One of our goals this year was to take advantage of the kiddos’ school breaks and enjoy that time more intentionally. Previously, we would look at those breaks as simply rest days and just let everyone veg out…but that never ends up being enjoyable or remotely close to quality time together. So, when the Mardi Gras break drew close, we looked for an adventure!
We knew we wanted to visit another Louisiana State Park but needed it to be puppy friendly, which limits the options a bit. Around the same time, Harrison’s third grade class was learning about the historic site, Poverty Point. When we looked into cabin options close to the site, it was serendipitous that the closest state park had dog friendly cabins available…so clearly this trip was meant to be!
Poverty Point Reservoir State Park
This state park is nestled in Delhi, LA, which is roughly a 3 hour drive from Baton Rouge. We were a little nervous driving that far with two dogs, but they were troopers! When we pulled into the state park, we were stunned at the beauty of the massive lake. It was gorgeous, even in February when things aren’t quite back to green and blooms.
We stayed in Cabin 8, which you cannot book on the website but have to call to reserve, so keep that in mind when you are planning. The cabins are on the water and while I swear I could feel us moving a bit with the waves, no one else in my family agreed. We were able to park fairly close to the cabin, but I do wish we would have brought our wagon to help carry our things back and forth. There were a ton of ducks swimming right off shore…which our dogs just loved!
The cabin had a ton of space and the accommodations were perfect for a two night visit. We brought kennels for the puppies and thank goodness, because they were terrified of the wood floors or the slight movements of the cabin and barely left them when we were inside! The cabin had two bedrooms, one with a queen bed and the other with two twin bunkbeds, which the kids loved! The bedding provided wasn’t anything spectacular but it was just fine for two nights. We did bring some extra blankets just in case in got chilly overnight and they helped make it a but more cozy. One thing to note, those ducks I mentioned hung out under the bedrooms. Their quacks were quite the wake up call!
There was one bathroom with a standing shower and lots of extra space! There were plenty of towels provided and a decent hair dryer.
The cabin had lots of seating available between the couch, oversized chairs, and massive kitchen table! It was perfect not just for meal time but game night as well! There was a television but I couldn’t get over the view from all the windows to pay it much attention! The kitchen was a nice size as well and stocked with everything we needed to throw together a few meals. There was even a decent coffee maker…which is a necessity for us! We did bring paper towels, extra trash bags, dish soap, and an all purpose spray to help us keep everything clean.
My favorite part about the cabin was the porch outside! One section is screened in, which was great for the puppies but the other side had two rocking chairs that were really perfect for soaking in that gorgeous view, sipping either a coffee or other beverage! It was quite windy and chilly when we were there, but enjoyable nonetheless!
After unpacking and getting settled, we head back into town to hit up Brookshire’s (grocery store) and grab a quick, fast food dinner. Just a note, they do not sell alcohol on Sunday.
After an early night to bed, we were excited to explore the state park the next morning before heading to the historical site that afternoon. The state park doesn’t have a ton of walking trails but what is there is quite lovely. It’s fairly flat so regular tennis shoes were perfect and the dogs loved sniffing around. We did see one snake but it kept its distance!
After a couple hours of exploring, we head back to the cabin for a quick lunch and to kennel up the puppies, as they aren’t allowed in all of the areas of the historic site. The site is roughly 20 minutes from the state park, so we packed up and head out!
Poverty Point World Heritage Site
In addition to all the facts Harrison shared about Poverty Point, we found a couple podcasts that shared information about the history of the site and my nerd heart could barely stand it!
Basically, the Poverty Point inhabitants built a complex array of mounds and ridges for a purpose that isn’t confirmed but assumed to be a place for trade. The American Indians built these mounds and ridges by hand and the tallest is over 70 ft tall. To comprehend that alone is bananas! It’s thought that they moved the soil through baskets they had to carry. I can’t imagine how difficult this task felt! There is a museum on-site that has a ton of artifacts to check out, plus a quick film that shares more about the history. Before you leave the museum, ask about the atlatl demonstration! This was really cool! An atlatl is a spear thrower that allowed for longer throws and greater speed. Not only was watching the demonstration neat, but we all got to give it a try!
There are two options to exploring the site: by foot or car. It’s about a 2.5 mile walk so we decided to go by foot. It was a gorgeous day so I’m glad we had the opportunity to be out and about! There are maps available but also an interactive app that pulls up additional information. I highly encourage you to give that a download before you head out.
We spent a couple hours here as well, checking out as much as we could. We didn’t bring the dogs but we saw a few folks that had them outside only. There isn’t a lot of shade, so don’t forget your sunscreen!
Once we got back to the cabin, we showered, enjoyed a dinner we threw together, and then proceeded to have a very heated game night! The next day, we cleaned up and head back home. This really was a great, brief getaway right in our own home state! If you enjoy fishing or water sports, you might want to consider extending your stay by a day so you have plenty of time to do it all!