EVANGELINE PARISH — Families spending time at Chicot State Park this summer may notice several major improvement projects underway throughout the park.
For many visitors, the state park has become more than just a travel destination — it’s a tradition.
Crystal Sampson said her family of five visits the park every Memorial Day weekend, bringing together relatives from across the region.
“We are actually out here for a family tradition. So we come out here every Memorial Day weekend, and we have family that comes from Houston and from all over Louisiana to come out here and enjoy the park,” Sampson said.
Others, like Brittany Gates, say the park is part of their everyday routine.
Gates comes to the park with her husband and daughter.
“We live close by and we come here to play all the time and we get the yearly membership. We are here one to four times a week here, honestly,” Gates said.
State park officials say several upgrades are currently underway or recently completed across the property.
A new accessible playground has already been completed in the park’s day-use area, providing additional recreational opportunities for families and children visiting the park.
Officials also partnered with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to complete bridge repairs inside the park.
Construction on the bridge is currently underway and is expected to be completed by late summer.
Additional improvements are also happening at the North Landing Campground. A permanent sewer connection upgrade project is currently underway, with sewer improvements totaling approximately $570,000.
Officials say additional electrical upgrades and asphalt road overlays are also planned for the campground, with those projects expected to be completed in early 2027 at a cost of about $3.5 million.
State Parks is also partnering with DOTD on a separate road overlay project stretching from the entrance station through the day-use area and back toward the cabin area.
Officials say the improvements are designed to make the park more accessible, modern and enjoyable for visitors for years to come.
