks

| visitation_num = 47,034

| visitation_year = 2022

| visitation_ref = {{Cite web |date=March 29, 2023 |title=Fiscal Year 2024 Executive Budget Review Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism |url=https://house.louisiana.gov/housefiscal/DOCS_APP_BDGT_MEETINGS/DOCS_AppBudgetMeetings2023/FY%2024%20Culture%20Recreation%20Tourism.pdf |website=Louisiana House of Representatives}}

|url=https://www.lastateparks.com/parks-preserves/lake-bistineau-state-park}}

Lake Bistineau State Park is one of twenty-two state parks in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in Doyline in Webster Parish, about a half hour east of Shreveport.{{Cite web |title=Lake Bistineau State Park |url=https://www.louisianatravel.com/state-park/lake-bistineau-state-park |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Louisiana Official Travel and Tourism Information |language=en}}

History

Lake Bistineau was created by a flood after a log jam in 1800, but the lake gradually drained over time. In 1935, construction on a dam began, and the park was opened in 1938. It was the first state park to accommodate African-Americans, with two separate areas of the modern-day park reflecting the historical segregated nature of the park.{{cite book |last=Otto |first=David |title=Insiders' Guide to Shreveport |date=August 17, 2007 |publisher=Insiders' Guide |isbn=978-0-7627-5702-2 |page=127}}

Activities

Lake Bistineau State Park offers over 10 miles of hiking trails, as well and camping, boating, paddling, and various other outdoor activities.

References