Lake Bistineau State Park is one of twenty-two
state parks
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. It is located in
Doyline in
Webster Parish
Webster Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Webster'') is a parish located in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Louisiana.
The seat of the parish is Minden.
As of the 2010 census, the Webster Parish population was 41,207. In 2018, the p ...
, about a half hour east of
Shreveport.
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
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...
, with two separate areas of the modern-day park reflecting the historical
segregated nature of the park.
Activities
Lake Bistineau State Park offers over 10 miles of hiking trails, as well and camping, boating, paddling, and various other outdoor activities.
References
{{Protected Areas of Louisiana
State parks of Louisiana
Protected areas of Webster Parish, Louisiana
Protected areas established in 1938
1938 establishments in Louisiana