John K. Flores: Spend some time on Louisiana's hiking trails
When it comes to hiking, most people might think of places like Zion or Yosemite National Parks with hundreds of miles of scenic landscape, or perhaps even the 2,200-mile iconic Appalachian Trail that traverses 14 states from Maine to Georgia. What’s more, if I were to guess, most folks around the country wouldn’t consider Louisiana as a “go to” destination for hiking, but don’t let our somewhat flat terrain fool you.
Louisiana has hundreds of hiking trails. Most are short distance-wise and simple to walk, where hikers will navigate flat to moderate terrain. The state’s trails range anywhere from 1½ to 31 miles long, which happens to be the distance of the longest hiking trail in the state, the Wild Azalea Trail.
Labor Day weekend, my wife and I decided to take a drive to Chicot State Park to hike. Chicot has a very well-marked 17.3-mile trail with moderate terrain that encircles the state park. It’s also pet friendly, so we took our Doberman Mila. Since Christine and I are not spring chickens, from the get-go we knew we were not going to hike the entire trail. Instead, we picked a couple locations that would allow us to make short hikes approximately 2 miles long.
It felt good to use leg muscles hiking the hilly upland terrain. Sometimes the sea level jaunts around the block waving and talking to neighbors in our subdivision, though enjoyable, just don’t do it for me physically. Essentially, when the blood rushes into your quad muscles, you know you’re doing something physical and getting something out of it.
Hiking is an excellent way to spend time in the outdoors, particularly with family and friends. A word of caution might be knowing your limitations and that includes the age of your respective participants. You’re only as fast as your weakest hiker.
Small children may be a ball of energy, but they tire fast. You’d be wise to limit your hikes to suit their stamina. Chicot State Park has a “Kid’s Trail,” which introduces little ones to hiking. It can be a fun experience for them and encourages them to enjoy the outdoors.
For seniors it’s the same. Your mind may tell you you can still do it, but your body says something else altogether. It’s important to not get caught up in the ’60s are the new ’40s logic. No, they aren’t. So, try not to make it a race and personal challenge to keep up with those in their prime; just enjoy yourself. They’ll wait while you catch up.
It’s also important to make sure you’re medically fit to hike if you’re a senior. The last thing you want to do is be extracted from the woods by EMTs.
There are things you’ll want to bring when hiking. Number one is a daypack with plenty of water or energy drinks. A couple bottles per person is probably good for “short” hikes of 3 to 5 miles, but remember, this is Louisiana which just experienced the hottest summer on record.
It’s also important on short hikes to carry a couple of snacks, where on longer hikes, you may want to bring a sack lunch. Energy, protein, and granola bars are great hiking snacks that provide your body the shot of nutrition that’ll keep you going. Note: what you brought into the woods (trash) should leave the woods with you when you finish your hike.
A small first aid kit is something that should also be in your pack, along with a compass and mosquito spray. Though black bears are typically shy and keep their distance from humans, it wouldn’t hurt to carry bear spray as a precaution.
Another concern when hiking in upland wooded areas are insects like chiggers and ticks. On their website, the CDC says ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September) and recommends learning what ticks are most common in your area.
I’ll admit, both my wife and I wore shorts and short sleeve shirts on our Chicot hike.
Overall, we didn’t have a problem with these critters. However, I did have one tick that was crawling on my forearm. Needless to say, I dispatched the evil creature with great prejudice.
It’s best to wear long sleeve shirts, long pants, and socks when hiking. Moreover, treat them with spray products containing 0.5% permethrin prior to your hike.
Other products that will help to shield you from ticks and chiggers is DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin.
Both chiggers and ticks live in leafy underbrush and tall grasses.
When hiking, try to not wander off the main trails to avoid these creatures. And following your hike, be sure to check each other for ticks trying to hop a ride home with you.
Lastly, when looking for Louisiana hiking trails, go to the Alltrails.com website.
The website provides a brief synopsis for 258 Louisiana trails with their locations. Alltrails.com is a great tool for planning your next excursion.
With fall approaching and the weather beginning to cool off from the brutally hot record-breaking summer we’ve had, there is no better way to enjoy the outdoors than hiking in it.
John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.